Fitch keeps Illinois’ credit above junk but negative outlook remains

By John Klingner, Evelyn Hussey

07/20/2017

Of the three major ratings agencies, only Moody’s Investors Service has indicated that Illinois lawmakers’ lack of long-term solutions for reducing that debt is a severe problem.

TAGS: bonds, budget, credit rating, debt, Fitch Ratings, Moody's Investor Service, Standard & Poor's

Moody’s right, S&P wrong on Illinois budget

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

07/13/2017

Illinois’ bond rating may not be junk, but the state’s finances still are.

TAGS: bonds, credit rating, Moody's Investor Service, Standard & Poor's

S&P downgrades Illinois credit rating closer to junk

By John Klingner

10/04/2016

The ratings agency also warns that another downgrade could be coming if the state doesn’t enact serious reforms to improve its fiscal condition.

TAGS: credit rating, pensions, Standard & Poor's

Fitch downgrades Chicago, cites Illinois Supreme Court ruling on pension reform

By John Klingner

03/28/2016

The city’s rating from Fitch is now just one notch above junk status.

TAGS: Chicago, credit rating, municipal pensions, pensions

Illinois corruption watch: January 2016

02/12/2016

In January several instances of corruption, influence peddling and mismanagement across Illinois were brought to light, from the College of DuPage’s expense-account mismanagement, to Chicago’s red-light-camera bribery case.