Will Lisa Madigan shut down Illinois state government?

By Austin Berg

04/14/2016

The Illinois attorney general – House Speaker Mike Madigan’s daughter – could play a major role in whether state lawmakers will pass a budget Illinoisans can afford.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Lisa Madigan

Illinois employers report 900 layoffs, including continued losses in manufacturing

04/14/2016

Illinois’ March layoff report shows that almost a quarter of the 900 Illinoisans who will lose their jobs are manufacturing workers.

TAGS: jobs, WARN

Adult Redeploy has saved Illinois nearly $70 million in avoided prison spending

By Bryant Jackson-Green

04/14/2016

By investing in community-based programs that treat nonviolent offenders’ drug and mental health problems, Illinois can avoid more costly expenditures on incarceration.

TAGS: adult redeploy, criminal justice reform

New report shows high cost of AFSCME demands for Illinois taxpayers

By Mailee Smith

04/13/2016

A new report from the Heritage Foundation shows that in 2014 alone, collective bargaining between Illinois’ government-worker unions and Illinois officials inflated state and local government spending by $4 billion to $9 billion.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees

Illinois professionals can now renew their licenses online

By Amy Korte

04/13/2016

Switching to an electronic system from a paper-based licensing program is expected to save taxpayers millions of dollars over the next few years – as well as provide better and faster service for the state’s licensed professionals.

TAGS: jobs, occupational licensing

Bill to ban sale of bobcat pelts heads to Illinois Senate

By Amy Korte

04/08/2016

In the midst of the state’s budget, pension and out-migration crises, an Illinois politician has introduced SB 2143 to ban the sale of bobcat pelts, as well as the trapping of these animals.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, overcriminalization

The fall of Illinois manufacturing

By Austin Berg

04/07/2016

illinois manufacturing hoist liftruck marty flaska

Since the state's recession bottom, Illinois has regained less than 5 percent of its manufacturing jobs — the worst rate of recovery among all neighboring states.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, workers compensation

Ex-offenders need to work to stay out of the system – but Illinois’ occupational-licensing rules keep many out of careers

By Bryant Jackson-Green

04/06/2016

To get ex-offenders back to work and reduce crime, Illinois needs to lift restrictions on the right to earn a living .

TAGS: criminal justice reform, jobs, licensing, occupational licensing

Illinois corruption watch: March 2016

04/04/2016

Several instances of corruption and mismanagement of public property and trust came to light in March and included new developments in cases involving Chicago Public Schools’ former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

TAGS: corruption

General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines

By Heather Weiner

04/01/2016

After returning from vacation, Illinois lawmakers will operate under rapidly approaching deadlines to pass legislation.

Bruce Rauner

Will Lisa Madigan shut down Illinois state government?

Illinois employers report 900 layoffs, including continued losses in manufacturing

Adult Redeploy has saved Illinois nearly $70 million in avoided prison spending

New report shows high cost of AFSCME demands for Illinois taxpayers

Illinois professionals can now renew their licenses online

Bill to ban sale of bobcat pelts heads to Illinois Senate

The fall of Illinois manufacturing

Ex-offenders need to work to stay out of the system – but Illinois’ occupational-licensing rules keep many out of careers

Illinois corruption watch: March 2016

General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students