Illinois’ 102 county online transparency audit

By Brian Costin

06/27/2013

One of the best protections against corruption is transparency, and in today’s digital age one of the easiest ways for government to be open and accountable is through posting public documents on the Internet. Unfortunately, most Illinois counties need to dramatically improve when it comes to online transparency. The Illinois Policy Institute recently audited all...

Moody’s downgrades Illinois credit rating: 13th credit downgrade under Quinn

06/06/2013

by Ted Dabrowski Moody’s Investors Service downgraded Illinois’ credit rating to “A3” from “A2” after the General Assembly failed to move forward on pension reform before the end of the spring legislative session. The rating agency also says it has a negative outlook on Illinois’ credit: “The negative outlook reflects our expectation that Illinois’ pension...

Fitch downgrades Illinois after lawmakers fail to pass pension reform

06/03/2013

by Ted Dabrowski Fitch Ratings downgraded Illinois’ credit rating to “A-” from “A” after the General Assembly failed to move forward on pension reform before the end of the spring legislative session. In its statement announcing the downgrade, Fitch called Illinois’ pension liability “unsustainable” and said it was concerned about the state being able to...

California lawsuit seeks to end practice of forced union dues

05/09/2013

by Paul Kersey In Illinois and many other states, government workers are often forced to pay union dues in order to hold on to their jobs. But a lawsuit filed on behalf of teachers in California may bring this practice to an end. Union officials use forced dues to fund massive political and lobbying drives...

States with no income tax had a surplus or no deficit in 2012

03/31/2013

States that dont have an income tax manage to stay out of the red, and many are even operating with budget surpluses. Texas, for example, currently foresees and $8.8 billion surplus over its current two-year budget cycle.

TAGS: deficit

Illinois’ pension liability more than doubles under Moody’s new accounting rules

By Ted Dabrowski

03/31/2013

Moodys is set to require states and local governments to use more transparent and realistic accounting rules when they report their true pension obligations. And that means Illinois debt and underfunding numbers will skyrocket.

Pension funds expected rates of return: Biggest lie in global finance

03/31/2013

For governments like the ones in Stockton and Illinois, government worker pension plans need ambitious investment returns of nearly 8 percent year in and year out to fund the overly generous benefits officials have handed out

TAGS: pensions

The cost of bad behavior: Illinois penalty borrowing rate

By John Klingner

03/31/2013

The price of Illinois bad behavior continues to go up.

TAGS: borrowing, credit rating, debt

Lessons from Puerto Rico: the problem with big pension debts and little solutions

By Ted Dabrowski

03/31/2013

Too bad Puerto Rico isnt a state. If it were, Puerto Rico, and not Illinois, would have the nations worst-funded pension system and the countrys worst credit rating.

TAGS: credit rating, debt, Puerto Rico

California

Illinois’ 102 county online transparency audit

Moody’s downgrades Illinois credit rating: 13th credit downgrade under Quinn

Fitch downgrades Illinois after lawmakers fail to pass pension reform

California lawsuit seeks to end practice of forced union dues

States with no income tax had a surplus or no deficit in 2012

Illinois’ pension liability more than doubles under Moody’s new accounting rules

Illinois’ income tax turns 44

Pension funds expected rates of return: Biggest lie in global finance

The cost of bad behavior: Illinois penalty borrowing rate

Lessons from Puerto Rico: the problem with big pension debts and little solutions

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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