Chicago now home to the nation’s highest sales tax

By Hilary Gowins

07/15/2015

Buying local just got a lot less appealing for Chicagoans. The city reclaimed the highest sales-tax rate of any major city in the nation on July 15, when the Cook County Board, which oversees Illinois’ largest city, voted to raise its portion of the sales tax, bringing Chicago’s combined rate to 10.25 percent from 9.25...

TAGS: Chicago, sales tax

Choose Chicago an epic cut for Rauner

By Austin Berg

06/26/2015

State money for city branding is nonessential.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Choose Chicago

Madigan, Cullerton and the absurdity of Springfield’s budget blame game

By David Giuliani

06/03/2015

Responsibility for Illinois’ sorry state of affairs falls at the feet of House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and their combined 80 years in state government.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan

Corruption Watch: April 2015

By Shawn Tonge

05/08/2015

April saw two major players in Illinois education ensnared in charges of cronyism, among more than 60 other corruption-related stories.

TAGS: good government

CTU executives call employee pension contributions ‘insulting’

By Benjamin VanMetre

05/06/2015

Chicago Teachers Union executives say their members shouldn’t have to contribute more money to their retirements because of a contract negotiation nearly 35 years ago.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, pensions

Corruption watch: March 2015

By Shawn Tonge

04/08/2015

April showers bring May flowers, but all March gave us was 53 new corruption stories in Illinois.

TAGS: good government

Call waiting: Chicago Police Department refusing to release cellphone-tracking info

By Bryant Jackson-Green

03/31/2015

The Chicago Police Department is refusing to disclose information regarding its use of covert cellphone-tracking devices, which can intercept the personal information of innocent bystanders.

TAGS: Chicago, CPD: Chicago Police Department

Quinn and the DCEO spent $27M on ‘Transformers’ movies, ‘Empire,’ a Funyons commercial and more

By Austin Berg

03/24/2015

Gov. Bruce Rauner ordered Cinespace Chicago Film Studios to pay back their most recent $10 million grant, but further action is necessary to stamp out cronyism in Illinois.

TAGS: Cinespace, DCEO: Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity

Quinn to receive millions in pension payments

By Austin Berg

03/02/2015

Former Gov. Pat Quinn contributed less than $200,000 to his retirement, but is set to draw more than $2 million in pension benefits over his lifetime.

TAGS: GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Pat Quinn

Corruption Watch: January 2015

By Shawn Tonge

02/11/2015

The start of a new year always comes with resolutions for improvement, but only time will tell if they translate into effective action.

TAGS: good government

Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago now home to the nation’s highest sales tax

Choose Chicago an epic cut for Rauner

Madigan, Cullerton and the absurdity of Springfield’s budget blame game

Corruption Watch: April 2015

CTU executives call employee pension contributions ‘insulting’

Corruption watch: March 2015

Call waiting: Chicago Police Department refusing to release cellphone-tracking info

Quinn and the DCEO spent $27M on ‘Transformers’ movies, ‘Empire,’ a Funyons commercial and more

Quinn to receive millions in pension payments

Corruption Watch: January 2015

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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