More Budget Reforms Coming to Cook County?

02/28/2011

Newly elected Board President Toni Preckwinkle is saying and doing the right things when it comes to solving a budget crisis.

Illinois Senate Considers Raising Minimum Wage

01/31/2011

Illinois Senator Kimberly Lightford introduced legislation that would raise the minimum wage by 50 cents plus the rate of inflation annually until it reached the equivalent of $1.60 per hour in 1968.

TAGS: minimum wage

Chicago Pays $681K in Wages to Corruption Convicts

12/31/2010

The City of Chicago kept 17 employees on the payroll after their convictions in public corruption cases, at a cost of $681,195 to the taxpayers.

CPS Inspector General Finds $800K of Questionable Spending

12/31/2010

Including charges for alcohol, parties, and other "gratuitous expenditures."

Cartoon Blogging: The State’s Ticking Time Bomb

By Chris Andriesen

11/30/2010

by Ashley Muchow Found this cartoon from Jack Higgins of the Chicago Sun-Times from a couple weeks back. Unfortunately, its “ticking time bomb” metaphor is all too accurate a description of Illinois’s state pension fund. See the Institute’s proposed solution to address the state’s $83 billion unfunded pension liability.

Cartoon Blogging: Response to TSA

By Chris Andriesen

11/25/2010

by Ashley Muchow Jack Higgins of the Chicago Sun Times has a fun illustration on the TSA body scan/pat down debacle. Check it out.

Senate Forms Committees to Study Workers’ Compensation and Medicaid Reform

By Chris Andriesen

11/18/2010

by Wesley Fox Senate President John Cullerton announced today that he will form committees to study workers compensation and Medicaid reform, which are initiatives Republicans promoted during the campaign. The committees would advance legislation for a possible vote in January,according to the Sun-Times. Illinois’s workers’ compensation requirements are costly and discourage employers from hiring or even doing business...

The Latest Chicago Corruption Scandal

By Chris Andriesen

11/01/2010

by Amanda Griffin-Johnson The latest corruption scandal in Chicago, “Operation Crooked Code,” has resulted in the convictions of 21 people. Of the individuals convicted, 15 were city building and zoning inspectors. If you’ve never heard of the Crooked Code scandal, you are not alone. The Chicago Sun-Times explains: Despite those successful cases, Crooked Code hasn’t been as high-profile...

Illinois, Behind in Bills, Decides to Spend More

10/08/2010

by Wesley Fox Despite Illinois’s record deficit and $6 billion in unpaid bills, Governor Quinn recently announced $50 million in new spending for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative. The Initiative would focus on job training for adults and small businesses and also provide funds for small businesses in troubled neighborhoods with the goal of addressing violent crime problems by...

TAGS: Neighborhood Recovery Initiative

Chicago Public Schools new CEO?

10/07/2010

by Collin Hitt The unsurprising word has leaked that Chicago schools chief Ron Huberman – a Daley appointee – will leave his post before the beginning of a new administration. Greg Hinz… With Chicago Public Schools officials confirming a Chicago Sun-Times story that schools chief Ron Huberman will leave along with Mayor Richard M. Daley, who else...

Chicago Sun-Times

More Budget Reforms Coming to Cook County?

Illinois Senate Considers Raising Minimum Wage

Chicago Pays $681K in Wages to Corruption Convicts

CPS Inspector General Finds $800K of Questionable Spending

Cartoon Blogging: The State’s Ticking Time Bomb

Cartoon Blogging: Response to TSA

Senate Forms Committees to Study Workers’ Compensation and Medicaid Reform

The Latest Chicago Corruption Scandal

Illinois, Behind in Bills, Decides to Spend More

Chicago Public Schools new CEO?

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