Why the soda tax ‘worked’ and the progressive tax won’t

By Austin Berg

02/28/2020

There’s no doubt: the county taxed soda more, so people bought less of it. It’s a simple lesson. So why doesn’t Springfield get it?

TAGS: Cook County, home price index, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, outmigration, progressive income tax, property taxes, soda tax, tax burden, Toni Preckwinkle

Bill would curb Illinois state budget gimmicks allowing deficits since 2001

02/27/2020

Illinois has not truly balanced its budget since 2001 despite a constitutional requirement to do so. A new bill would help change that.

TAGS: accounting, balanced budget requirement, constitutional amendment, Illinois Constitution, Jaime Andrade Jr., NASBO: National Association of State Budget Officers

Illinois House passes bill to tear down nearly 100 red-light cameras

02/26/2020

A proposal to limit red-light cameras in Illinois is making significant progress.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jonathan Carroll, Martin Sandoval, Mattie Hunter, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

Fired Chicago Police superintendent receiving nearly $200K pension

02/26/2020

Eddie Johnson was fired before his scheduled retirement after he was found asleep behind the wheel. He blamed medication. Video showed him drinking.

TAGS: Chicago, CPD: Chicago Police Department, Eddie Johnson, Laquan McDonald, Lori Lightfoot, police pensions, public safety

Blagojevich comes home to America’s most corrupt city

02/26/2020

Chicago and the state of Illinois are notorious around the country for high-profile corruption convictions. Rod Blagojevich settles back in after the former governor’s imprisonment for corruption.

TAGS: Chicago, conflict of interest, conviction, Cook County, cooling off period, corruption, ethics, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jeff Tobolski, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, Patrick Doherty, prison, red light cameras, revolving door, Rod Blagojevich, SafeSpeed, watchdog

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

02/24/2020

Amazon bought the old commercial property, but Bolingbrook’s mayor opposes putting 1,500 jobs on it. Illinois’ job growth was below the national average in 2019.

TAGS: Amazon, Bolingbrook, economic growth, employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor force participation rate, Roger Claar, unemployment, zoning

New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets

02/21/2020

Red-light cameras have been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation that has lead to the arrest of numerous public officials.

TAGS: bipartisan, Celina Villanueva, conflict of interest, corruption, David McSweeney, drivers license, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Susana Mendoza

Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb

By Brad Weisenstein

02/21/2020

Federal investigators are seeking records from a small village near Chicago. The subpoena names Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, his political lieutenants and former ComEd lobbyists.

TAGS: Chicago, Commonwealth Edison, conflict of interest, corruption, ethics, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Kevin Quinn, Marty Quinn, Michael McClain, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, revolving door, Timothy Mapes

Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000

02/20/2020

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s release from federal prison may be making room behind bars for other Illinois politicians. Illinois is the top state for corruption, and federal agents are busy looking for more.

TAGS: corruption, ethics, revolving door

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

By Austin Berg

02/20/2020

Illinois’ political leadership learned nothing from the Blagojevich nightmare. And now it may be coming back to bite them.

TAGS: Commonwealth Edison, commutation, corruption, Donald Trump, ethics task force, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Mike Madigan, Rod Blagojevich

Chicago

Why the soda tax ‘worked’ and the progressive tax won’t

Bill would curb Illinois state budget gimmicks allowing deficits since 2001

Illinois House passes bill to tear down nearly 100 red-light cameras

Fired Chicago Police superintendent receiving nearly $200K pension

Blagojevich comes home to America’s most corrupt city

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets

Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb

Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

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