Chicago

Illinois corruption watch, June 2014

By Brian Costin, Anthony Trania
07/09/2014
Unfortunately for taxpayers, June was a groundbreaking month for corruption in Illinois. In June alone, there were reports of 85 corruption-related stories in the state. Some of the record-breaking highlights include the following: For the first time in 33 years, the Illinois Legislative Audit Commission exercised its subpoena powers in the issuance of a subpoena...

Convicted felon and torturer will continue to receive pension

By Austin Berg
07/07/2014
A convicted torturer is still receiving an Illinois state pension. On July 3, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled in favor of a decision by Chicago’s police pension board allowing disgraced former Chicago police Cmdr. Jon Burge to continue receiving his approximately $3,000 per month pension. That’s despite the fact that Burge is currently serving a...

Chicago gas prices $0.53 higher than national average

By Hilary Gowins
07/03/2014
Just as travelers prepare to hit the road to celebrate Independence Day weekend, national gas prices have risen to levels not seen since 2008. And though prices have dropped slightly in Chicago, the price for a gallon of gas is still higher than it was last year, according to AAA. Today, the average price per...

Speeding ticket can cost you more than $900 in Illinois

By Austin Berg
07/03/2014
It’s Independence Day weekend. You’re driving out to the suburbs, into the city, up to a lake or maybe down to the state capital. You’re going 15 miles per hour over the speed limit. Lights flash. You hear: “License and registration please.” You’re on the hook for $120. Or so you think. In reality, the...

Occupational licensing overkill in Illinois

By Bryant Jackson-Green
07/03/2014
Nearly two in five workers in the U.S. need government permission just to do their jobs. One of the ways that permission is granted is through occupational licensing programs imposed by state and local governments. This setup raises barriers to entry for many professions. The supposed justification for these rules is that they help protect...

TAGS: occupational licensing

Setting the CTU straight on teacher retirement benefits

By John Klingner
07/03/2014
Opponents of real pension reform often argue that government workers receive modest pensions. The Chicago Teacher’s Union, or CTU, is one such opponent. Under its FAQ page about teacher pensions, the union’s website states: “The average Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund (CTPF) retiree earns $42,000 per year. Of the 87,000 retired teachers in Illinois, almost 1...

Saving Chicago: Reforming city-worker retirement ages

By John Klingner
07/02/2014
The problem Chicago is suffering from one of the worst pension crises in the nation. To begin fixing its failing system, the city should move away from a politician-controlled, defined-benefit system. But another important step is reforming retirement-age requirements. The Chicago systems’ retirement ages don’t reflect today’s fiscal and demographic realities. People are living longer,...

Back to reality: More bad news for Illinois teachers’ pension fund

By John Klingner
06/27/2014
In the next bad surprise for taxpayers and Illinois’ downstate teachers, the Teachers’ Retirement System, or TRS, announced that the shortfall in its pension fund has increased by $6 billion. The bigger shortfall means that without real pension reform, teachers may see their pensions cut and taxpayers may be called on to bail out the nearly insolvent...
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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

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

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016