Chicago

State’s bond rating drives up borrowing costs

08/30/2010
by Heather Wilhelm It sure is getting expensive to be broke these days, and Illinois is learning the hard way, according to the Civic Federation’s latest study.  The Chicago Sun-Times reports: The state’s miserable bond rating has driven up borrowing costs for state government by more than $500 million since last year, a government watchdog...

Sales Tax Confusion for Chicago Restaurants

08/30/2010
by Brian Costin A recent Chicago Reader article highlights confusion among Chicago’s restaurants in regards to the recent Cook County sales tax reduction, and a myriad of different taxing districts within the city. Every retail establishment in Chicago must collect and turn over to the Illinois Department of Revenue a 9.75 percent “retailers’ occupation tax”—or sales tax. This...

Daley Privatizing the Taste of Chicago

08/27/2010
by Ashley Muchow Chicago mayor, Richard Daley has announced the Windy City will consider privatizing its recycling program and lakefront festivals to assist in closing the city’s budget deficit.  Though a nominal amount compared to the state’s $13 billion budget deficit, Daley is determined to close the city’s $655 million budget hole without raising taxes. Following well known moves...

Chicago Kids, Online, at School, Staying Late?

08/25/2010
by Collin Hitt Chicago Public Schools has announced that it is moving forward with a new plan to extend the school day at select elementary schools by using online learning technology.  The Trib carried the story: In an effort to extend what is one of the nation’s shortest school days, Chicago Public Schools plans to add...

Chicago: 2nd Worse Charter School Environment

08/25/2010
by Collin Hitt That, according to a new survey of thirty American cities by the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation.  Overall, the study attempted to rank major cities based on their attractiveness for school reform – the charter school element was only one piece.  Chicago got a C and was ranked 11th out of 26 states offered an...

Pension Systems Selling Assets to Cover Benefits

08/25/2010
by Kristina Rasmussen From Crain’s: Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System, Springfield, plans to sell $3 billion in investments, or about 10% of its $33.1 billion in assets, in the current fiscal year to pay pension benefits, according to Dave Urbanek, public information officer. The system is the fifth Illinois statewide defined benefit plan to sell off investments this...

Clout Hiring Alive in Chicago

08/11/2010
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson A clout hiring scandal in Chicago’s Department of Transportation (CDOT) has led to a five-day, unpaid suspension for an engineering technician and the resignation of a Deputy Commissioner. The Chicago Sun-Times reports: Jim Bolster was slapped with the five-day suspension “for assisting” his boss, former Deputy Commissioner Gilberto Quinones, in Quinones’ quest to...

Will You Bail Out Pensions?

08/10/2010
by Kristina Rasmussen Dennis Byrne’s column poses some interesting questions about the Illinois state pension system — namely, if it goes belly up, will taxpayers be on the hook for paying those benefits? A new analysis prepared for the Civic Committee by the Chicago law firm Sidley Austin says “no”: The opinion acknowledges that the constitution creates a...

Success from the Sunshine State: Time to Copy Florida’s Winning Strategies

By Collin Hitt
08/05/2010
The Problem In recent months, Illinois has been home to an intense debate over school reform. A school voucher bill co-authored by Sen. James Meeks has received a great deal of attention, and for good reason. It would give parents in Chicago’s worst and most overcrowded schools the option to send their children to a...

USA Today: Chicago Is Most Costly for Business Travelers

08/05/2010
by Joe O’Malley It is no wonder residents of Cook County are fleeing to other states. USA Today highlights a recent study that shows just how costly it is to do business in Chicago. The study focused on the local taxes that impact business travelers, such as taxes from hotels, rental cars, and meals. It found that...
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4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Causes, costs, how to set the state free

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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