House investigative committee calls for Madigan testimony in corruption scandal

09/18/2020

Following initial hearings, a committee formed to investigate House Speaker Mike Madigan’s involvement in a ComEd corruption scandal requested testimony from key players.

TAGS: bribery, ComEd, corruption, federal investigation, Mike Madigan

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

By Austin Berg

11/11/2019

Government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to research by the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy more than $550 million per year. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved in what appears to be...

Madigan and ComEd are at the center of federal heat

By Austin Berg

10/24/2019

Illinoisans shouldn’t have to wait for federal raids to curb corruption at the capitol.

TAGS: City Club of Chicago, ComEd, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mike Madigan

Federal agents looking for Madigan documents in ComEd probe

By Austin Berg

10/24/2019

As previously undisclosed subpoena adds another angle to federal agents’ activity surrounding the longtime House speaker and chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

TAGS: City Club of Chicago, ComEd, corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jay Doherty, JB Pritzker, Kevin Quinn, Michael Zalewski, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain

Repeating past mistakes: Pritzker proposes borrowing, stretching out payment ramp as pension solution

By Adam Schuster, Brad Weisenstein

02/15/2019

Trying to fix a massive pension deficit with more tax increases, deferring payments and gambling with taxpayer money is a recipe for failure.

TAGS: bonds, borrowing, credit rating, Dan Hynes, JB Pritzker, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax

Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double

By Vincent Caruso

12/11/2018

Departing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel accelerated calls to boost Illinois’ gas tax to pay for local transportation projects.

TAGS: Chicago, gas tax, JB Pritzker, Rahm Emanuel, taxes, transportation, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

Illinois remains most expensive state in Midwest for workers’ compensation

By Michael Lucci

11/10/2016

The regulatory cost of doing business in Illinois remains the highest in the Midwest for workers’ compensation, according to the 2016 Oregon Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking study.[1] Illinois’ out-of-balance workers’ compensation laws contribute to the Land of Lincoln’s loss of industrial investment and blue-collar job opportunities. Illinois manufacturing firms often cite workers’ compensation as...

Michigan vs. Illinois: Manufacturing and out-migration

By Michael Lucci

09/19/2016

Years of job-killing policies in Illinois have pushed residents out of the state, while nearby Michigan has taken an alternate, pro-growth approach to turn it around.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, unemployment

Déjà vu: Illinois has billions in unpaid bills, Madigan calls for another tax hike

By Hilary Gowins

01/27/2016

Without fundamental reforms, the tax hike state Democrats want to impose will only drive Illinois further into decline.

TAGS: Mike Madigan, taxes, unpaid bills

To fix education funding, Cullerton should focus on reforming pensions

By Ted Dabrowski

01/26/2016

From 2009 to 2014, the state added $8.9 billion in new tax dollars to the education budget, over and above the base amount of $6.8 billion it spent in 2009. Of those new dollars spent, 89 percent went to retirement costs and just 11 percent made it to classrooms.

TAGS: John Cullerton

City Club of Chicago

House investigative committee calls for Madigan testimony in corruption scandal

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

Madigan and ComEd are at the center of federal heat

Federal agents looking for Madigan documents in ComEd probe

Repeating past mistakes: Pritzker proposes borrowing, stretching out payment ramp as pension solution

Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double

Illinois remains most expensive state in Midwest for workers’ compensation

Michigan vs. Illinois: Manufacturing and out-migration

Déjà vu: Illinois has billions in unpaid bills, Madigan calls for another tax hike

To fix education funding, Cullerton should focus on reforming pensions

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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