Corruption watch: March 2015

By Shawn Tonge

04/08/2015

April showers bring May flowers, but all March gave us was 53 new corruption stories in Illinois.

Reform education spending: Eliminate loopholes in General State Aid formula

By Ted Dabrowski

02/17/2015

The state should simplify and amend the General State Aid formula to end loopholes, and require each school district to fully report its true property wealth when requesting means-based state aid.

Corruption Watch: January 2015

By Shawn Tonge

02/11/2015

The start of a new year always comes with resolutions for improvement, but only time will tell if they translate into effective action.

TAGS: good government

State of the state: What every Illinoisan should know about the social safety net

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

02/03/2015

The state’s complex and duplicative social-welfare system is punishing many of those who seek to move up the ladder of economic opportunity.

TAGS: welfare

Illinois Corruption Watch: December 2014

By Brian Costin

01/16/2015

The residential-center horror stories demonstrate that corruption in government often hurts the most vulnerable among us. It also shows that exposing those injustices can lead to change.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, good government

Brief details crushing weight of pension costs for Illinois municipalities

By Benjamin VanMetre

01/15/2015

More than 20 police and 10 fire pension funds were less than 30 percent funded in 2012.

TAGS: budget, IML: Illinois Municipal League, municipal government, taxes

What Rauner can do to reform social services in Illinois

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

12/28/2014

There is clearly no lack of commitment aimed at supporting those in need here in Illinois. The question is how to do a better job of it.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, health care, jobs, social services, welfare

Police body cameras, ban on chokeholds may be coming to Chicago soon

By Bryant Jackson-Green

12/12/2014

City officials don’t get very much right. But if public pressure makes them act to ensure greater police transparency and more protection of individual rights, we may have good reason to be optimistic.

TAGS: Chicago, police body cameras

Illinois Corruption Watch: November 2014

By Brian Costin

12/07/2014

In November, 13 of 53 Corruption Watch stories were related to policies and actions of criminal-justice authorities in Illinois.

TAGS: Chicago

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

By Brian Costin

11/01/2014

In October, we found 52 different stories of potential public corruption in Illinois, including a trio of stories related to the election. An Illinois Policy investigation into emails from a group of Kankakee County superintendents revealed potentially illegal activities to pass a countywide sales-tax hike for school facilities. Documents obtained suggest illegal actions by superintendents...

TAGS: good government, waste

Cook County

Corruption watch: March 2015

Reform education spending: Eliminate loopholes in General State Aid formula

Corruption Watch: January 2015

State of the state: What every Illinoisan should know about the social safety net

Illinois Corruption Watch: December 2014

Brief details crushing weight of pension costs for Illinois municipalities

What Rauner can do to reform social services in Illinois

Police body cameras, ban on chokeholds may be coming to Chicago soon

Illinois Corruption Watch: November 2014

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

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