Property tax bills hit Kane County mailboxes

By Austin Berg

05/09/2018

Homeowners’ 2017 property tax bills (payable in 2018) outpace the state and national average, when measured as a share of home value.

TAGS: Kane County, outmigration, population, property taxes, taxes

Mundelein spends more than $300K on welcome signs

By Vincent Caruso

04/30/2018

The Lake County village will tap into its savings account to help cover the costs.

TAGS: Mundelein, municipal pensions, property taxes, waste

Des Plaines approves nearly $200K salary for city manager

04/07/2018

Despite living in one of the most overtaxed counties in the country, the Des Plaines City Council approved an $11,255 salary increase for its city manager, raising the cost of government even more for taxpayers.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pensions, salaries

Union pay raise could force Kane County property tax hike

By Vincent Caruso

04/03/2018

As Kane County officials prepare for union contract negotiations, county taxpayers might soon be bracing for higher property taxes.

TAGS: collective bargaining, Kane County, labor, salaries, unions

DuPage County voters to decide on merger between clerk’s office and election commission

By Brendan Bakala

03/16/2018

The nonbinding, advisory referendum seeks to gauge support of merging two DuPage County offices.

TAGS: consolidation, local government consolidation

Wheeling approves $7M handout to developer

03/09/2018

Despite residents seeing some of the highest property tax bills in the state, the Wheeling Board of Trustees approved a preliminary agreement giving a developer nearly $7 million to build apartments and retail space in the village.

TAGS: property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing, Wheeling

Bill restricting government promotional spending advances in General Assembly

By Vincent Caruso

03/08/2018

An investigation in December 2017 found that a convention for municipalities and public agencies ran taxpayers nearly $120,000 in exhibition and hospitality costs. A proposal making its way through the General Assembly would bar state funds from contributing to these excesses.

TAGS: David McSweeney, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, spending

Despite high tax bills, Des Plaines City Council buys theater for $1.3M

By Austin Berg

02/26/2018

Local leaders are putting taxpayers on the hook for a development gamble.

TAGS: property taxes

Broken pension system puts Schaumburg taxpayers on the hook for bad investments

By Austin Berg

02/10/2018

The defined-benefit pension system threatens the retirement security of government workers, as well as the pocketbooks of overburdened taxpayers.

TAGS: 401(k), municipal pensions, pensions, Schaumburg

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

By Brendan Bakala

02/08/2018

A District 211 board member is sitting in on negotiations with the same teachers union that bought her campaign signs during the 2017 District 211 school board election. But much more than yard signs, Illinois' collective bargaining laws for government worker unions stack the deck against local taxpayers.

TAGS: collective bargaining, labor, Palatine, strike

Daily Herald

Property tax bills hit Kane County mailboxes

Mundelein spends more than $300K on welcome signs

Des Plaines approves nearly $200K salary for city manager

Union pay raise could force Kane County property tax hike

DuPage County voters to decide on merger between clerk’s office and election commission

Wheeling approves $7M handout to developer

Bill restricting government promotional spending advances in General Assembly

Despite high tax bills, Des Plaines City Council buys theater for $1.3M

Broken pension system puts Schaumburg taxpayers on the hook for bad investments

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

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