April saw two major players in Illinois education ensnared in charges of cronyism, among more than 60 other corruption-related stories.

Illinois is known for its culture of government corruption, fiscal mismanagement and cronyism. That reputation is backed up by hard statistics that say Illinois is the third most corrupt state in the country and the Chicago region is the most corrupt area in the country. Illinois’ citizens deserve better.  Illinois’ government culture on the state...

Imagine an Illinois economy so vibrant that companies felt they had to be in Illinois to reach their fullest potential. Imagine a tax environment so competitive that companies across the country battled to get a piece of Illinois real estate. Keep imagining, because this certainly isn’t a reality. The fact is, Illinois ranks 48th in economic...

CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2012) – In the latest round of online transparency audits conducted by the Illinois Policy Institute, only 13 of 22 local government agencies in the York Township-area in DuPage County received passing grades. In an effort to fight corruption and encourage public participation in government, the Illinois Policy Institute grades governments on...

by Brian Costin The City of Elmhurst is considering a new ordinance to combat eye-rolling and sighing at public meetings. At a June 14th committee meeting resident Darlene Heslop was asked to leave after rolling her eyes and sighing during a discussion about the city hiring a state lobbyist. Heslop opposes the hiring. The new law being considered...