by Amanda Griffin-Johnson A state audit of a Cook County jobs training program is raising concerns about some of the program’s expenditures. The Chicago Tribune reports: Among an audit’s 68 findings were questions about whether youths who were paid more than $1 million were even qualified to be in the program, why $31,000 in pension payments...
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...
By Chris Andriesen
07/29/2010
The Problem Around this time each year, Illinois residents start making plans to attend the DuQuoin and Illinois State Fairs. But these state fairs are costing taxpayers much more than their ticket prices suggest. These two state fairs have a long record of their expenditures far outweighing their revenues. Between fiscal years 2001 and 2009,...
The State of Illinois gave a $15,000 grant (#06-203940) in fiscal year 2006 to the Chicago Park District “for the installation of two stall type batting cages at Jackie Robinson Park located at 1054 South Morgan Street in Chicago.” According to the DCEO’s grant tracker website, the grant was part of the Grant Management Program “for specific purposes to...
By Kate Campaigne Piercy
07/07/2010
The Problem Illinois faces $6 billion in unpaid bills with an unemployment rate over 11 percent—the highest in 27 years. The state pension system is underfunded by $80 billion, and the state’s bond rating ranks second lowest in the country. In response, Governor Pat Quinn’s proposed fiscal year 2011 budget would raise income taxes by...
by Will Compernolle In fiscal year 2007, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity gave a $25,000 grant (#07-203098) to the Chicago Park District “for renovations to the historic spray pool at Athletic Field Parklocated at 3546 West Addison in Chicago.” The DCEO’s grant tracker explains the grant is part of a larger grant program “for specific...
By Chris Andriesen
06/30/2010
The Problem Every day, businesses from across Illinois compete in the marketplace. They work to make their products better, their costs more competitive, and they invest in employee training to boost productivity. Some companies, however, receive help from the state to foot their training costs. How? Through the Employer Training and Investment Program (ETIP). According...
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson At end of May, the Illinois General Assembly adjourned without addressing how to pay for the $6 billion in unpaid bills and required $3.7 billion pension payment for next year. But both houses did have time to pass House Bill 0859. The bill’s synopsis as introduced states that the bill: “Appropriates $1,000,000 from the General...
by Will Compernolle The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) gave an $873,700.00 grant (#09-463009) in fiscal year 2009 to Unytite Inc.for “equipment that will enable the company to produce the larger nuts and bolts used in construction of wind turbines.” The DCEO’s grant tracker explains “these larger bolts (up to 48mm in diameter) are beyond...
By Chris Andriesen
06/23/2010
The Problem Illinois’s wealth of energy resources should be utilized to provide Illinois’s families and businesses with reliable sources of power. However, Illinois state government is unnecessarily picking winners and losers, distorting energy prices, and driving up overall government spending by awarding tax dollars to certain energy sectors via special government programs. For example, the...
