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...
by Will Compernolle The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) gave a $400,000 grant (#05-02206) in fiscal year 2005 to Solargenix Energy LLC to “provide solar thermal collectors to be installed on a meat packing factory roof.” According to the DCEO’s grant tracker, the grant is part of the Renewable Energy Resources Program, meant “to encourage utilization...
by Will Compernolle The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) gave a $750,000 grant in fiscal year 2009 to the City of Pinckneyville to “construct a High School Basketball Hall of Fame and a Illinois Rural Heritage Museum.” The DCEO’s grant tracker says the grant (#09-240001) is part of The Community Development Assistance Program (CDAP). To find...
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) gave an $83,400 grant to
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) gave a $45,000 grant to buy a tour boat.
