Pritzker signs bill giving $12K pay raises to state lawmakers

By Brad Weisenstein

01/09/2023

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved raises for the statewide elected leaders just ahead of their inaugurations Jan. 9. State lawmakers will get $12,094 raises when they take office Jan. 11. Big hikes also went to Pritzker’s department leaders and their assistants.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, lawmaker pay

Illinois House sneaks through $12,000 pay raises for themselves

By Brad Weisenstein

01/07/2023

A late Friday-night move would add nearly $12,000 to the salary of each state lawmaker, raise salaries for statewide elected leaders such as the governor, and boost salaries for agency directors and their subordinates. Plus, they get cost-of-living increases.

TAGS: Illinois House of Representatives, lawmaker pay

How Illinois lawmakers can give school choice to 9,000 low-income students

By Dylan Sharkey

01/06/2023

A scholarship program that has helped more than 9,000 low-income students choose to attend private schools will expire at the end of 2023 unless lawmakers expand the Invest in Kids Act.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

Chicago Teachers Union contributions to Illinois General Assembly members

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

01/01/2023

Don’t know your local lawmaker? Use our lawmaker lookup tool to find out.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly

Illinois public pension debt grows to $140B

By Bryce Hill

12/14/2022

Illinois’ five statewide pensions system saw their debt increase by nearly $10 billion to a grand total of $140 billion in fiscal year 2022. Pensions will cost the state nearly $11 billion next year, but that’s still $4.4 billion too little.

TAGS: Illinois, pensions

Illinois 1 of 10 states still under covid emergency powers

By Dylan Sharkey

12/14/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued his 37th COVID-19 disaster proclamation. Illinois is one of only 10 states living under an emergency order.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act

By Joe Tabor, Perry Zhao

11/18/2022

The omnibus criminal justice reform bill became highly politicized in the November elections, mixing fact and fiction. There are problems with the bill, but state lawmakers can fix them before the SAFE-T Act takes effect in January.

TAGS: SAFE-T Act

Pritzker gives himself COVID-19 emergency powers for 36th time

By Patrick Andriesen

11/16/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker declared Illinois a disaster area for the 36th time, extending his emergency powers over the state for another 30 days. None of Illinois’ neighboring states remain under emergency powers.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Amendment 1 isn’t about taxes? The public pension crisis begs to differ.

By Brad Weisenstein

11/03/2022

Nothing about property taxes in Amendment 1? There’s nothing about the cost in most of what Illinois politicians pass, but there’s usually a surprise for taxpayers hidden somewhere.

TAGS: Amendment 1

Union boss receives 19-month prison sentence for extorting $325K from film studio

By Patrick Andriesen

10/28/2022

A former Teamsters secretary-treasurer was sentenced to 19 months in prison for extorting $325,000 from a Chicago film studio. The judge refused to give probation, saying “there is a price we all pay for public corruption.”

Illinois General Assembly

Pritzker signs bill giving $12K pay raises to state lawmakers

Illinois House sneaks through $12,000 pay raises for themselves

How Illinois lawmakers can give school choice to 9,000 low-income students

Chicago Teachers Union contributions to Illinois General Assembly members

Illinois public pension debt grows to $140B

Illinois 1 of 10 states still under covid emergency powers

Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act

Pritzker gives himself COVID-19 emergency powers for 36th time

Amendment 1 isn’t about taxes? The public pension crisis begs to differ.

Union boss receives 19-month prison sentence for extorting $325K from film studio

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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