Missouri lawmaker proposes bill to allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control

By Mark Adams

02/18/2016

A Republican-sponsored bill in Missouri could make it easier, less costly and more convenient for women across Illinois’ border to obtain birth control.

Chicago taxpayers’ money funneled to capital markets, professional advisers, according to ‘Bond Girl’

02/17/2016

Chicago taxpayers to pay a significant premium and fees in connection with the $725 million Chicago Public Schools borrowed on Feb. 3.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Springfield couldn’t bail out Chicago Public Schools even if it wanted to

By Ted Dabrowski

02/05/2016

State-run teacher pensions have a shortfall of $37,000 per student, while Chicago's shortfall totals $24,000.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, pensions

CPS’ postponed bond sale poses questions for Chicago and Emanuel

02/02/2016

Amid CPS’ postponed $875 million bond sale, Chicagoans should question whether the district can fill its budget hole and whether Emanuel will stand up for Chicago taxpayers or give in to more teachers union demands.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois’ fiscal problems drive away GE, spur talk of bankruptcy, pension reform

01/26/2016

The state must get its financial affairs in order by allowing municipal bankruptcy and enacting real pension reforms.

TAGS: bankruptcy

Illinois became less competitive after Blagojevich’s 2005 workers’ compensation bill

By Michael Lucci

01/19/2016

This blog is the fifth part of a series that explores Illinois’ workers’ compensation system, the state’s inadequate reforms, and opportunities policymakers should seize now to make the system less costly and more effective for employers and workers alike.

TAGS: workers compensation

Illinois to issue $500M in bonds, continues to pay highest borrowing rate of all 50 states

By Ted Dabrowski

01/09/2016

Illinois’ monthslong budget gridlock, $111 billion in government-worker pension debt, and more than a decade of unbalanced budgets have resulted in credit downgrades for Illinois and the highest borrowing costs of any state in the nation.

TAGS: budget

Despite massive stock-market rally, Illinois’ pension liabilities go up and up and up

01/05/2016

The fiscal crises caused by the state’s government-worker pension liabilities.

2011 workers’ compensation reform

By Mark Adams

01/02/2016

Part 3 of Illinois’ broken workers’ compensation system: the major components of the 2011 reform

TAGS: workers compensation

3 important criminal-justice reforms from 2015

By Bryant Jackson-Green

12/31/2015

In 2015, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law bills restricting the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult court, establishing rules for the use of body cameras by police, and creating an expedited process in Cook County to resolve cases involving certain low-level offenses.

TAGS: juvenile court, police body cameras

Illinois General Assembly

Missouri lawmaker proposes bill to allow pharmacists to prescribe birth control

Chicago taxpayers’ money funneled to capital markets, professional advisers, according to ‘Bond Girl’

Springfield couldn’t bail out Chicago Public Schools even if it wanted to

CPS’ postponed bond sale poses questions for Chicago and Emanuel

Illinois’ fiscal problems drive away GE, spur talk of bankruptcy, pension reform

Illinois became less competitive after Blagojevich’s 2005 workers’ compensation bill

Illinois to issue $500M in bonds, continues to pay highest borrowing rate of all 50 states

Despite massive stock-market rally, Illinois’ pension liabilities go up and up and up

2011 workers’ compensation reform

3 important criminal-justice reforms from 2015

What is the Education Freedom Tax Credit and how can it benefit Illinois students?

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