HB 580 fails: Illinois House Democrats lacked votes to override Rauner’s veto of union arbitration bill

By Heather Weiner

05/25/2016

Illinois House Democrats failed to muster the 71 votes needed to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of HB 580, which would have allowed government-worker unions to remove the governor from labor contract negotiations and replace him with a panel of unelected arbitrators.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees

3 key takeaways from the May 18 union rally in Springfield

By Mailee Smith

05/19/2016

AFSCME members lobbied for $3 billion in additional pay and benefits, showing their lack of concern for Illinois’ overburdened taxpayers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees

Madigan lawyer sues to block fair-map amendment

By Austin Berg

05/12/2016

In Illinois, politicians pick their voters.

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, Mike Madigan

AFSCME promised to negotiate in ‘good faith,’ backs bill to take taxpayers out of contract talks

By Mailee Smith

05/11/2016

AFSCME Illinois contract negotiations with Rauner

AFSCME promised to play nice at the negotiating table with Gov. Rauner, but it never intended to keep that promise. The union is doing everything it can to muscle the state’s taxpayers into an outside arbitration process that will practically guarantee that AFSCME’s unreasonable demands are met.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees

Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

By Amy Korte

05/09/2016

Illinois motorists have paid more than $6.5 million this year for failing to renew vehicle license plates on time, more than double the amount collected in the same four-month span last year.

TAGS: license plate

Madigan continues to block term limits

By Austin Berg

05/05/2016

Madigan has been in office since 1971 and has served as Illinois House speaker for 31 of the past 33 years.

TAGS: John Cullerton, Mike Madigan, term limits

Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund

By Amy Korte

04/29/2016

Despite being sentenced to 15 months in prison for a financial crime intended to cover up his sexual abuse of high school students, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert will continue to receive $28,000 annual pension payments for his six years as an Illinois state representative.

TAGS: corruption, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, pensions

AFSCME’s actions show union unwilling to negotiate contract taxpayers can afford

By Mailee Smith

04/28/2016

AFSCME’s push for HB 580, which would allow a panel of unelected arbitrators to draft a binding contract between the state and the union, is the latest power play in AFSCME’s long and uncompromising battle for pay hikes and benefits that could cost Illinois taxpayers more than $3 billion.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees

Property-tax freeze bill passes Illinois House

By Hilary Gowins

04/26/2016

House Bill 696 would freeze property taxes across the state. Under the plan, local governments could still increase rates, but only with approval from voters. The bill doesn’t apply to home-rule governments, however. That’s no small exemption: 7.8 million Illinoisans live in a home-rule municipality such Chicago, Naperville or Peoria. This number also doesn’t account for Cook County, which is also home-rule, and would be exempted from this property-tax freeze.

TAGS: property taxes

Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House

04/18/2016

House Bill 5522 would require local governments and school districts in Illinois to maintain websites with links to vital public information such as budgets, expenditures and officials’ names and numbers.

TAGS: corruption, local government, transparency

Illinois House of Representatives

HB 580 fails: Illinois House Democrats lacked votes to override Rauner’s veto of union arbitration bill

3 key takeaways from the May 18 union rally in Springfield

Madigan lawyer sues to block fair-map amendment

AFSCME promised to negotiate in ‘good faith,’ backs bill to take taxpayers out of contract talks

Illinois gets $3.5M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

Madigan continues to block term limits

Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund

AFSCME’s actions show union unwilling to negotiate contract taxpayers can afford

Property-tax freeze bill passes Illinois House

Local government transparency bill clears Illinois House

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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