By Paul Kersey
12/03/2012
Faint praise for a fainthearted resolution Much of Illinois politics has become a contest of wills between a political establishment that is prone to wishful thinking and government employee unions with worldviews that border on fantasy. House Joint Resolution 45, or HJR 45, represents the latest attempt to wrest control of state spending away from...
Key issues that we expect to be brought up during Januarys special session
By Brian Costin
11/29/2012
State Rep. LaShawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, of Illinois’ 8th District has become the most recent example of a steady stream of Illinois politicians caught with their hands in the cookie jar. According to the Chicago Sun-Times: “Ford, 40, of Chicago — who also invests in Chicago real estate — allegedly fraudulently obtained a $500,000 increase...
By Brian Costin
11/07/2012
In March of this year, state Rep. Derrick Smith was charged with accepting a bribe of $7,000 in exchange for supporting a grant for a fictional day care operator in an undercover FBI sting. The legislature expelled Smith from the legislature in August, but after Tuesday night’s elections it appears that Smith will return to the Legislature...
The Institute's Executive Vice President Kristina Rasmussen was quoted in an editorial published by the Northwest Herald which evaluated the Governor's budget in comparison to Budget Solutions 2013, an annual alternative to the Governor's state budget.
Today the Illinois House adopted a budget framework for fiscal year 2013. The framework had bipartisan sponsorship, but unfortunately adopts an overall spending target that is still far too high. What is good about the budget is that it acknowledges the overwhelming burden of the unsustainable Medicaid program and takes steps to slow the growth of the...
Must Reads for the week of Feb. 27
by Jonathan Ingram As the Institute reported last week, Republican members of the Illinois House of Representatives filed a resolution urging the federal government to give the state greater flexibility in administering its Medicaid program. That resolution was still stuck in committee on Wednesday, when Represenative Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale, motioned the full House to bring the resolution...
by Jonathan Ingram Earlier today, Republican members of the Illinois House of Representatives filed a resolution in the General Assembly urging the federal Super Committee to recommend granting the state greater flexibility in administering its Medicaid program. In particular, they ask that the Super Committee and Congress repeal the “maintenance of effort” requirements in ObamaCare. As you...
By Chris Andriesen
10/11/2011
Introduction Policy changes lives. Legislation that lowers the cost of living and doing business in Illinois makes life better across the state. Legislation that gives children better educational opportunities can transform the futures of families and communities. But legislation that increases taxes, drives up public debt or limits economic opportunity can destroy a family’s dream,...
