Chicago pension reform ruled unconstitutional

By Ted Dabrowski

07/24/2015

The Illinois Supreme Court’s precedent has made it impossible for Chicago to stave off bankruptcy by making even the most meager reforms to government-worker pensions.

Judges split on state-worker pay in absence of balanced budget

By Jeffrey Schwab

07/19/2015

UPDATED JULY 19: It’s almost inevitable that the state will violate either the Fair Labor Standards Act or the Illinois Constitution

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, David McSweeney, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Supreme Court, John Cullerton, Lisa Madigan, Mike Madigan

In budget battle, Illinois leaders should respect the Constitution

07/02/2015

State leaders took an oath to uphold the Illinois Constitution. But they show deference to the document only as it suits them.

TAGS: budget

Solving Illinois’ pension crisis

By Benjamin VanMetre, Ted Dabrowski

06/08/2015

Actuarial analysis offers options to transition to a defined-contribution retirement plan

Illinois House balks on real workers’ compensation reform

By Heather Weiner

06/07/2015

Illinois’ economy remains hamstrung by a broken system.

TAGS: Jay Hoffman, Jim Durkin, Mike Madigan, Ron Sandack, turnaround agenda, workers compensation

Tweaking payments won’t solve Illinois’ pension crisis

By Jonathan Ingram

06/05/2015

Changing the repayment plan to one based on flawed assumptions and bad accounting does nothing to shield taxpayers from the risks of an imperfect system.

Illinoisans suffer, politicians get paid should General Assembly fail to pass balanced budget

By Jeffrey Schwab

05/31/2015

If state lawmakers fail to pass a balanced budget by a three-fifths majority vote, essential programs will be harmed. But thanks to House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton, politicians will still get their paychecks.

TAGS: budget, special session

Egan-Jones on Chicago, S&P blames Moody’s and a message to bondholders

05/22/2015

Taxpayers need protection when municipalities go bust.

TAGS: Chicago

5 things you need to know about Chicago’s credit downgrades

By Austin Berg

05/19/2015

Talk of the next Detroit rings truer now than ever before.

Think tax hikes will fix Illinois’ pension crisis? Think again

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/19/2015

More revenue can’t fix a fundamentally flawed system. Illinois lawmakers should know this; they tried that approach and failed.

Supreme Court of Illinois

Chicago pension reform ruled unconstitutional

Judges split on state-worker pay in absence of balanced budget

In budget battle, Illinois leaders should respect the Constitution

Solving Illinois’ pension crisis

Illinois House balks on real workers’ compensation reform

Tweaking payments won’t solve Illinois’ pension crisis

Illinoisans suffer, politicians get paid should General Assembly fail to pass balanced budget

Egan-Jones on Chicago, S&P blames Moody’s and a message to bondholders

5 things you need to know about Chicago’s credit downgrades

Think tax hikes will fix Illinois’ pension crisis? Think again

Who Lives Below the Poverty Line in Illinois? Family Structure and Education Mark the Highest Risk

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students