Illinois pushes supermarkets to display election-year Pritzker propaganda

By Dylan Sharkey

04/12/2022

The 2023 budget forces grocers to display Gov. J.B Pritzker’s temporary suspension of the 1% grocery tax. Illinois is one of the few states to tax groceries.

TAGS: grocery tax, JB Pritzker

4 of Illinois’ past 10 governors went to prison

By Hannah Schmid

04/11/2022

Four of the past 10 former Illinois governors are among the public officials who have been convicted of offenses in Illinois. The state needs stricter ethics reforms to change its culture of corruption.

TAGS: corruption, governors, Illinois, prison

Illinois’ state, local tax burden highest in Midwest after 2nd-largest increase in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

04/11/2022

The effective state and local tax burden in Illinois has risen from 11.2% in 2019 to 12.9% in 2022. It is now the nation’s seventh highest.

TAGS: Illinois, tax burden

Illinois lawmakers should read laws before they pass them

By Joe Tabor, Jon Josko

04/11/2022

Politicians use a loophole to bypass the Illinois Constitution’s requirement that bills be read on three separate days before they are passed. Instead, they often gut minor bills and put significant legislation in the bills within a day of the vote.

TAGS: budget, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, transparency

Chicago-area firefighters win appeal to remove union from their workplace

By Dylan Sharkey

04/07/2022

Firefighters in a Chicago suburb won their appeal to remove the Service Employees International Union from their workplace. False claims by SEIU bosses complicated the process.

TAGS: Carpentersville, firefighters, SEIU: Service Employees International Union

House bill would force gas station owners to display Pritzker propaganda

By Dylan Sharkey

04/06/2022

A new measure would require gas stations to post a sign reminding customers the automatic gas tax hike is delayed. Retailers without the sign would be fined $500 per day, but they are pushing back against what amounts to a political ad.

TAGS: gas station, JB Pritzker

Above the law: Amendment 1 would let government unions void over 350 Illinois laws

By Mailee Smith, Perry Zhao

04/05/2022

Amendment 1 would allow government unions to nullify hundreds of Illinois statutes – including laws aimed at protecting school children – simply by contradicting them in union contracts.

Illinois House bill would jeopardize Madigan’s $151K pension

By Dylan Sharkey

04/04/2022

A new bill in the Illinois House calls for suspending the pensions for legislators facing corruption charges. Former House Speaker Michael Madigan, recently indicted for racketeering and bribery, is set to collect $12,600 per month starting in July.

TAGS: corruption, Mike Madigan, pensions

Speed cameras issue more tickets in 2021 than Chicago has residents

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

04/03/2022

Chicago drivers were issued more speed tickets in 2021 than there are city residents. Annual ticket revenues doubled, but fatal crashes still increased.

TAGS: Chicago, red light cameras, traffic safety

Experts: Illinois lawmakers wrong to back 80% funding level for pensions

By Adam Schuster

04/01/2022

Illinois’ 90% funding target already violates best practices, but some have proposed going even lower. That’s a bad idea based on a myth, according to the American Academy of Actuaries.

TAGS: Illinois, pensions

Illinois

Illinois pushes supermarkets to display election-year Pritzker propaganda

4 of Illinois’ past 10 governors went to prison

Illinois’ state, local tax burden highest in Midwest after 2nd-largest increase in U.S.

Illinois lawmakers should read laws before they pass them

Chicago-area firefighters win appeal to remove union from their workplace

House bill would force gas station owners to display Pritzker propaganda

Above the law: Amendment 1 would let government unions void over 350 Illinois laws

Illinois House bill would jeopardize Madigan’s $151K pension

Speed cameras issue more tickets in 2021 than Chicago has residents

Experts: Illinois lawmakers wrong to back 80% funding level for pensions

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help 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