Illinois wastes taxes supporting too many school district bureaucracies

By Adam Schuster

02/25/2020

Illinois could put $708 million more toward classrooms or property tax relief if it reduced school district bureaucracy to national average.

TAGS: administrative bloat, consolidation, education bureaucracy, education spending, Rita Mayfield, school district efficiency

Illinois Senate bill would ban gas-powered leaf blowers

By Vincent Caruso, Austin Berg

02/25/2020

A recent proposal to ban Illinois retailers from selling gas-powered leaf blowers and penalize Illinoisans for using them would hurt small businesses.

TAGS: economic freedom, job creation, leaf blower ban, paternalism, regulations, small business

Greater independence for Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General draws bipartisan support

02/24/2020

Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General currently is subjected to political influence or even silencing by members of the General Assembly.

TAGS: corruption, ethics, Jeff Keicher, Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform, Jonathan Carroll, Legislative Ethics Commission, Legislative Inspector General, sexual harrassment, transparency, watchdog

Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track

02/24/2020

A bill to make more public records readily available would better show taxpayers how local governments spend money.

TAGS: Anna Moeller, government spending, House Rules Committee, Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal, Open Meetings Act, public records, Steve Stadelman, transparency

Bill would ban Illinois lawmakers from acting as lobbyists

02/24/2020

When Illinois lawmakers work as lobbyists, it creates public distrust and serious conflicts of interest.

TAGS: bribery, Carol Ammons, conflicts of interest, cooling off period, corruption, ethics, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, revolving door, Scott Bennett

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

02/24/2020

Amazon bought the old commercial property, but Bolingbrook’s mayor opposes putting 1,500 jobs on it. Illinois’ job growth was below the national average in 2019.

TAGS: Amazon, Bolingbrook, economic growth, employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor force participation rate, Roger Claar, unemployment, zoning

New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets

02/21/2020

Red-light cameras have been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation that has lead to the arrest of numerous public officials.

TAGS: bipartisan, Celina Villanueva, conflict of interest, corruption, David McSweeney, drivers license, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Susana Mendoza

Pritzker’s accounting gimmicks can’t fix pension crisis, but real reform can

By Adam Schuster

02/21/2020

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker previously floated a pension plan that included pawning-off state assets, taking on more high-interest debt and reducing pension funding before walking back the plan amid criticism. Here’s a real solution.

TAGS: bonds, budget, COLA: cost of living adjustment, credit rating, fair tax, Illinois Constitution, Illinois Department of Revenue, JB Pritzker, Moody's Investor Service, pensions, progressive income tax, Standard & Poor's

Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb

By Brad Weisenstein

02/21/2020

Federal investigators are seeking records from a small village near Chicago. The subpoena names Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, his political lieutenants and former ComEd lobbyists.

TAGS: Chicago, Commonwealth Edison, conflict of interest, corruption, ethics, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Kevin Quinn, Marty Quinn, Michael McClain, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, revolving door, Timothy Mapes

Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000

02/20/2020

Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s release from federal prison may be making room behind bars for other Illinois politicians. Illinois is the top state for corruption, and federal agents are busy looking for more.

TAGS: corruption, ethics, revolving door

Illinois

Illinois wastes taxes supporting too many school district bureaucracies

Illinois Senate bill would ban gas-powered leaf blowers

Greater independence for Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General draws bipartisan support

Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track

Bill would ban Illinois lawmakers from acting as lobbyists

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets

Pritzker’s accounting gimmicks can’t fix pension crisis, but real reform can

Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb

Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000

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