Illinois EPA has stopped mailing vehicle emissions test notices

By Amy Korte

02/05/2016

Budget gridlock in Springfield has caused the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency to stop mailing notices of vehicle-emissions-test requirements to vehicle owners.

Special Service Areas: Chicago’s little-known taxing bodies

By Chris Lentino

02/04/2016

Special Service Areas levy taxes on Chicagoans over and above the already steep taxes and fees imposed by the city.

TAGS: Chicago, Special Service Areas, taxes

Pensions vs. higher education

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/04/2016

Skyrocketing pensions, bloated administrations are pricing students out of college degrees

Reform commission targets occupational licensing

By Bryant Jackson-Green

02/04/2016

Gov. Bruce Rauner’s criminal-justice reform commission urges removing overbroad occupational licensing restrictions that bar ex-offenders from pursuing work in over 118 professions.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, occupational licensing

Pensions 101: Understanding Illinois’ massive, government-worker pension crisis

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/03/2016

The crisis threatens to burden taxpayers with massive, ever-escalating taxes to bail out a system that is not sustainable – government-worker pensions consume a fourth of the state’s budget.

Emanuel promises another Chicago property-tax hike

By Austin Berg

02/03/2016

Mere months after passing the largest tax hike in modern Chicago history, Mayor Rahm Emanuel vows to hit residents with even higher property-tax bills, this time to bail out pension mismanagement by Chicago Public Schools officials – behavior tacitly endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Rahm Emanuel

Steps and lanes: Understanding how Chicago public school teachers get multiple pay raises each year

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/03/2016

Chicago teachers’ salaries are based on a complex and convoluted system that has provided teachers with annual pay increases well in excess of the 2.75 to 3 percent raises proposed by the district.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Rauner’s criminal-justice reform commission issues first recommendations

By Bryant Jackson-Green

02/02/2016

The commission’s 14 policy suggestions aim to safely reduce Illinois’ prison population by 25 percent by 2025.

TAGS: criminal justice reform

Why Indiana’s population grows faster than Illinois’

By Michael Lucci

02/02/2016

Illinois’ weak jobs growth is driving more residents to other states on net than Illinois gains from other states, from natural growth in births or from international immigration.

TAGS: outmigration

CPS’ postponed bond sale poses questions for Chicago and Emanuel

02/02/2016

Amid CPS’ postponed $875 million bond sale, Chicagoans should question whether the district can fill its budget hole and whether Emanuel will stand up for Chicago taxpayers or give in to more teachers union demands.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois

Illinois EPA has stopped mailing vehicle emissions test notices

Special Service Areas: Chicago’s little-known taxing bodies

Pensions vs. higher education

Reform commission targets occupational licensing

Pensions 101: Understanding Illinois’ massive, government-worker pension crisis

Emanuel promises another Chicago property-tax hike

Steps and lanes: Understanding how Chicago public school teachers get multiple pay raises each year

Rauner’s criminal-justice reform commission issues first recommendations

Why Indiana’s population grows faster than Illinois’

CPS’ postponed bond sale poses questions for Chicago and Emanuel

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