Illinois corruption watch: February 2016

03/07/2016

Illinoisans’ confidence in their state government is the lowest of residents of any state in the nation, and corruption stories from February 2016 don’t help.

Legislative update: Government transparency, consolidation bills on the move in Springfield

By Heather Weiner

03/07/2016

Illinois Policy Action has been busy advancing its 2016 Legislative Agenda, arguing for bills that make local- government operations more transparent to residents, and promote efficiency.

TAGS: good government

Nearly 1,700 Illinois workers hit with layoffs, hundreds in manufacturing

By Austin Berg

03/07/2016

Illinois’ manufacturing meltdown and weak jobs growth are pummeling workers.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing

Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal

By Jeffrey Schwab

03/03/2016

The Chicago Teachers Union has threatened to strike as early as April 1 over Chicago Public Schools’ announced plan to stop paying a portion of teachers’ required contributions to their pension fund. Under Illinois labor law, however, CTU cannot legally strike before mid- to late-May.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Rauner joins with lawmakers to introduce criminal-justice reform package

By Bryant Jackson-Green

03/03/2016

Illinois needs much more in the way of reforms if state politicians are going to truly fix the state’s broken criminal-justice system.

TAGS: criminal justice reform

11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

03/01/2016

Pension holidays, steep increases in teachers' salaries, and lopsided ratios of teacher contributions to pension payouts have caused the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund’s unfunded liabilities to shoot up to $9 billion in 2015.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, pensions

CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?

By John Klingner, Amy Korte

03/01/2016

Unaffordable salaries and pension benefits on top of a structurally unstable retirement system have pushed CPS to the brink of insolvency despite record tax revenues.

TAGS: budget, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, pensions

Updating felony theft laws can help Illinois save money without harming public safety

By Bryant Jackson-Green

03/01/2016

A new study by The Pew Charitable Trusts shows states that adjusted their felony theft laws have not seen an increase in crime. To save on corrections costs, Illinois should update its theft thresholds, too.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, felony theft

Pension costs eat up funding meant for students

By Ted Dabrowski

02/27/2016

Illinois’ growing pension costs – not the state budget gridlock – are taking away funding for essential government services, such as education.

TAGS: pensions

Illinois gets $1.2M windfall in late fees after failing to send vehicle-registration reminders

By Amy Korte

02/26/2016

Budget gridlock in Springfield caused the Illinois secretary of state’s office to suspend mailing vehicle-registration-renewal reminders in October 2015.

TAGS: vehicle registration

Illinois

Illinois corruption watch: February 2016

Legislative update: Government transparency, consolidation bills on the move in Springfield

Nearly 1,700 Illinois workers hit with layoffs, hundreds in manufacturing

Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal

Rauner joins with lawmakers to introduce criminal-justice reform package

11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions

CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?

Updating felony theft laws can help Illinois save money without harming public safety

Pension costs eat up funding meant for students

Illinois gets $1.2M windfall in late fees after failing to send vehicle-registration reminders

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

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