In 2005, Alaska froze the state’s traditional defined-benefit pension plan and created a self-managed 401(k)-style retirement plan for new public employees and teachers.

TAGS: 401(k)

State payment to teacher pensions grows by $300M

By Benjamin VanMetre

11/04/2014

More than 70 cents out of every new education dollar already goes to teacher retirement costs.

TAGS: self-managed plans

Illinois voters should look before they leap on ‘victims’ rights’ amendment

11/03/2014

Voters may also want to consider whether these rights need to be part of the Illinois Constitution, even if they do seem desirable.

TAGS: Crime Victims Bill of Rights Amendment

First Lady fumbles Illinois’ job situation

By Michael Lucci

11/03/2014

Illinois is last in the U.S. for putting people back to work.

TAGS: First Lady, FLOTUS: First Lady of the United States, jobs, Quad Cities

7 of 10 Illinois metro areas are not recovering at all

By Michael Lucci

11/03/2014

Unemployment rates fell for most of Illinois’ metropolitan statistical areas in September, according to a press release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, seven out of 10 Illinois metro areas are not showing any signs of an economic recovery when it comes to putting people back to work. Champaign, Chicago and Springfield are showing...

TAGS: Chicago, jobs

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

By Brian Costin

11/01/2014

In October, we found 52 different stories of potential public corruption in Illinois, including a trio of stories related to the election. An Illinois Policy investigation into emails from a group of Kankakee County superintendents revealed potentially illegal activities to pass a countywide sales-tax hike for school facilities. Documents obtained suggest illegal actions by superintendents...

TAGS: good government, waste

Illinois’ ‘temporary’ 2011 tax hike breaks household budgets

By illinoispolicy

10/31/2014

Illinois’ “temporary” 2011 tax hike made the state’s slow recovery even worse. The tax hikes hit at the worst possible time – right after household incomes had collapsed during the recession. Since the tax hikes, the monthly growth in the number of people working in Illinois has slowed down by 60 percent, while the monthly...

Illinois

State payment to teacher pensions grows by $300M

Caregivers forced to attend union-led training sessions deserve to know their rights

Illinois corporate tax breaks serve as blank checks for big business

401(k)-style pension reform in Alaska

State payment to teacher pensions grows by $300M

Illinois voters should look before they leap on ‘victims’ rights’ amendment

First Lady fumbles Illinois’ job situation

7 of 10 Illinois metro areas are not recovering at all

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

Illinois’ ‘temporary’ 2011 tax hike breaks household budgets

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