Illinois

10 tips to be a better local government watchdog

By Brian Costin
10/24/2014
Only 28 percent of Illinois residents trust their state government, the lowest rate in the country by far. Since the days of Al Capone, the words “Illinois” and “Chicago” have been synonymous with government corruption. In order to change the narrative and restore trust in our state and local government we must fight public corruption head...

Illinois Tollway fees a good example of how Illinois politicians interpret ‘temporary’

By Matt Paprocki
10/24/2014
In the past two years, the Illinois Tollway Authority has filed lawsuits totaling $11 million against drivers who didn’t pay tolls – a fee that was originally sold to the public as “temporary.” When the Illinois Tollway was originally created in 1953, lawmakers used the revenue to pay for the original bonding needed to build...

Insurers’ ObamaCare escape hatch

By Naomi Lopez Bauman
10/22/2014
Insurers wouldn’t participate in the federal health exchange without an escape clause protecting them from the possibility that IRS subsidies would be ruled illegal, according to industry news. It was a smart move, as that possibility just got more likely in recent weeks. At issue is what the plain text of Section 1401 of the Affordable Care...

Illinois payrolls increase, manufacturing declines

By Michael Lucci
10/21/2014
The Illinois unemployment rate fell to 6.6 percent from 6.7 percent in September, according to today’s economic release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of payroll jobs in Illinois increased by 19,300 in September, the sixth-best monthly increase in the last 10 years. Illinois’ workforce grew by 5,800 in September, the first month...

TAGS: jobs

Top 10 facts on labor policy in Illinois

10/20/2014
Top 10 facts on labor policy in Illinois Unions are often presented as the plucky defenders of the working man or woman, whose only interest is seeing that workers get a fair shake on the job. But in reality, unions are well financed and powerful. And in government, at least, union influence goes beyond the...

Top 10 pension facts

10/20/2014
Here are the top 10 facts you need to know about Illinois’ pension crisis: 1) Illinois’ state pension funds have only 41 cents for every dollar they need to pay out future benefits. 2) Illinois has the nation’s worst pension crisis. Taxpayers are officially on the hook for more than $100 billion in unfunded Illinois pension debt,...

Top 10 facts on 401(k)s for government workers

10/20/2014
Illinois politicians have looted and mismanaged government-worker pensions for decades. Now the retirement security of government workers is at risk. It’s time to take politicians out of the retirement business and give workers control over their own retirement futures. Here are the top 10 facts you need to know about 401(k)-style retirement plans: 1) 401(k)s...

10 Illinois jobs facts you should know

10/20/2014
Illinois is ready to boom. That is the single most important fact about Illinois’ jobs climate and economy as a whole. However, Illinoisans have been held back by policy errors that have plagued the state for decades, especially since the Great Recession. Policy errors are causing tremendous pain for Illinoisans, but that pain can be...

Top 10 facts about local government transparency in Illinois

10/20/2014
One of the best protections against government corruption is transparency. And in today’s digital age, one of the easiest ways for government to be open and accountable is through posting public documents on the Internet. Illinois needs to strengthen online transparency standards to fight government corruption and wasteful spending practices, especially given its troubled history...

TAGS: good government, local government, transparency

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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016