Illinois

Illinois to allow insurers to extend canceled health insurance policies

By Naomi Lopez Bauman
11/22/2013
In an effort to curb the tide of millions of health insurance cancellations as a result of ObamaCare, the president called on state regulators to extend the terminated health insurance policies that were canceled as a result of ObamaCare mandates. In response, Illinois Department of Insurance Commissioner Andrew Boron announced that the department “will follow...

TAGS: IDOI: Illinois Department of Insurance

Illinois term-limit petition halfway to 300K signature goal

By Brian Costin
11/22/2013
Illinois is one of only 11 states without term limits, but a constitutional referendum proposal to bring the proposed reform to Illinois met a significant milestone. From the Chicago Sun-Times: “Bruce Rauner’s Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits has already reached 150,000 petition signatures — the halfway mark to getting onto the Nov. 2014...

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits, term limits

ObamaCare in Illinois

By Naomi Lopez Bauman
11/21/2013
In a press conference earlier this month, Republican lawmakers proposed a resolution that urges Congress to delay the “individual mandate” and calls on the Illinois Department of Insurance to fully disclose the number of people in Illinois who are facing health insurance cancellations as a result of ObamaCare. Both calls to action are commendable and...

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act

Taxpayers have spent $90K per potential Illinois ObamaCare enrollee

By Naomi Lopez Bauman
11/20/2013
The federal government has spent almost $155 million on Illinois’ state ObamaCare websites, according to government figures compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based Americans for Tax Reform. Just 1,370 Illinoisans added a plan to their shopping cart – a total that falls woefully short of the 17,000 enrollments federal officials had hoped for in the month...

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act, enrollment

Illinois has lowest credit rating of all 50 states

By John Klingner
11/19/2013
Chicago’s recent triple-notch downgrade by Fitch Ratings is a stark reminder that Illinois’ inability to solve its pension crisis has consequences. Illinois has the lowest credit rating of all 50 states. In contrast, three of its neighbors have maintained their AAA rating from Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services. Illinois has suffered 13 downgrades from the...

TAGS: Chicago, credit rating, downgrade, pensions

40 insurance policies canceled for every ObamaCare enrollee

By Naomi Lopez Bauman
11/18/2013
Five million Americans and counting across the country have already received notices that their health insurance plans in the individual and small group markets are being canceled as a result of ObamaCare. So far, Andrew Boron, Illinois’ insurance commissioner, has not yet revealed how many Illinoisans are facing the same situation, despite calls from both...

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act

Evanston’s opportunistic nanny state e-cigarette restrictions treat adults like children

By Bryant Jackson-Green
11/18/2013
E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular in recent years, particularly among smokers of traditional cigarettes looking to kick the habit by moving to a less harmful alternative. So why are Illinois governments wasting taxpayer dollars and time trying to make them harder to buy? The Evanston City Council recently jumped to regulate e-cigarettes under the same...

TAGS: ban, e-cigarettes, ecig, nanny state

Cutting property taxes begins with cutting government

By illinoispolicy
11/17/2013
A lot of local governments are looking at increasing their property tax rates this time of year. Although many of the individual government increases appear relatively small, when added up they could represent a significant increase in cost to local property owners. The root of the problem — explored once again in a new study...

AFSCME workers to strike Monday in Will County

By Paul Kersey
11/17/2013
What happens when a local union calls a strike and employees show up to work anyway? Will County residents may get to find out. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 1028 announced that it intends to strike against Will County effective Monday, Nov. 18. The strike comes in spite of a final...

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Bruce Tidwell, labor, strike, unions