Illinois

Legislative update: Veto session

By Matt Paprocki
10/09/2012
In Illinois, there are two types of annual, statutorily-obligated legislative sessions. Regular Session: The General Assembly convenes its regular session in January and adjourns in May or June every year. During regular session, legislators vote on a myriad of bills, the movement of which is usually slow. Veto Session: When the legislature reconvenes for a two-week...

September jobs report — no cause for cheer

By Ted Dabrowski
10/05/2012
US labor report Many analysts are challenging the 0.3 percentage point drop in the nation’s September unemployment rate released this morning by US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS announced the unemployment rate dropped to 7.8 percent from 8.1 percent in August. The unemployment rate, which is now below 8 percent for the first time...

September jobs report

10/05/2012
Today there are 5 million fewer people participating in the labor force than when President Obama took office in January 2009. That

Constitutional Amendment 49: The “do nothing” amendment

By Chris Andriesen
10/03/2012
by Diane Cohen, General Counsel, Liberty Justice Center When Illinoisans go to the polls on November 6, they will vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would require a 3/5 supermajority vote by the General Assembly on any bill increasing pension or retirement system benefits for government employees and officials. The...

Labor unrest: how much do striking teachers make?

By Brian Costin
10/03/2012
Since 2010, the Illinois Policy Institute has been working hard to ensure local government transparency and accountability to taxpayers. With our Local Transparency Project, we’ve been pushing school districts to post employee compensation online. Employee compensation transparency is especially important when it comes time to negotiate collective bargaining agreements. Without transparency, it’s hard for citizens to...

Another day, another CPS downgrade

By Ted Dabrowski
10/02/2012
Last week, Moody’s Investors Service downgraded the credit rating of Chicago Public Schools. Today, it’s Fitch Ratings that’s downgrading CPS. The school district’s credit rating now sits at A with a negative outlook, the same rating given to Illinois, which has the lowest rating of all 50 states. According to Fitch, the downgrade was caused by the district’s deteriorating...

Unemployment increases, but underemployment is even higher

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
10/02/2012
The nation’s unemployment rate increased to 7.9 percent in October from 7.8 percent in September, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. If that number is a reflection of the country’s anemic recovery, consider the implications of Illinois’ 8.8 percent unemployment rate in September. There are more than 580,000 Illinoisans formally out of work. And these...
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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