Illinois

Gov. Quinn signs Medicaid package that fails to deliver

By Jonathan Ingram
06/14/2012
Earlier this afternoon, Gov. Quinn signed the “Medicaid reform” package. As you may recall, Quinn called on lawmakers to reduce Medicaid spending by $2.7 billion in his February budget address. The Institute offered a 59 point plan to help lawmakers hit that target. Our plan would have reduced Medicaid spending by $2.7 billion without cutting reimbursement rates...

Local pension accountability doesn’t require higher taxes

By Ted Dabrowski
05/27/2012
For decades, the state has subsidized the pension costs of teachers working for local school districts. The practice requires the state to pay the employer share of teacher benefits that accrue each year, even though teachers are not state employees. That set-up has destroyed spending accountability across the state. Local school districts have been doling...

Illinois House votes to raise taxes

By Jonathan Ingram
05/25/2012
The Illinois House just passed SB 2194, which imposes new taxes on tobacco products and hospitals. We’ve previously explained why cigarette taxes can’t fix the structural problems in the Medicaid program. A total of eighteen Republicans signed on to the tax hike, including Mike Bost, Dan Brady, Franco Coladipietro, Jim Durkin, Kent Gaffney, Renée Kosel, David Leitch, Donald Moffitt, Rosemary Mulligan,Chris Nybo, JoAnn Osmond, Robert Pritchard, Dennis Reboletti, Chapin Rose, Jim Sacia, Darlene...

UPDATE: House concurs with early implementation of ObamaCare

By Jonathan Ingram
05/24/2012
Earlier today, we reported that the Illinois Senate passed HB 5007, which will implement key portions of ObamaCare nearly two years early in Cook County. Moments ago, the House concurred, sending the bill to the Governor’s desk. Much like the Senate vote earlier today, it was clear that the outcome was certain before the bill ever came...
Load More

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...

View Report

Report Archive

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