Public bodies in Illinois rarely let taxpayers see proposed contracts before a vote – but local officials certainly don’t mind sticking taxpayers with the bill afterward.

2014 legislative victories

By Matt Paprocki

06/05/2014

The driving goal of the Illinois Policy Institute is to transform liberty principles into marketable policies that become law. The ultimate sign of success is when free market ideas are enacted into laws that change Illinoisans’ lives for the better. Illinois Policy Action’s 2014 legislative agenda emphasized the importance of a financially responsible and limited...

Illinois Corruption Watch, May 2014

By Brian Costin

06/04/2014

In completing our second month of the new “Illinois Corruption Watch” project, we are shocked at the volume of corruption stories being reported across the state. In just two months we have found reports of 101 different corruption-related stories; 45 in April and 56 in May. It’s no wonder Illinois citizens have by far the...

Online transparency measures advance in Illinois

By Brian Costin

05/30/2014

A key portion of the Institute’s 10-Point Transparency Checklist, the posting of audits online, has made its way through the Illinois General Assembly. House Bill 5503 passed both Illinois House and Senate unanimously, and now awaits the governor’s signature. If signed into law by the governor, HB 5503, introduced by state Rep. Tom Demmer, R-Dixon,...

Transparency before tax hikes

By Brian Costin

03/16/2014

No matter how you feel about government spending, most of us agree that the people have a right to know how their tax money is being spent. This means that before a local government raises taxes on their citizens, it should be transparent about how current tax dollars are being spent. Unfortunately, most of Illinois’...

TAGS: sales tax, transparency

Jeanne Ives

On teacher contracts, Illinois taxpayers left in the dark but stuck with the bill

Corruption Watch: April 2015

Illinois Senate to vote on historic transparency bill

Good government bill could mark turning point in statewide transparency

Kinnikinnick school board keeps teacher contract under wraps

Government union contracts kept secret – until it’s too late

2014 legislative victories

Illinois Corruption Watch, May 2014

Online transparency measures advance in Illinois

Transparency before tax hikes

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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