Increased sales were outweighed by richer payouts.

IOUs continue to flow from a broken state government.

Poorly written workers’ compensation laws cost Illinois government hundreds of millions of dollars each year.

A Springfield budget stalemate comes with embarrassing consequences for Illinois government.

The state is now nearly 60 days into its fiscal year with the only significant portion of its budget approved being for primary and secondary education.

UPDATED JULY 19: It’s almost inevitable that the state will violate either the Fair Labor Standards Act or the Illinois Constitution

Figuring out who qualifies for the payments will be a logistical nightmare, according to the state comptroller’s office.