Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker approved raises for the statewide elected leaders just ahead of their inaugurations Jan. 9. State lawmakers will get $12,094 raises when they take office Jan. 11. Big hikes also went to Pritzker’s department leaders and their assistants.
A late Friday-night move would add nearly $12,000 to the salary of each state lawmaker, raise salaries for statewide elected leaders such as the governor, and boost salaries for agency directors and their subordinates. Plus, they get cost-of-living increases.
The Illinois House voted to use $2.7 billion in federal relief to partially refill the state’s depleted unemployment trust fund. Some lawmakers said it’s not enough.
Illinois State Police are facing audits showing $2.3 million is missing as lawmakers seek answers about old computers and late firearms IDs. Also, lawsuits and an indictment outline theft and sex harassment claims at the agency managing troopers.
A state lawmaker has asked Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the metrics needed to drop statewide mask mandates. He also called for public hearings on masking harms to student development, others in Illinois.
With Mike Madigan out as Illinois House speaker, state lawmakers have a unique opportunity to turn around the second-most corrupt state in the country. Ethics proposals are gaining support.
The new speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives referred to state lawmakers’ statements of economic interest forms as confusing and a ‘worthless piece of document.’ They can be fixed.
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...