Report: Illinois tax-credit scholarship students see largest year-over-year learning gains

By Hannah Schmid

03/05/2024

The Illinois State Board of Education released a late, flawed report on the Invest in Kids scholarship program. Despite comparing apples to oranges, the report shows the Invest in Kids program worked for low-income kids.

TAGS: Invest in Kids

Lawmakers consider renewing Invest in Kids scholarships

By Dylan Sharkey

02/19/2024

A new bill would revive a scholarship program that was stripped from 9,600 low-income Illinois students, ending their best chances to attend schools of their choice.

TAGS: ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Invest in Kids, school choice

Bill would give Illinois voters power to change how state is run

By Dylan Sharkey

02/15/2024

Illinois lawmakers will consider expanding the power for citizens to amend the Illinois Constitution through petitions, including for issues such as term limits and to end gerrymandering.

TAGS: Illinois Constitution

New bill promises up to 50% property tax relief for Illinoisans

By Patrick Andriesen

02/09/2024

The bill introduced by state Rep. Tim Ozinga would redirect savings from shrinking pension payments to support local school districts and reduce Illinois’ second-in-the -nation property taxes. Some districts could see their tax bills cut in half.

Illinois still logs nearly 38,000 unemployment claims as Pritzker replaces employment chief

07/16/2020

The Illinois Department of Employment Security has been under fire throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as millions waited for unemployment relief.

TAGS: IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs

Illinois unemployment data breach leads to ID theft, class-action lawsuit claims

06/18/2020

The contractor who revamped Illinois’ unemployment system to handle self-employed workers is being sued. One of the nearly 32,500 applicants who had private information exposed said it was used to access her bank account.

TAGS: identity theft, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, unemployment

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

11/15/2019

Many Illinois municipalities have voted to ban or restrict marijuana sales when it becomes legal for sale. Here’s a list of where pot will, won’t and might be legally bought.

TAGS: Arlington Heights, Bolingbrook, Buffalo Grove, cannabis, Carbondale, Carol Stream, Chicago, City of Springfield, collar counties, Collinsville, Danville, Decatur, Downers Grove, DuPage County, Edwardsville, Elmhurst, Grayslake, Highland Park, Joliet, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, legalization, Libertyville, Lombard, marijuana, Mundelein, municipal government, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Park, Plainfield, prohibition, Schaumburg, Urbana, Waukegan, Wheaton, Winnetka

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

02/08/2019

Illinois’ 101st General Assembly can be leaders in pension reform by passing a constitutional amendment that allows for changes to future, unearned benefits.

TAGS: 401(k), GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Madigan re-elected chairman of Illinois Democratic Party

By Austin Berg

04/23/2018

The longtime House speaker is the only state legislative leader in the nation to also serve as a party chairman.

TAGS: Democrats, house rules, Mike Madigan

Does your lawmaker oppose a progressive income tax?

By Austin Berg

04/03/2018

One progressive tax proposal filed in the Illinois House of Representatives would hike income taxes on Illinoisans earning as little as $17,300 a year.

TAGS: income tax, progressive income tax

Mokena

Report: Illinois tax-credit scholarship students see largest year-over-year learning gains

Lawmakers consider renewing Invest in Kids scholarships

Bill would give Illinois voters power to change how state is run

New bill promises up to 50% property tax relief for Illinoisans

Illinois still logs nearly 38,000 unemployment claims as Pritzker replaces employment chief

Illinois unemployment data breach leads to ID theft, class-action lawsuit claims

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

Madigan re-elected chairman of Illinois Democratic Party

Does your lawmaker oppose a progressive income tax?

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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