East St. Louis faces interception of state funds for $2.2M pension debt

By Brad Weisenstein

09/19/2019

The southwestern Illinois city faces high crime and poverty rates, as well as a $5.5 million budget deficit. Now, $2.2 million owed to its firefighters pension threatens to halt the flow of state funds.

TAGS: East St. Louis, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes

Pension costs ravaging Rockford’s budget as leaders consider police and fire cuts

By Vincent Caruso

10/15/2018

Rising pension costs in Illinois’ fifth-largest city are pushing Rockford near the edge of a fiscal cliff – a fate that officials are looking to reverse with a series of steep public service cuts.

TAGS: budget, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Rockford, taxes

Most of Lake County’s largest communities are shrinking

By Austin Berg

07/09/2018

Many communities in the northern Illinois border county are having trouble attracting and retaining residents.

TAGS: Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Highland Park, Lake County, Mundelein, North Chicago, outmigration, population, Round Lake Beach, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Wheeling, Winthrop Harbor

East Alton eyes $35K in savings, but pension woes loom much larger

By Vincent Caruso

07/05/2018

Severely underwater public safety pensions have already derailed the finances of other municipalities, such as Harvey and North Chicago.

TAGS: East Alton, municipal pensions, pensions, spending, taxes

Round Lake Park’s police pension crisis could result in state intervention

By Brendan Bakala

04/20/2018

Under Illinois law, towns that miss required pension contributions risk state intervention. In 2016, Round Lake Park paid less than 40 percent of its required pension contribution.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pensions, property taxes

Which school will the Lake County Federation of Teachers shut down next?

By Brian Costin

10/03/2014

On Oct. 2, the Lake County Federation of Teachers, or LCFT, began a public-employee union shutdown of Waukegan Unit School District 60 schools, which serve 16,138 students. In the wake of the strike, the Waukegan community is dealing with a dramatic disruption to their lives, with closed schools and parents struggling to find childcare and...

TAGS: good government, Lake County Federation of Teachers, strike

Illinois business moves headquarters to Wisconsin

By Hilary Gowins

08/08/2013

EMCO Chemicals Distributors Inc., a chemical manufacturer, packager and distributor, announced the grand opening of its brand new, 260,000-square-foot-facility in Pleasant Prairie, Wis. That’s bad news for Illinois, as the company’s headquarters was previously located about 20 miles south in North Chicago. EMCO earns more than $300 million annually in sales, and is now the...

Allstate, other Illinois companies set to lay off more than 1,300 employees

By Hilary Gowins

07/03/2013

Allstate Corp. tops the list of Illinois companies planning layoffs, according to a June report from theIllinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or IDCEO. The Northbrook-based insurance company is planning to lay off 348 workers from its Woodridge, Ill., location as part of a restructuring effort to reduce expenses. Under IDCEO’s Illinois Worker Adjustment and...

North Chicago

East St. Louis faces interception of state funds for $2.2M pension debt

Pension costs ravaging Rockford’s budget as leaders consider police and fire cuts

Most of Lake County’s largest communities are shrinking

East Alton eyes $35K in savings, but pension woes loom much larger

Round Lake Park’s police pension crisis could result in state intervention

Which school will the Lake County Federation of Teachers shut down next?

Illinois business moves headquarters to Wisconsin

Allstate, other Illinois companies set to lay off more than 1,300 employees

Too Dumb to Thrive

What is the Education Freedom Tax Credit and how can it benefit Illinois students?

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