Illinois bill allows courts to ban social media and demand access to accounts for juveniles charged with crimes

By Austin Berg

04/07/2016

Senate Bill 2871 would give courts in Illinois the ability to ban juveniles’ access to social media and require them to turn over passwords to law-enforcement officials.

CPS files charges against CTU for ‘illegal’ strike

By Jeffrey Schwab

04/01/2016

The union’s one-day strike is an illegal, aggressive political power play, and its attempt to coerce its members to participate violates its own constitution. Here’s a breakdown of the timeline, the law and the political statement the union is making.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, Karen Lewis

Not forgiven, not forgotten: The injustice of Illinois’ scarlet letters

By Austin Berg

03/30/2016

Madigan’s middle class: Pain for the many, perks for the few

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

03/26/2016

Middle-class Illinoisans who aren’t employed by the government are suffering, but Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan stands in the way of solutions.

Madigan’s law: Politicians prosper as Illinoisans feel pain

By Austin Berg

02/17/2016

State lawmakers have effectively exempted themselves from the consequences of budget gridlock.

TAGS: lawmaker pay, Mike Madigan, pensions

Illinois’ incredible, shrinking business establishments

By Michael Lucci

02/08/2016

From the first quarter of 2001 until the second quarter of 2015, business establishment growth has been 34 percent while jobs growth has been only 1 percent.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages

Madigan’s budget solution is to make Illinois the most heavily taxed state in the Midwest

By Michael Lucci

01/28/2016

Instead of spending reform and policies to promote economic growth, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan proposes the same high-taxing, big-spending plans that got Illinois into its current fiscal mess.

TAGS: taxes

Center of Chicago red-light-camera scandal found guilty on all charges

By Austin Berg

01/27/2016

A federal jury convicted former transportation official John Bills of fraud, extortion, bribery and more.

TAGS: Chicago, red light cameras

Court testimony: Center of Chicago red-light-camera scandal ordered donations to Madigan’s political organization

By Austin Berg

01/15/2016

Redflex bagman Martin O’Malley says John Bills ordered him to pay thousands of dollars to Mike Madigan’s 13th Ward Democratic Organization.

TAGS: Chicago, Mike Madigan, red light cameras

Illinois taxpayers will pay steep penalty rate in $500M bond issuance

By Ted Dabrowski

01/13/2016

Illinois has the lowest credit rating among the 50 states, forcing taxpayers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more in borrowing costs than residents of states in better fiscal condition.

TAGS: bonds, credit rating

Pat Quinn

Illinois bill allows courts to ban social media and demand access to accounts for juveniles charged with crimes

CPS files charges against CTU for ‘illegal’ strike

Not forgiven, not forgotten: The injustice of Illinois’ scarlet letters

Madigan’s middle class: Pain for the many, perks for the few

Madigan’s law: Politicians prosper as Illinoisans feel pain

Illinois’ incredible, shrinking business establishments

Madigan’s budget solution is to make Illinois the most heavily taxed state in the Midwest

Center of Chicago red-light-camera scandal found guilty on all charges

Court testimony: Center of Chicago red-light-camera scandal ordered donations to Madigan’s political organization

Illinois taxpayers will pay steep penalty rate in $500M bond issuance

Illinois Forward 2027: How to fix Illinois’ state finances

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