In October, we found 52 different stories of potential public corruption in Illinois, including a trio of stories related to the election. An Illinois Policy investigation into emails from a group of Kankakee County superintendents revealed potentially illegal activities to pass a countywide sales-tax hike for school facilities. Documents obtained suggest illegal actions by superintendents...

TAGS: good government, waste

State, suburbs double down on Divvy

By Austin Berg

09/30/2014

Chicago’s Divvy bikes will soon be pedaled down suburban streets. On Sept. 29, Gov. Pat Quinn approved a $3 million state grant expanding the bike-share program to the suburbs of Evanston and Oak Park, while adding 50 new docking stations to Chicago’s Garfield Park, Austin, Rogers Park and West Rogers park neighborhoods. Seven hundred new...

TAGS: Divvy, rideshare, taxes

Bad blood makes for bad policy in General Assembly’s budget exemption

By Robert Steere

09/23/2014

Does bad blood between political leaders justify bad public policy? Most Illinoisans don’t think so, especially when the result is legislation that exempts their lawmakers from budgetary oversight. Earlier this year, at the midnight hour of spring session, Illinois’ legislative leaders carved out a special exemption for themselves from the state budgeting process. They enacted...

TAGS: taxes

Illinois General Assembly exempts itself from spending cuts, appropriations process

By Robert Steere

09/18/2014

In the throes of Illinois’ fiscal crisis, nearly every nook and cranny of the Illinois state budget should be fair game for review and reduction. But some state lawmakers don’t seem to think so, especially when it comes to their money. In the waning hours of the final day of this year’s spring session, state...

TAGS: John Cullerton, lawmaker pay, Mike Madigan, taxes

Minority employment tanks under Quinn

By Michael Lucci

09/08/2014

Minorities have suffered disproportionately under the failed economic policies of Gov. Pat Quinn. From its pre-recession peak through 2013, the black employment rate has plummeted by 7.1 percentage points, more than any other racial group in Illinois. Fewer than half of black adults are employed in Illinois. And the black male employment rate has been...

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Pat Quinn

Chicago, the state and the pension-law debate

5 reasons FOIA bill would crush government watchdogs in corrupt Illinois

Budgeting for tax relief: Rauner’s balancing act begins with fiscal year 2015

Misguided Uber restrictions are back from the dead

Top 10 reasons Illinois should reject a state-based health-insurance exchange

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

State, suburbs double down on Divvy

Bad blood makes for bad policy in General Assembly’s budget exemption

Illinois General Assembly exempts itself from spending cuts, appropriations process

Minority employment tanks under Quinn

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