Illinois budget includes automatic $1,800 pay raise for state lawmakers

By Austin Berg

05/22/2020

With more than 1.1 million Illinoisans out of work, some of the highest-paid state lawmakers in the nation are in line for a raise – though some are fighting back.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, lawmaker pay

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

By Austin Berg

02/20/2020

Illinois’ political leadership learned nothing from the Blagojevich nightmare. And now it may be coming back to bite them.

TAGS: Commonwealth Edison, commutation, corruption, Donald Trump, ethics task force, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Mike Madigan, Rod Blagojevich

New Illinois law ends $120 fee to clear false criminal records in Cook County

By Vincent Caruso

08/09/2019

A bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker will renew a pilot program in Cook County that waives fees for the expungement or sealing of criminal records for those who have been wrongfully accused of a crime.

TAGS: Arthur Turner, criminal justice reform, expungement, Jacqueline Collins, JB Pritzker

4 reasons House members should reject Pritzker’s progressive tax amendment

By Bryce Hill

05/27/2019

Caving to pressure from the governor would risk the well-being of Illinois.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax

Illinois House amendment would require supermajority to hike taxes

By Vincent Caruso

05/08/2019

Illinoisans are among the nation’s most heavily taxed residents. A proposed Illinois constitutional amendment would make it harder for lawmakers to add to that burden.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, Jim Durkin, progressive income tax, taxes, Tom Morrison

Illinois House unanimously passes education efficiency bill

By Adam Schuster

03/28/2019

By reducing administrative bloat in Illinois school districts, the bill would enable property tax relief while ensuring education dollars reach students and classrooms first, rather than bureaucrats.

TAGS: education, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Rita Mayfield, school district consolidation, school district efficiency, taxes

Senate amendment would require supermajority vote to hike taxes on Illinoisans

By Vincent Caruso

03/27/2019

Illinoisans are among the nation’s most overtaxed residents. A proposed Illinois constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers before adding to that burden.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Motivated math: Pritzker ‘fair tax’ numbers don’t add up

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

03/11/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed progressive income tax won’t raise the revenue he claims, and will lead to future tax hikes on the middle class.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Progressively worse: Pritzker’s tax push has a dangerous precedent

By Austin Berg

03/07/2019

The last state to take Pritzker’s path should serve as a bright red flag to Illinoisans weighing whether to back him.

TAGS: Connecticut, fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, jobs, poverty, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment

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

United States House of Representatives

Illinois budget includes automatic $1,800 pay raise for state lawmakers

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

New Illinois law ends $120 fee to clear false criminal records in Cook County

4 reasons House members should reject Pritzker’s progressive tax amendment

Illinois House amendment would require supermajority to hike taxes

Illinois House unanimously passes education efficiency bill

Senate amendment would require supermajority vote to hike taxes on Illinoisans

Motivated math: Pritzker ‘fair tax’ numbers don’t add up

Progressively worse: Pritzker’s tax push has a dangerous precedent

56 Illinois state lawmakers have refused to take a pension

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