Sometimes it seems politicians and lobbyists pack in more flip-flops than a busload of college kids heading off on spring break.
Principles are shorn. Taxpayers are fleeced.
The dust has settled from an uneventful veto session. No progress was made. The one attempt at reforming Illinois’ out-of-control pensions that legislators put forward is a step in the right direction, but ultimately would perpetuate the crisis by failing to prescribe the right medicine for the problem at hand. And the efforts to make things...
There was very little legislative activity during the past two weeks of veto session in Springfield. However, several bills have been further positioned to move during special session in January, when lame duck legislators will retain voting power, even though they were voted out of office in November. The following is a recap of the...
Last week in Springfield, there was very little legislative activity during the first week of veto session. Such limited action took place that the House canceled Thursday session, and it is rumored that the Legislature will only meet on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week as well. It is expected that the current two-week veto...
The Illinois Policy Institute opposed eight bills and appeared in several committee meetings during the first week of veto session. Our policy team had crucial face time with legislators and discussed our positions on public policy that affects all Illinoisans. We also reached out to many members of the House Republican staff. Here is an...
Veto session commenced yesterday morning in Springfield. Typically, we would expect to see movement on controversial bills during this time because of the lame duck legislators who have been voted out of office but still retain voting power. However, impending Democratic supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature means that we expect to see movement...
Q: I heard that Gov. Pat Quinn terminated the state’s contract with AFSCME. What just happened? A: The governor’s office announced that it was not going to continue to extend the contract with AFSCME Leadership Council 31. About 40,000 state employees that AFSCME represents are now working without a contract. Q: How did we get...
After yesterday’s election, Democrats will have a supermajority in both the Illinois House and Senate after inauguration on Jan. 8, 2013. Senate Democrats picked up five seats and will have 40 seats in January – Senate Republicans will control only 19 seats. Illinois House Republicans lost seven seats yesterday, and House Speaker Michael Madigan will...
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.