Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

12/22/2021

Government unions in Illinois have tremendous power. Most are allowed to go on strike and can bargain over virtually anything.1 It creates an uneven playing field, with unions able to demand costly provisions in their contracts and threaten to strike – denying Illinoisans needed services – to get what they want.2 Until recently, the potential...

Classrooms First: District consolidation can improve Illinois’ education outcomes while saving taxpayers money

By Adam Schuster

08/24/2021

Classrooms First Act would benefit virtually all Illinoisans including teachers, parents and students.

Competitive elections raise voter participation, uncontested elections hinder democracy

By Orphe Divounguy, Jon Josko, Adam Schuster

07/07/2021

On average, more than 4.7 million voting-age Illinoisans live in districts where there was only one option for the state House on the ballot, undermining their representation. Roughly half of all Illinois House races were uncontested under Illinois’ gerrymandered 2011 district map.

Illinois Forward 2022: COVID-19 makes pension reform imperative to protecting taxpayers, services for vulnerable Illinoisans

By Adam Schuster

03/17/2021

Illinois has a chance to fix its state finances, thanks to federal relief. But unless pension growth is brought under control, both retirees and taxpayers will be at risk as debt continues to consume state services.

Leaving an 8th grader ‘Home Alone’ could land parents in jail

12/23/2020

A vague and restrictive state law could mean the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services comes knocking if parents leave their 13-year-old home alone.

TAGS: DCFS: Department of Children and Family Services, home alone, negligence, regulations

Madigan tells Black lawmakers his strong leadership needed for tax hike, legislative map

12/07/2020

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan made a pitch for keeping his leadership despite a federal corruption probe. He told Black state lawmakers he can deliver a tax hike and a new legislative map, again favoring Democrats.

TAGS: Maurice West, Mike Madigan, Stephanie Kifowit

Madigan’s legacy of corruption will survive his downfall, unless …

By Joe Tabor

11/19/2020

After decades under Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan’s rule, Illinois is corroding from his concentration of power. Robust ethics laws, rules and norms could stop a new Madigan from rising.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, house, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, madigan, Mike Madigan, Mike McClain, reform, speaker

How has COVID-19 affected Election Day?

10/30/2020

Increased early voting, younger poll workers and masks are the trend amid the COVID-19 crisis

TAGS: ballot, election, Illinois, voting

Taking a photo of your filled-in ballot is a felony in Illinois

By Austin Berg

09/28/2020

State lawmakers across the country have struggled to square ballot secrecy with the advent of smartphones and social media.

TAGS: ballot, felony, Illinois Election Code, selfie

Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

By Adam Schuster

09/03/2020

Illinois’ pension crisis has been a growing problem for decades, and its negative effects on state residents are well documented.1 Economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and related government shutdown orders threaten to bring that long-running crisis closer to its breaking point. The state’s five pension systems collectively held nearly $139 billion of debt at...

United States Senate

Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

Classrooms First: District consolidation can improve Illinois’ education outcomes while saving taxpayers money

Competitive elections raise voter participation, uncontested elections hinder democracy

Illinois Forward 2022: COVID-19 makes pension reform imperative to protecting taxpayers, services for vulnerable Illinoisans

Leaving an 8th grader ‘Home Alone’ could land parents in jail

Madigan tells Black lawmakers his strong leadership needed for tax hike, legislative map

Madigan’s legacy of corruption will survive his downfall, unless …

How has COVID-19 affected Election Day?

Taking a photo of your filled-in ballot is a felony in Illinois

Pension apocalypse? COVID-19 exposes long-running fragility of Illinois public pensions

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