Illinois townships vote to fix pensions, gerrymandering and unfunded mandates

By Dylan Sharkey

04/02/2025

Illinois townships are sounding the alarm on the state’s biggest issues. Eight townships voted in support of state lawmakers fixing the state’s pensions crisis, gerrymandering and unfunded mandates.

Most of Lake County’s largest communities are shrinking

By Austin Berg

07/09/2018

Many communities in the northern Illinois border county are having trouble attracting and retaining residents.

TAGS: Buffalo Grove, Gurnee, Highland Park, Lake County, Mundelein, North Chicago, outmigration, population, Round Lake Beach, Vernon Hills, Waukegan, Wheeling, Winthrop Harbor

Wheeling approves $7M handout to developer

03/09/2018

Despite residents seeing some of the highest property tax bills in the state, the Wheeling Board of Trustees approved a preliminary agreement giving a developer nearly $7 million to build apartments and retail space in the village.

TAGS: property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing, Wheeling

Wheeling to use $1 million in TIF funds to build bridge to nowhere

By Amy Korte

10/05/2017

Wheeling village trustees have voted for a plan to use tax increment financing to build a bridge to a vacant piece of land.

TAGS: TIF: Tax Increment Financing, Wheeling

80% of Cook County municipalities have opted out of minimum wage, sick leave ordinances

By Amy Korte, Marianna Schmiesing

07/31/2017

The number of Cook County municipalities that have opted out of both ordinances has climbed to 107.

TAGS: Cook County, jobs, minimum wage

More than 50 municipalities have opted out of Cook County’s minimum wage hike, sick days mandate

By Amy Korte

06/26/2017

Municipal leaders have expressed concerns about the anti-competitive, job-killing effects of Cook County’s minimum wage increases and new sick leave law and are using home rule authority to exempt their communities from the requirements.

TAGS: Cook County, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment