Illinois wastes taxes supporting too many school district bureaucracies
Illinois wastes taxes supporting too many school district bureaucracies
Illinois could put $708 million more toward classrooms or property tax relief if it reduced school district bureaucracy to national average.
Illinois Senate bill would ban gas-powered leaf blowers
Illinois Senate bill would ban gas-powered leaf blowers
A recent proposal to ban Illinois retailers from selling gas-powered leaf blowers and penalize Illinoisans for using them would hurt small businesses.
By Vincent Caruso, Austin Berg
Greater independence for Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General draws bipartisan support
Greater independence for Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General draws bipartisan support
Illinois’ Legislative Inspector General currently is subjected to political influence or even silencing by members of the General Assembly.
Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track
Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track
A bill to make more public records readily available would better show taxpayers how local governments spend money.
Bill would ban Illinois lawmakers from acting as lobbyists
Bill would ban Illinois lawmakers from acting as lobbyists
When Illinois lawmakers work as lobbyists, it creates public distrust and serious conflicts of interest.
Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment
Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment
Amazon bought the old commercial property, but Bolingbrook’s mayor opposes putting 1,500 jobs on it. Illinois’ job growth was below the national average in 2019.
New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets
New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets
Red-light cameras have been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation that has lead to the arrest of numerous public officials.
Pritzker’s accounting gimmicks can’t fix pension crisis, but real reform can
Pritzker’s accounting gimmicks can’t fix pension crisis, but real reform can
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker previously floated a pension plan that included pawning-off state assets, taking on more high-interest debt and reducing pension funding before walking back the plan amid criticism. Here’s a real solution.
Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb
Records involving Madigan sought by federal probe into southwest Chicago suburb
Federal investigators are seeking records from a small village near Chicago. The subpoena names Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, his political lieutenants and former ComEd lobbyists.
By Brad Weisenstein
Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000
Illinois home to more public corruption convictions than any other state since 2000
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s release from federal prison may be making room behind bars for other Illinois politicians. Illinois is the top state for corruption, and federal agents are busy looking for more.
Mosquito abatement districts targeted by Illinois lawmakers
Mosquito abatement districts targeted by Illinois lawmakers
Consolidating Illinois’ nearly 7,000 units of local government could help provide local property tax relief. One bill aims to consolidate mosquito abatement districts.
Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it
Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it
Illinois’ political leadership learned nothing from the Blagojevich nightmare. And now it may be coming back to bite them.
By Austin Berg