What you need to know about marijuana legalization in Illinois
What you need to know about marijuana legalization in Illinois
Answers to frequently asked questions about Illinois’ cannabis legalization law.
Illinois saw nation’s worst population loss during the decade
Illinois saw nation’s worst population loss during the decade
Illinois suffered its sixth consecutive year of population decline in 2019, driven entirely by residents leaving for other states.
Father Time: Madigan
Father Time: Madigan
Chicago commuter will see $286 parking tax hike Jan. 1 under Pritzker plan
Chicago commuter will see $286 parking tax hike Jan. 1 under Pritzker plan
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan calls for an increased parking tax, just one of the new ways drivers will pay more in 2020.
Illinois ethics panel begins with small ethical lapse
Illinois ethics panel begins with small ethical lapse
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed a former state lawmaker to his panel on ethics and lobbying. Trouble was, the lawmaker had recently worked as a lobbyist.
2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills
2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills
The Illinois General Assembly passed over 600 new laws in 2019. Some helped taxpayers, but many more hurt as they spent $85 billion while doing little to fix the pension crisis.
Chicago City Council votes to ban lobbying by elected leaders
Chicago City Council votes to ban lobbying by elected leaders
Chicago’s second round of anti-corruption rules restricts aldermen and city employees from working as lobbyists and stops other elected leaders from lobbying city government for private clients.
Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax
Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax
Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.
Pritzker signs pension sweetener bill without knowing the cost
Pritzker signs pension sweetener bill without knowing the cost
Illinois’ pension crisis is the nation’s worst. Maybe that’s because elected officials take a problem they aren’t sure exists, apply a solution they don’t know will work and never determine the cost.
Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again
Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again
Lawmakers sold the idea of a lottery with the promise the money would go toward education. But in reality, students never see the money.
Illinois’ high sales taxes turn holiday shoppers into Scrooges
Illinois’ high sales taxes turn holiday shoppers into Scrooges
Illinois’ state and local sales taxes make shopping for gifts an expensive gesture of kindness every holiday season.
Leaving child Home Alone could land parents in jail this holiday season
Leaving child Home Alone could land parents in jail this holiday season
Illinois’ restrictive and vague laws could mean arrest for parents who leave their kids at home while they run a quick holiday errand.
How Illinois unions re-gifted member dues to Madigan for sexual harassment settlement
How Illinois unions re-gifted member dues to Madigan for sexual harassment settlement
So who wants to fund a highly unpopular politician’s sexual harassment settlement on behalf of a disgraced political worker under federal investigation? Executives at Illinois’ largest public-sector labor unions.
Feds investigating former Cook County assessor, Madigan rainmaker Joe Berrios
Feds investigating former Cook County assessor, Madigan rainmaker Joe Berrios
The probe potentially opens up a new front in authorities’ investigation of House Speaker Mike Madigan: the property tax appeals game from which he has made millions.