Ald. Burke prosecution ends battle against auditing Chicago’s $100 million workers’ comp program
Ald. Burke prosecution ends battle against auditing Chicago’s $100 million workers’ comp program
Mayor Rahm Emanuel ordered an audit of the city’s $100 million-a-year workers’ compensation program following Ald. Ed Burke’s resignation as finance committee chair. Burke has long fought program oversight.
By Brad Weisenstein
Proposal would make Illinois gas tax burden the highest in the nation
Proposal would make Illinois gas tax burden the highest in the nation
Springfield is facing mounting pressure to enact a massive state gas tax hike. One proposal would make the average motorist pay as much as $200 per year in additional taxes on gas.
By Vincent Caruso
Chicago Ald. Ed Burke gives up control of city finances after felony extortion charge
Chicago Ald. Ed Burke gives up control of city finances after felony extortion charge
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Jan. 4 that longtime Ald. Ed Burke resigned as chairman of the city’s finance committee. The move came the day after federal agents served Burke an attempted extortion charge.
By Brad Weisenstein
Longtime Chicago Ald. Ed Burke charged with extortion
Longtime Chicago Ald. Ed Burke charged with extortion
Federal prosecutors claim Burke used his position as alderman to solicit business for his law firm, which specializes in Cook County property tax appeals. Felony attempted extortion could come with up to 20 years in prison.
By Brad Weisenstein
Fixing Illinois? Pritzker needs a New Chicago Way
Fixing Illinois? Pritzker needs a New Chicago Way
Fixing Chicago’s outdated governance would benefit the entire state. Pritzker should use his new job – and the megaphone that comes with it – to help make that a reality.
By Austin Berg
Term limits popular with local voters, but Illinois state lawmakers try to blunt reforms
Term limits popular with local voters, but Illinois state lawmakers try to blunt reforms
Since 2014 alone, voters in 11 suburban Cook County communities approved term limits on elected leaders. A bill in the Illinois General Assembly seeks to curb those reforms.
By Vincent Caruso
Illinois law allows law enforcement to take custody of mistreated pets
Illinois law allows law enforcement to take custody of mistreated pets
Local law enforcement will can take temporary custody of pets left in life-threatening weather conditions.
Worker freedom: More than 3,700 Illinois state workers stopped paying money to a union in 2018
Worker freedom: More than 3,700 Illinois state workers stopped paying money to a union in 2018
Of the more than 3,700 Illinois state workers who stopped sending part of every paycheck to a union, 2,800 stopped sending their money to AFSCME.
By Vincent Caruso