Lawsuit seeks back pay for Illinois lawmakers
Lawsuit seeks back pay for Illinois lawmakers
Former state Sen. Michael Noland is suing for back pay after the General Assembly nixed cost-of-living adjustments and forced furlough days.
Bill regulating school buses heads to Rauner’s desk
Bill regulating school buses heads to Rauner’s desk
House Bill 3293, which would force any person or group that is not a school district, religious organization or transportation company, but that possesses a school bus, to change the appearance of the school bus, passed the Illinois General Assembly on the last day of spring session.
Illinois budget sharknado
Illinois budget sharknado
DAILY LINKS / 4.26.2023
Center Square: Jury deliberations underway in ComEd bribery trial Chicago Tribune: Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx says she will not run for reelection Sun-Times: Cook County judges, court employees ordered to phase out remote work Daily Herald: Lewis University, St. Augustine College plan merger State Journal-Register: Illinois Democrats pushing literacy education reform, bills advancing WCIA: More Secretary of State facilities to switch to appointment onlyChicago prepares for yet another telephone tax hike
Chicago prepares for yet another telephone tax hike
Chicagoans already pay the highest in the nation 911 surcharge and a newly passed bill would raise that rate even higher.
Illinoisans pay the fourth-highest wireless taxes in the country
Illinoisans pay the fourth-highest wireless taxes in the country
Illinoisans already pay the nation’s fourth-highest wireless taxes. But a new bill awaiting Gov. Bruce Rauner’s signature would make this burden even heavier.
Illinois Senate’s education finance bill bails out Chicago, fails at reform
Illinois Senate’s education finance bill bails out Chicago, fails at reform
Senate Bill 1 provides a $215 million annual pension bailout and other carve-outs worth hundreds of millions of dollars to CPS.
Amended cursive writing mandate passes Illinois Senate
Amended cursive writing mandate passes Illinois Senate
A Senate amendment would require public elementary schools to teach cursive writing, while the original House bill would extend the handwriting instruction mandate to all Illinois public elementary and high schools.
Bill preventing pension double dipping awaits Rauner’s signature
Bill preventing pension double dipping awaits Rauner’s signature
House Bill 418 would prevent retired police officers from double dipping in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, which has placed a burden on taxpayers at the local level.
St. Clair, Madison counties home to multimillion-dollar property tax slush funds
St. Clair, Madison counties home to multimillion-dollar property tax slush funds
Property taxes are set to increase in Madison and St. Clair counties, and local taxpayers should know that through TIF districts, politicians divert tax dollars that could go toward schools, libraries and public services to separate accounts that foster a lack of transparency and accountability.
Illinois owes over $250 billion in pension debt
Illinois owes over $250 billion in pension debt
Moody’s Investors Service cited Illinois’ $250 billion in pension debt and the lengthy budget impasse as reasons for its one-notch credit downgrade.
Fact-checking Madigan: Rauner’s agenda is packed with budgetary items
Fact-checking Madigan: Rauner’s agenda is packed with budgetary items
Though Illinois Democrats insist Gov. Bruce Rauner’s reform agenda has nothing to do with the state’s budget, Rauner’s original proposed spending reforms would allow the state to balance its budget without hitting up taxpayers for more revenue.
Illinois has the lowest credit rating on record for a U.S. state
Illinois has the lowest credit rating on record for a U.S. state
S&P cited Illinois lawmakers’ failure to pass a budget and the lengthy budget impasse as reasons for its one-notch credit downgrade. Over the years, Illinois’ state credit rating has been downgraded multiple times due to massive spending and excessive borrowing.
Illinois government workers who switch careers can lose big chunk of retirement savings
Illinois government workers who switch careers can lose big chunk of retirement savings
Pensions punish government workers who leave state employment early. 401(k)s don’t.