Taxpayers deserve say in the teachers’ union contracts they pay for
Taxpayers deserve say in the teachers’ union contracts they pay for
Negotiations between government-worker unions and governing bodies are conducted behind closed doors, away from public scrutiny. And yet taxpayers are required to pay for whatever extravagant benefits the unions obtain. Recently a bill in the General Assembly would have brought more transparency – and accountability – to the process, but it failed to make it out of committee.
By Mailee Smith
Lawmakers and special interests propose revamped EDGE tax credit program
Lawmakers and special interests propose revamped EDGE tax credit program
As state debts mount and budget plans remain in limbo, Illinois lawmakers move to expand EDGE tax credits.
By Brendan Bakala
Judge says lawmakers shouldn’t be paid ahead of everyone else
Judge says lawmakers shouldn’t be paid ahead of everyone else
Judge Garcia points to the lack of a budget as reason enough to delay payments to legislators.
By Brendan Bakala
Illinois lawmakers vote against bill to protect state workers from having their Social Security number shared with unions
Illinois lawmakers vote against bill to protect state workers from having their Social Security number shared with unions
Through collective bargaining agreements with the state, government-worker unions require access to workers’ social security numbers – even if those workers are not members of the union. A bill protecting worker privacy recently failed to get enough votes to pass out of committee.
By Mailee Smith
According to AFSCME’s numbers, fewer than half of Illinois state workers voted to authorize strike
According to AFSCME’s numbers, fewer than half of Illinois state workers voted to authorize strike
In a recent strike-authorization vote, fewer than half of state workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees cast ballots in favor of a strike, despite union leaders’ characterization of the outcome as majority approval.
By Mailee Smith
3 reasons why raising felony theft thresholds is a better way to deal with theft
3 reasons why raising felony theft thresholds is a better way to deal with theft
Illinois spent $58 million in 2015 to imprison offenders charged with felony theft. But evidence shows increasing the threshold, as 29 other states have done since 2001, doesn’t increase property crime or larceny rates.
By Hilary Gowins
Illinois politicians vote to divert $300M from state coffers to fuel local spending
Illinois politicians vote to divert $300M from state coffers to fuel local spending
Despite Illinois’ billions in deficit spending and skyrocketing debt, the Illinois House of Representatives passed House Bill 278, which would transfer an additional $300 million per year of state income tax funds to local governments, continuing to prop up local overspending that fuels high property taxes.
By Amy Korte
Illinois universities charge high price for perverse priorities
Illinois universities charge high price for perverse priorities
More than 50 percent of the state’s $4.1 billion budget for public universities is spent on retirement costs alone.
By Austin Berg
Jim Work
Jim Work
“I’m a case study in who you don’t want leaving the state. “I grew up in Wheaton and went to college for accounting at NIU, but I was working in construction the whole time. It was so much better than the typical minimum wage job you get to pay for tuition. You could work outside,...
Comptroller halts funding for state IT modernization program
Comptroller halts funding for state IT modernization program
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is suspending funding for a technology initiative Gov. Bruce Rauner has said would save taxpayer money and promote efficiency, data security and transparency in state government.