The fall of Illinois manufacturing
The fall of Illinois manufacturing
Since the state's recession bottom, Illinois has regained less than 5 percent of its manufacturing jobs — the worst rate of recovery among all neighboring states.
How business-liability reform can help encourage ex-offender employment
How business-liability reform can help encourage ex-offender employment
With the right liability reforms, Illinois can protect businesses and make them more likely to give ex-offenders a chance at employment.
Illinois bill allows courts to ban social media and demand access to accounts for juveniles charged with crimes
Illinois bill allows courts to ban social media and demand access to accounts for juveniles charged with crimes
Senate Bill 2871 would give courts in Illinois the ability to ban juveniles’ access to social media and require them to turn over passwords to law-enforcement officials.
Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student
Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has claimed that Chicago students are discriminated against under the state's education funding formula. But the numbers show the opposite: Chicago has received more than its fair share of education funding from the state.
What’s driving Illinois’ $111 billion pension crisis
What’s driving Illinois’ $111 billion pension crisis
Retirement ages, COLAs and out-of-sync pension payouts
Ex-offenders need to work to stay out of the system – but Illinois’ occupational-licensing rules keep many out of careers
Ex-offenders need to work to stay out of the system – but Illinois’ occupational-licensing rules keep many out of careers
To get ex-offenders back to work and reduce crime, Illinois needs to lift restrictions on the right to earn a living .
Illinois Supreme Court ruling could give state workers more retirement options
Illinois Supreme Court ruling could give state workers more retirement options
Concept of “consideration” allows state workers to negotiate for new benefits and could pave a path toward pension reform.
Chicago lost more millionaires than any other U.S. city in 2015
Chicago lost more millionaires than any other U.S. city in 2015
Millionaires are playing a large role in the broader Chicago exodus.
Illinois middle class
Illinois middle class
Illinois corruption watch: March 2016
Illinois corruption watch: March 2016
Several instances of corruption and mismanagement of public property and trust came to light in March and included new developments in cases involving Chicago Public Schools’ former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
New bill would make Illinois gas taxes highest in the nation
New bill would make Illinois gas taxes highest in the nation
A new 30-cent-per-gallon tax hike would make Illinois gas taxes the highest in the nation by far, and pour more money into a broken system.
Illinois gets $2.7M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Illinois gets $2.7M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Budget gridlock in Springfield caused the Illinois secretary of state’s office to suspend mailing vehicle-registration-renewal reminders in October 2015; as a result, during the first three months of 2016, the state took in $2.7 million more in fees for late license-plate renewal than it did during the same period in 2015.
Just reward: How the past haunts one Illinois mother searching for a second chance
Just reward: How the past haunts one Illinois mother searching for a second chance
Should a teenage crime of desperation shackle an ex-offender for life? This is the question facing Illinois state politicians, who, due to a law they passed in 2011, must reckon with the likes of Lisa Creason, a 43-year-old mother from Decatur, Illinois. By all accounts, Lisa Creason is a respected member of her community. She’s...
General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines
General Assembly returns to Springfield with looming deadlines
After returning from vacation, Illinois lawmakers will operate under rapidly approaching deadlines to pass legislation.