Current lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly have received $60.2 million in contributions from unions since 2010. Most of that cash went to Democrats.
The Chicago Teachers Union told lawmakers what to do over 1,360 times in just six legislative sessions. It used its powerful position to pressure the state to follow its radical politics. Here are five examples of the union placing politics over its core purpose.
The union-backed legislation would grant Illinois’ second-largest electric utility a temporary monopoly over the construction of new transmission lines across nearly three-quarters of the state. Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised to veto it.
“One of my children was coming home from school frustrated, emotional and explosive. I asked the kindergarten teacher if she was seeing any issues at school. She said, ‘No. Everything is fine.’”
We too often call it the “Fourth of July” and lose sight of its true meaning – independence. Independence from tyranny and the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
While most Illinois metropolitan areas saw job gains last month, unemployment rates remain higher than the U.S. rate in 11 of the state’s 13 metro areas.
Much attention is rightly being paid to how city policy can address the need to provide young people with meaningful opportunities for work. The stakes couldn’t be higher.
“I came to the realization while I was incarcerated that I had to make some serious, life-changing decisions. I had obviously made a bad career choice. I made a conscious effort and decision to turn my life around.”
Illinois state lawmakers had tried to bump their pay by 5.5%, but that violated the state constitution. The must settle for 5%, meaning they will make nearly $90,000 a year.
Illinois’ rainy-day fund is at an all-time high, but remains $6.6 billion less than recommended by state budget experts. Illinois state government can operate for fewer than 13 days on what it’s saved.
Independence Day means residents of 47 states will celebrate their freedom by choosing to set off fireworks. Not in Illinois.
This edition of The Policy Shop comes from policy analyst Hannah Max. The New York Times shocked many readers when it reported last week that student test scores in our public schools aren’t great. To some of us, this was unsurprising. Still, it’s bad. “The math and reading performance of 13-year-olds in the United States has...