Get the latest news headlines from around Illinois.
Chicago Tribune: Rauner reboots state fair after nearly a year of unpaid bills from last one
Last year, the state budget standoff meant there was little distinction between state fair royalty and those who scoop poop.
The Miss Illinois County Fair Queen didn’t get paid. Neither did the small army of high schoolers who muck stalls, nor the woman who spent hours sculpting butter into a life-size cow displayed in a refrigerated, rotating case inside the Dairy Building.
In all, more than 850 vendors who do everything from providing first aid and judging sheep shearing to shooting off fireworks and running the tractor pull contest found themselves with IOUs totaling roughly $1.5 million.
AP: Illinois drains state's savings account due to budget crisis
A stopgap spending plan that lawmakers approved to address Illinois’ lack of a state budget for a second straight year is quickly draining the state’s “rainy day” fund, focusing more attention on the state’s unique and long-running financial management problems.
An account that experts say should have $1.5 to $3 billion to help weather an economic downturn was down to about $180 million as of Friday. In a matter of weeks, the balance in what is supposed to be a savings account will be zero.
Financial watchdogs and at least one major credit rating agency say Illinois’ move to drain the $275 million fund to pay for items such as food and medicine for people in state-run facilities in the 16-month absence of a full budget means that when — not if — a recession hits, new taxes or spending cuts will have to be even more “draconian.”
Quad City Times: Illinois' Depression governor one of the state's most productive
As Illinois battled to overcome the Great Depression, another fight simmered in the Executive Mansion, where Democratic Gov. Henry Horner clashed with the Chicago machine. The acrimony helped define the Horner administration, considered one of the best in Illinois history.
Historian Robert P. Howard declared that “no chief executive had a more difficult administration” than Horner, citing the struggles of the Depression. Howard also lauded Horner for his “humanitarian compassion,” “extrovert’s personality,” and “marathoner’s determination.” In addition, Horner loved children and gave generously to charities.
However, Howard conceded that Horner “fought the Chicago political machine by becoming himself a successful, vindictive political boss.” He is responsible for the creation of the retail sales tax, which revolutionized state revenue collection.
Sun-Times: Chicago teacher pension fund overpaid 234, wants its money back
For two years, the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund used incorrect dates to calculate retirement benefits, records obtained by the Better Government Association and the Chicago Sun-Times show.
As a result of that error, a total of $2.78 million in overpayments went out to more than 200 retirees, the records show.
Robert Feder: BGA staff votes to unionize
Investigators, reporters and other staff members of Chicago’s Better Government Association voted unanimously last week to seek representation by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The unionizing move could be seen as a challenge to Andy Shaw, who has headed the nonprofit investigative news organization and civic watchdog group since 2009. It comes just weeks after the resignations of Robert Reed as director of programming andRobert Herguth as director of investigations. Their departures reportedly were prompted by changes in the organization’s structure and revisions in its investigative strategy. No comment yet from Shaw or SAG-AFTRA officials. SAG-AFTRA recently won elections to represent producers of “Chicago Tonight” at Window to the World Communications WTTW-Channel 11, and staffers who work in content and technical areas at Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5.
RRStar: Layoffs come early at Rockford Products
Rockford Products employees were laid off Friday night — more than a month ahead of schedule — because a funding deal couldn’t be reached in time to keep the company open, CEO Dave Richeson told the Register Star today.
Employees received a letter Friday informing them that while company officials hope to obtain interim funding soon, they should not report to work on Monday.