Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change

By Brad Weisenstein

01/10/2020

The Illinois Tollway is spending $33 million on toll machines, some of which can’t make change. The state agency’s legacy is broken promises, political patronage and overcharging Illinoisans.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, corruption, George Ryan, I-Pass, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois State Toll Highway Commission, Illinois Tollway, Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield, tollway

Repeal Day: Prohibition ended 86 years ago, but Illinois’ alcohol taxes, regulations remain sobering

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2019

With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, 1933 marked the end of Prohibition in the United States. Illinois, however, has continued to serve a cocktail of prohibitive regulations on alcoholic beverages.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, capital plan, Chicago, craft beer, distillery, Hospitality Business Association of Chicago, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Liquor Control Act, liquor laws, Midwest, prohibition, Sara Feigenholtz, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle, vape ban, vaping, Wine & Spirits Distributors of Illinois

Pilot program for medical marijuana as alternative to opioids goes into effect

02/05/2019

The Opioid Alternative Pilot Program launched Jan. 31, giving more Illinoisans the option to treat pain with medical marijuana in place of opioids.

TAGS: Alternative to Opioids Act, Bruce Rauner, Kelly Cassidy, marijuana, opioid

Inauguration day: 5 pro-taxpayer reforms Pritzker should push in 2019

By Vincent Caruso

01/14/2019

The Land of Lincoln has a new governor, but the state’s deep-seated problems remain. Here are five reforms that newly inaugurated Gov. J.B. Pritzker could pursue to begin setting the state on the right fiscal path.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, Bruce Rauner, JB Pritzker, local government consolidation, pensions, school district consolidation, spending cap

Coalition kicks cronies in Springfield showdown over car-sharing

By Austin Berg

11/29/2018

The car-sharing victory is real business friendliness. And that means Illinoisans – whether or not they ever rent their car through an app – have cause for a little celebration.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, carsharing, Getaround, Pam Althoff, Turo, veto

House passes pension boost bill for one Chicago alderman

By Vincent Caruso

11/27/2018

Illinois House members voted to override Gov. Rauner’s veto of a bill that would allow a former firefighter serving as a Chicago aldermen to credit his political salary toward a more lucrative fire pension. While just one alderman now qualifies, the bill could extend the perk to more in the future.

TAGS: 401(k), Anthony Napolitano, Bruce Rauner, municipal pensions, Nicholas Sposato, pension guarantee, pensions, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Martwick

Bipartisan anti-corruption bill bottled up in Illinois Senate

By Austin Berg

11/27/2018

After unanimous approval from the Illinois House of Representatives, the Illinois Senate has remained conspicuously silent on a bill meant to address one man’s dominance of a little-known network of government authorities.

TAGS: Andrew Hamilton, Bruce Rauner, corruption, good government, Illinois Senate

Senate overrides Rauner veto on bill proposing new car-sharing taxes, regulations

By Vincent Caruso

11/15/2018

Senate lawmakers overrode Gov. Rauner’s veto of a lobbyist-backed bill aiming to sideswipe car-sharing startups with new taxes and regulations. The bill returns to the House.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, carsharing, Getaround, Illinois Senate, Pam Althoff, Turo

Senate narrowly overrides Rauner ‘Tobacco 21’ veto

By Vincent Caruso

11/15/2018

A bill that would raise the legal age to 21 for purchasing tobacco and e-cigarette products will return to the Illinois House of Representatives after Senate lawmakers overrode Gov. Rauner’s veto.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, Illinois Senate, Julie Morrison, smoking ban, tobacco, Tobacco 21

Senate bill would strike car-sharing startups with new taxes, regulations

By Vincent Caruso

11/14/2018

With lobbyist backing, lawmakers passed a bill in May aimed at driving out competitors for rental car companies. Gov. Bruce Rauner rejected the bill, but lawmakers could revive it during veto session.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, Getaround, Pam Althoff, regulations, Turo

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and last among Midwest states...

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Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

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Brandi Lentz

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students