Illinois House committee passes bill to ban red-light cameras statewide

03/12/2020

Red-light cameras have been the subject of multiple corruption investigations and have cost Illinois drivers over $1 billion.

TAGS: conflict of interest, corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Jeff Tobolski, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

Illinois House passes bill to tear down nearly 100 red-light cameras

02/26/2020

A proposal to limit red-light cameras in Illinois is making significant progress.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Jonathan Carroll, Martin Sandoval, Mattie Hunter, red light cameras, SafeSpeed

New bill would stop suspending Illinois driver’s licenses for unpaid red-light camera tickets

02/21/2020

Red-light cameras have been the subject of an ongoing federal investigation that has lead to the arrest of numerous public officials.

TAGS: bipartisan, Celina Villanueva, conflict of interest, corruption, David McSweeney, drivers license, lobbying, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Susana Mendoza

Bill to remove nearly 100 red-light cameras advances to House floor

02/06/2020

The proposal to limit red-light cameras in Illinois is making progress as another bill’s sponsor believes she can garner the votes to ban them entirely.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, corruption, David McSweeney, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, home rule, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois House of Representatives, Jonathan Carroll, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Springfield, Susana Mendoza

After $1B in tickets and 4 corruption indictments, Illinois should shutter the red-light camera industry

By Austin Berg

01/30/2020

With a federal corruption probe burrowing deeper into Springfield, the Illinois General Assembly has only one choice when it comes to the future of a red-light camera industry that has infected nearly 100 communities statewide: shut it down.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, corruption, David McSweeney, fees, fines, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, John Bills, local government, Martin O'Malley, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Illinois comptroller calls red-light cameras ‘broken and morally corrupt’

01/07/2020

Traffic cameras collected more than $1 billion from drivers since 2008, but corruption probes are prompting state comptroller to stop acting as ticket collection agency.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, federal investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Jeff Tobolski, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Red-light camera backlash gains bipartisan momentum in Springfield

By Vincent Caruso

10/15/2019

Driver headaches and corruption flow from red-light cameras. Two bills with bipartisan support would ban the traffic devices in Illinois.

TAGS: corruption, David McSweeney, Grant Wehrli, Jonathan Carroll, Margo McDermed, Mark Batinick, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, Rita Mayfield, SafeSpeed, Sam Yingling

New law empowers McHenry County voters to consolidate townships

08/12/2019

A new law relaxes requirements for McHenry County voters looking to dissolve their townships by referendum, clearing a path toward greater efficiency, less waste and lower property taxes.

TAGS: consolidation, David McSweeney, JB Pritzker, local government consolidation, McHenry County

Illinois House passes bill requiring comptroller to post all state expenditures online

By Vincent Caruso

05/08/2019

The Open Illinois Checkbook Act would shed light on Illinois state finances. It is now en route to the Illinois Senate.

TAGS: David McSweeney, Illinois Comptroller, Open Illinois Checkbook, Tom Cullerton, transparency

Illinois taxpayers could cut back local governments under bipartisan bill

By Vincent Caruso

03/06/2019

The Citizens Empowerment Act would let taxpayers cut local government at the ballot box. Illinois lawmakers from both parties are backing it.

TAGS: Citizens Empowerment Act, consolidation, David McSweeney, Jonathan Carroll, local government consolidation, property taxes, Sam Yingling, taxes