Illinois politicians have been banking on a bailout for years. Don’t give it to them.

By Austin Berg

05/01/2020

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Mike Madigan and other Illinois leaders were banking on a federal bailout long before COVID-19. How else can one explain their recklessness?

TAGS: bailout, coronavirus, COVID-19, Don Harmon, Donald Trump, Jason Plummer, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Pritzker wrongly claims an Illinois budget surplus ‘if not for coronavirus’

04/30/2020

The budget was not balanced, and Illinois has not balanced a budget for nearly two decades. Pretending Illinois had no issues before COVID-19 won’t help it recover.

TAGS: budget, coronavirus, COVID-19, deficit, Donald Trump, JB Pritzker

Illinois spent $17 million on masks from China that may be unusable

04/22/2020

The state is attempting to shore up its supply of personal protection equipment, but received millions of masks the state health department recommended only using in a crisis.

TAGS: China, coronavirus, COVID-19, Donald Trump, JB Pritzker

Blagojevich returns to an Illinois as corrupt as he left it

By Austin Berg

02/20/2020

Illinois’ political leadership learned nothing from the Blagojevich nightmare. And now it may be coming back to bite them.

TAGS: Commonwealth Edison, commutation, corruption, Donald Trump, ethics task force, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Mike Madigan, Rod Blagojevich

Trump commutes Blagojevich’s prison sentence

By Austin Berg

02/18/2020

The nation’s corruption capitol will see one of its most infamous political figures return home.

TAGS: commutation, corruption, Donald Trump, Rod Blagojevich

Up to 140,000 able-bodied Illinoisans may need jobs to get food stamps in 2020

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2019

Just Cook County food stamp recipients were facing work requirements Jan. 1 if they were under age 50, able-bodied and had no dependents. Now the rules will apply throughout Illinois starting April 1.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, Donald Trump, food stamps, Foundation for Government Accountability, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, job creation, jobs, labor force participation rate, Michigan, National Conference of State Legislatures, regulations, small business, SNAP, Springfield, tax burden, unemployment, West Virginia, Wisconsin

More Illinoisans on food stamps this Thanksgiving, 50K recipients will soon need jobs

11/26/2019

This Thanksgiving, about 17,500 more Illinoisans will be using food stamps. By New Year’s, about 50,000 Cook County recipients must find jobs or lose benefits.

TAGS: constitutional amendment, Cook County, Donald Trump, DuPage County, food stamps, Illinois, JB Pritzker, link card, Midwest, progressive income tax, SNAP, social services

Trump considering commuting Blagojevich sentence

05/31/2018

The former Illinois governor is halfway through his 14-year sentence for corruption-related charges.

TAGS: Donald Trump, Rod Blagojevich

Chicago Alderman Ed Burke seeks to cut Trump Tower property tax bill by $3 million

By Brendan Bakala

11/03/2017

According to one estimate, Chicago Alderman Ed Burke is trying to cut the property tax bill for Trump Tower by more than $3 million.

TAGS: Chicago, Donald Trump, Ed Burke, property taxes

How ending the state and local tax deduction puts Illinois’ economy at a crossroads

By Orphe Divounguy

10/17/2017

One change in federal tax code – and Illinois lawmakers’ response to it – could decide the economic trajectory of the state.

TAGS: Donald Trump, property taxes, SALT, taxes

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