Citizenship 101: How to be a more involved Illinoisan

By Brad Weisenstein

08/01/2021

What you need to know to better get answers about what local and state government leaders are doing in Illinois.

TAGS: budget, corruption, FOIA: Freedom of Information Act, government services, government spending, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, income tax, Open Meetings Act, property taxes, taxes

Illinois’ rainy-day fund can operate state for about 15 minutes

By Brad Weisenstein

03/16/2020

With economic challenges driven by the coronavirus ahead, Illinois finds itself missing an important financial tool.

TAGS: government services, JB Pritzker, rainy day fund, revenue, small business, social services

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

01/17/2020

Across all five state retirement systems, typical career workers pay for about 5% of the cost of their pension benefits. They receive an average of $1.7 million to $3.6 million.

TAGS: Edgar Ramp, firefighter pensions, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, government employees, government services, government unions, government workers, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Jim Edgar, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal government, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, police pensions, public sector, retirement age, Rod Blagojevich, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, Social Security, social services, Springfield, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, tax hikes, tax increase, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

A city charter could bring order to Chicago’s dysfunction. How can it get one?

Report Archive

Ricky Hamilton

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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