Oak Lawn may boost businesses by waiving $600,000 in licensing fees

By Dylan Sharkey

06/27/2022

A tough economy and an Illinois Policy Institute report has Oak Lawn considering waiving business license renewal fees for a year. Giving up $600,000 in fees is expected to attract new businesses and help older ones.

TAGS: licensing fees, Oak Lawn, small business

Oak Lawn credit rating hits junk status amid skyrocketing pension costs

By Brad Weisenstein

01/07/2020

Massive increases in public safety pension contributions have failed to keep Oak Lawn’s credit from being downgraded to junk status. The Chicago suburb’s leaders are fighting cuts and tax increases, which are inevitable without pension reform in Springfield.

TAGS: credit rating, firefighter pensions, IDOI: Illinois Department of Insurance, Moody's Investor Service, municipal pensions, Oak Lawn, police pensions, public safety

Pensions, debt push Oak Lawn toward ‘junk’ credit rating

By Vincent Caruso

10/21/2018

The Chicago suburb is facing severe fiscal challenges brought about by its unsustainable pension burden and $75 million in debt – a trend that has become too common among Illinois municipalities.

TAGS: budget, credit rating, municipal pensions, Oak Lawn, pension guarantee, pensions, property 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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Martin Sahagun

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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