Architect of Illinois gas tax hike accused of ‘racketeering conspiracy’

By Vincent Caruso

10/01/2019

The lawmaker who carried to the governor’s desk an infrastructure plan that doubled the state’s gas tax used his influence as a powerful state lawmaker to land his son a government job, a lawsuit alleges.

TAGS: FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Martin Sandoval, patronage, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Fare hikes on the way for Chicago train, bus passengers

By Vincent Caruso

11/24/2017

The Chicago Transit Authority’s latest budget proposal includes 25-cent fare hikes.

TAGS: Chicago, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, Rahm Emanuel, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Metra board approves fare hike, fourth consecutive year of increased fares

By Brendan Bakala

11/13/2017

The increase comes after last year’s hike, which cost yearlong commuters an extra $141 annually for their monthly passes. Metra officials have not ruled out further fare hikes or service cuts.

TAGS: fees, Metra, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Metra proposes fare hikes for 4th consecutive year

By Brendan Bakala

09/14/2017

Blaming Illinois state budget cuts, Metra considers raising fares in 2018, despite previous fare schedule.

TAGS: fees, Metra, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Rauner issues amendatory veto of banker bailout bill

08/29/2017

House Bill 3004 would have put banks and bondholders ahead of taxpayers and those who rely on government services. But Gov. Bruce Rauner’s amendatory veto strips the bill of those bailout provisions.

TAGS: bonds, Bruce Rauner, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, debt, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Why are Illinois Democrats preparing to bail out bankers and cash-strapped local governments?

By Michael Lucci

04/03/2017

Bailout bills moving in the Illinois General Assembly would attempt to turn Illinois’ massive debt problems into guaranteed profits for banks and bondholders and a lower standard of living for other Illinoisans.

TAGS: bonds, budget, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, general obligation bonds, grand bargain, John Cullerton, LGDF: Local Government Distributive Fund, property taxes, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

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