Illinois joins 8 states asking to escape interest on unemployment loan

By Dylan Sharkey

12/18/2021

Illinois borrowed $4.2 billion from the federal government to replenish its unemployment trust fund, missed the deadline to repay it and now wants to avoid the interest that is due.

TAGS: COVID-19, Susana Mendoza, unemployment

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

Oakbrook Terrace mayor resigns amid red-light camera probe

01/23/2020

Federal investigators have been digging into the political corruption surrounding red-light cameras, including a pair of the multi-million dollar traffic devices in Oakbrook Terrace.

TAGS: FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, FOIA: Freedom of Information Act, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, Martin Sandoval, Oakbrook Terrace, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems, SafeSpeed, Susana Mendoza, Tony Ragucci

Illinois comptroller’s plan to pay off state’s bill backlog includes borrowing more money

By Marianna Schmiesing

07/18/2017

Even with 32 percent tax hike, Illinois State Comptroller expects only $5 billion of the state’s unpaid bills to be paid down.

TAGS: budget, Susana Mendoza, unpaid bills

Illinois comptroller issues self, lawmakers paychecks despite appeal of circuit court’s ruling

By Greg Bishop

04/12/2017

Rank-and-file lawmakers have received paychecks of more than $50,800.

TAGS: Christine Radogno, Jim Durkin, John Cullerton, lawmaker pay, Leslie Munger, Lisa Madigan, Mike Madigan, Susana Mendoza

Illinois lawmaker files legislation allowing delay of legislator pay after court ruling says politicians must be paid

03/23/2017

State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorne Woods, filed legislation March 23 that would give the Illinois Comptroller’s office discretion to delay payments to lawmakers if insufficient funding exists to do so. This came just hours after a Cook County judge said lawmakers must be paid.

TAGS: budget, Chris Welch, Dan McConchie, Illinois Comptroller, John Cullerton, Kate Cloonen, lawmaker pay, Lisa Hernandez, Mary Flowers, Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn, Silvana Tabares, Susana Mendoza

Comptroller halts funding for state IT modernization program

03/15/2017

Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is suspending funding for a technology initiative Gov. Bruce Rauner has said would save taxpayer money and promote efficiency, data security and transparency in state government.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Illinois Comptroller, Susana Mendoza

Lisa Madigan moves to shut down state government

By Austin Berg

01/27/2017

Attempts to cut off state worker pay need not end in a tax hike.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Bruce Rauner, budget, John Cullerton, lawmaker pay, Lisa Madigan, Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn, state worker pay, Susana Mendoza

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...

View Report

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Report Archive

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