‘Fair tax’ backer pleads guilty to tax fraud

By Vincent Caruso

01/28/2020

Former state Sen. Martin Sandoval once headed the powerful Senate Transportation Committee. He now faces up to 13 years in prison on corruption charges involving a controversial red-light camera company.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, conflict of interest, corruption, Ed Burke, embezzlement, ethics, fair maps, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, fraud, graduated income tax, house rules, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, pork barrel spending, progressive income tax, red light cameras, redistricting, revolving door, Springfield, tax fraud, Tom Cullerton

Sandoval resigns Senate seat amid federal corruption probe, effective Jan. 1

By Vincent Caruso

11/27/2019

The once-powerful state officeholder previously resigned as chairman of the influential Illinois Senate Transportation Committee in October.

TAGS: FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Senate, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Senate Transportation Committee, Springfield, Tom Cullerton, transportation

FBI, IRS continue raids by targeting 3 village offices in Cook County

By Vincent Caruso

09/27/2019

Federal agents raided the offices of three suburban villages, including one governed by a mayor who doubles as a Cook County commissioner. All three are in the district of state Sen. Martin Sandoval, also the subject of a federal raid.

TAGS: capital bill, capital project, Christopher Getty, corruption, Jay Hoffman, Jeff Tobolski, Kevin Quinn, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Michael Zalewski, Mike Madigan, Tom Cullerton

Illinois House passes bill requiring comptroller to post all state expenditures online

By Vincent Caruso

05/08/2019

The Open Illinois Checkbook Act would shed light on Illinois state finances. It is now en route to the Illinois Senate.

TAGS: David McSweeney, Illinois Comptroller, Open Illinois Checkbook, Tom Cullerton, transparency

Cullerton spending cap would avert future Illinois tax hikes

By Vincent Caruso

02/20/2019

State spending has grown nearly 50 percent faster than Illinoisans’ incomes during the past decade. State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, has proposed a constitutional spending cap that offers a long-term solution to the state’s budgetary problems.

TAGS: income tax, spending, spending cap, taxes, Tom Cullerton

Illinois state spending has grown nearly 50% faster than taxpayer incomes

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

02/18/2019

A spending cap proposal filed by state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, would ensure growth in government spending doesn’t exceed taxpayers’ ability to pay for it.

TAGS: budget, debt, deficit, income tax, personal income, spending, spending cap, taxes, Tom Cullerton

Rauner signs bill allowing consolidation of mosquito abatement districts

08/17/2018

With the signing of Senate Bill 2543, taxpayers could soon see savings – and more efficiency – in local government.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, consolidation, local government consolidation, Tom Cullerton

Taxpayer victory: Rauner signs bill axing ‘golden parachute’ payouts for public officials

By Vincent Caruso

08/16/2018

The Government Severance Pay Act places a cap on – and attaches strings to – golden parachute severance payouts for outgoing government employees.

TAGS: Bill Cunningham, Bruce Rauner, golden parachute, Tom Cullerton

Rauner signs pro-growth bill restricting state regulators

08/06/2018

State agencies can no longer pile rules and regulations onto Illinois businesses without first taking into account their economic effects.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, regulations, small business, Tom Cullerton

Taxpayer victory: General Assembly passes bill restricting golden parachutes for government officials

By Vincent Caruso, Chris Lentino

05/29/2018

Senate Bill 3604 would limit government workers’ ability to collect extravagant severance packages, also known as “golden parachutes,” on their way out of office.

TAGS: Alex Clifford, College of DuPage, Doug Baker, Metra, NIU: Northern Illinois University, pensions, Robert Breuder, salaries, Tom Cullerton