|
|
| | |
| |
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Frerichs: Coming budget is “somewhat out of balance”
Budget--State (8)
,
Governor (44)
,
Treasurer (92)
The state’s treasurer says whether Illinois’ budget for the coming fiscal year is balanced depends on how the money is spent by the governor. State lawmakers have handed out much adulation for passing a budget on time. While many proclaim it’s balanced, government spending watchdogs like Truth In Accounting and Wirepoints, and credit ratings agencies like S&P Global ...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Rural Illinois power plant has higher tax bill than Disneyland, Willis Tower
Energy, Alternative Energy (93)
,
Taxes, property (87)
,
Utilities (94)
A plot of land in rural northern Illinois has the highest property tax bill in the United States outside of New York. Assessed at $546 million, Exelon’s Byron Nuclear Generating Station was charged $36.5 million in property taxes in 2017. That’s a higher tab than all but 20 properties in the nation, all of which are in New York. The Byron plant's bill put it at No. 21 on a lis...
< read more >
| |
| |
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
State Senate candidate apologizes after blackface photo surfaces
Candidates--Legislative (11)
Haine, Bill--State Senate, 56
,
Raoul, Kwame--State Senate, 13
At a Halloween party at his friend's house at least 10 years ago, state Senate candidate Hal Patton was photographed dressed in an orange football jersey, wearing a black bandana on his head, and his face painted black.<...
< read more >
| |
| |
Monday, June 18, 2018
Rauner signed a budget this year, but at SIU Carbondale, impacts of 2-year impasse still felt
Budget--State (8)
,
Education--Higher (37)
,
Governor (44)
Bryant, Terri--State House, 115
CARBONDALE — On June 4, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a full state budget for the first time since he took office in 2015, and leaders of Illinois public universities breathed a sigh of relief. The $38.5 billion spending plan cruised through both chambers of the General Assembly with bipartisan support, offering public institutions secure appropriations and putting to rest fea...
< read more >
| |
| |
Monday, June 18, 2018
Metro-East state representative creates petition calling for IBHE study of SIU system funding
Education--Higher (37)
Stuart, Katie--State House, 112
State representative Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, has launched a petition calling for a study into the allocation of state funding between the Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses. Stuart announced in press release that she was launching a petition drive calling o...
< read more >
| |
| |
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Retiring state senator gets unwelcomed parting gift from #MeToo victim
Sexual Harassment (96)
Clayborne Jr., James--State Senate, 57
Illinois state Sen. James Clayborne's plan to leave the statehouse and rely on his law license and connections to build a lucrative retirement may have just received a wrinkle. Or maybe a dose of karma. < read more >
| |
| |
Friday, June 15, 2018
Magicians: How Illinois politicians made $1.2 billion in budget deficits disappear
Budget--State (8)
If you want to understand Illinois’ corrupt budget making process, take the example of how the legislature just “cleaned up” some of its unaccounted-for budget deficits. In the blink of an eye, Illinois politicians made $1.2 billion in accumulated deficit spending disappear. There was no debate needed over how to fund it. In fact, pols didn’t need to find an...
< read more >
| |
| |
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Local prosecutors not ready to follow St. Louis' pot stance, but say smokers needn't be paranoid
Drugs (32)
,
Medical Marijuana
As the city of St. Louis continues to soften punishment for marijuana possession, law enforcement officials and prosecutors in the metro-east say they aren't opposed to more lenient policies, either. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner instructed her staff this week not to pursue any cases involving possession of less than 100 grams of mari...
< read more >
| |
| |
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Labor board: Taxpayers owe union workers $412 million in unpaid step increases
Budget--State (8)
,
Governor (44)
As early as this fall, Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois’ lawmakers could see a $412 million hole added to a budget that many say was unbalanced to begin with. The Illinois Labor Relations Board Tuesday evening denied Rauner’s request to send a ruling on $412 million in step increases that an Illinois court says is owed to 14,000 members of the American Federation of State, Count...
< read more >
| |
| |
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Op-Ed: Raises should be based on merit, not 'steps'
Budget--State (8)
,
Taxes, misc. (89)
,
Unions, labor (55)
It's been two weeks since Illinois lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner began congratulating themselves for passing what they claimed was a balanced budget that spends every bit of last summer's $5 billion tax increase. Don't kid yourself, though. The $38.5 billion budget – the highest ever approved in the state – never was balanced. It relies on accounting gimmicks and speculative...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Second Amendment Foundation Secures Injunction Blocking Deerfield ‘Assault Weapons’ Ban
Guns and Gun Control, FOID, Concealed Carry (46)
,
Local Government (60)
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Higher education budget is welcomed, but building money is needed
Education--Higher (37)
Illinois’ governor and state lawmakers are taking a victory lap following passage of a state budget for fiscal year 2019. Throughout the recent legislative session, the Illinois Board of Higher Education and college and university leaders called for a fair and predictable budget, so we joined the applause at the session’s checkered flag. We also believe that celebratory lap should...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Illinois city hit with “perfect storm” of costs, must temporarily shutter fire engine
Legislature (56)
,
Pensions (70)
A “perfect storm” of less money, fewer people and growing pension costs are leading to service cuts in one of Illinois’ largest cities. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said the city’s two-year budget had planned service cuts included to deal with the declining revenue from sales taxes, more vacant homes and higher employee pension costs. He said pensions are on track to use...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Illinois' Republican congressmen write Trump opposing Blagojevich mercy
Blagojevich, Rod
,
Ethics, Campaign Reform, Transparency (12a)
,
Governors, former (45)
,
President (73)
Illinois' Republican congressmen are on the record as opposing any kind of mercy for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The state's Republican congressmen all signed a letter to President Donald Trump this week that makes the case for keeping Blagojevich in prison. "We ask that you give thoughtful attention to our fear that granting clemency for the former governor would set detri...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
More voices say Illinois lawmakers have too much say in policing themselves
Sexual Harassment (96)
McConnaughay, Karen--State Senate, 33
Even with new laws in place aimed at protecting those in Illinois government from harassment, a growing number of advocates say more needs to be done. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the most recent legislation from lawmakers designed to curb bad actors among themselves and their employees. The newest law adds more requirements for reporting harassment under the dome. It also requires new safegu...
< read more >
| |
| |
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
Professional complaints filed against Cullerton, Madigan and others
Legislature (56)
,
Sexual Harassment (96)
Brady, Bill--State Senate, 44
,
Clayborne Jr., James--State Senate, 57
,
Connelly, Michael--State House, 48
,
Cullerton, John--State Senate, 6
,
Durkin, Jim--State House, 82
,
Lang, Lou--State House, 16
,
Link, Terry--State Senate, 30
,
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
,
Turner, Arthur--State House, 9
A victims’ rights activist who was the first to publicly name a state legislator for alleged abuse of power has now filed a complaint against a slew of other state lawmakers who are also lawyers, claiming misconduct, malfeasance and other violations of professional standards. Denise Rotheimer said Monday she filed a complaint with Illinois’ Attorney Registration and Disciplina...
< read more >
| |
| |
Monday, June 11, 2018
Ethics scandal ‘a much more serious threat to the Speaker’s power’ than any other time, longtime observer says
Sexual Harassment (96)
Burke, Kelly--State House, 36
,
Cassidy, Kelly--State House, 14
,
Conroy, Deb--State House, 46
,
Lang, Lou--State House, 16
,
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
,
Williams, Ann--State House, 11
The crumbling of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s inner circle amid one ethics scandal after another is the most serious threat to the longest-serving state House Speaker’s power, according to a longtime observer. Madigan’s longtime chief of staff was fired this week. A leading ally in the House was demoted. Another is retiring. And there are calls for independent investi...
< read more >
| |
| |
Sunday, June 10, 2018
#MeToo topples more of Illinois House speaker's allies
Legislature (56)
,
Sexual Harassment (96)
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
| |
| |
Friday, June 8, 2018
Horse racing is still dying in the home stretch
Gambling, Gaming
,
Racing, racetracks (76)
Greenwood, LaToya--State House, 114
Fairmount Park horse race track president Brian Zander's beer mug only has tears in it at this point, but he's about to get some company at the Bets Are Off Lounge. Illinois' three remaining horse race tracks generated $6 million
< read more >
| |
| |
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Illinois passes semi-balanced budget with bridge money built in
Budget--State (8)
,
Governor (44)
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
Illinois leaders have certainly succeeded in lowering our expectations. The last time Illinois had a balanced budget was 2001. After 17 years, you kind of figure that the Illinois Constitution's mandate that the budget be balanced is more like a suggestion. Then Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner spent < read more >
| |
| |
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Illinois House Clerk Tim Mapes, a top Madigan ally, accused of harassment
Legislature (56)
,
Sexual Harassment (96)
Cassidy, Kelly--State House, 14
,
Dunkin, Kenneth--State House, 5
,
Lang, Lou--State House, 16
,
Madigan, Michael--State House, 22
A long-time state employee told reporters Wednesday that she suffered years of harassment and bullying by one of House Speaker Michael Madigan’s top deputies. Sherri Garrett, an account technician and...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
No, Illinois Hasn't Solved Its Pension Crisis
Budget--State (8)
,
Pensions (70)
Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.
This one's for my Illinois readers, given that our legislators and our governor have been patting themselves on the back for passing a budget with enough spending generosity and accounting gimmicks to (they hope) make constituents happy. And among the touted savings in the new Sta...
< read more >
| |
| |
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
S&P: Illinois’ new budget is ‘more of the same’
Budget--State (8)
,
Governor (44)
The praise Illinois lawmakers heaped on the state's 2019 budget was lost on a top rating agency. Despite having a full year spending plan that budgeteers and the governor say is balanced, S&P Global Ratings called the measure is “more of the same” and kept Illinois’ crediting rating is still a notch above junk status. A day after Gov. Bruce Rauner si...
< read more >
| |
| |
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Illinois tamps down 'pension spiking' for teachers; educators fear disincentive for hiring
Budget--State (8)
,
Education--Educators/Administrators
,
Education--Elementary and Secondary (36)
Illinois’ leaders say they are taking a dramatic step in cooling the state’s long-simmering teacher pension crisis. But others say they’re putting years of political mismanagement on the backs of the teachers themselves, in a way that will make it harder to attract the best to Illinois classrooms in the future. Currently, the often notoriously low pay of...
< read more >
| |
| |
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Illinois tamps down 'pension spiking' for teachers; educators fear disincentive for hiring
Education--Educators/Administrators
,
Pensions (70)
Illinois’ leaders say they are taking a dramatic step in cooling the state’s long-simmering teacher pension crisis. But others say they’re putting years of political mismanagement on the backs of the teachers themselves, in a way that will make it harder to attract the best to Illinois classrooms in the future. Currently, the often notoriously low pay of...
< read more >
| |
|