June, 2017 Stories | Sangamon Sun

Policy expert describes seven major faults in GOP budget proposal

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 26, 2017

"Illinoisans don’t need a compromise deal that will only offer more of the same failures" -- so says Craig Lesner, the budget and tax research director of the Illinois Policy Institute, in describing the recently put forward Republican budget plan.

Illinois history comes calling through new app

By Tabitha Fleming | Jun 26, 2017

Illinois visitors can take a deeper look at all of the history it has to offer thanks to an app unveiled by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) recently.

Analyst says Illinois struggling with Great Depression-like joblessness, hopelessness

By Kacie Whaley | Jun 26, 2017

Illinois makes the Great Depression look like a promising economic time in terms of job growth, according to the Illinois Policy Institute.

Workers' comp fraud can't be left on back burner, law firm argues

By Ruth de Jauregui | Jun 26, 2017

The budget battle in the Illinois Statehouse has allowed workers' compensation fraud to continue largely unchecked, the law firm Keefe, Campbell, Biery & Associates (KCBA) contends.

Medium govtomwolfpriortosigningpensionreformyoutubescreenshot1280x640

Pennsylvania points way for Illinois pension fix, analyst says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 26, 2017

Illinois’ pension crisis is dire but will ultimately follow the precedent set by Pennsylvania, which has passed bipartisan legislation to deal with its own such crisis, a think tank analyst from that state said on a radio talk show recently.

Medium durkinbradypressconferenceyoutubescreenshot1280x640

GOP 'Compromise' budget decried as barely different from Democrat plan

By Karen Kidd | Jun 26, 2017

The GOP-proposed compromise budget plan that includes supposedly temporary tax increases, reforms and funding for education and social programs is a major disappointment, a producer of a Chicago-based conservative radio show said on a recent broadcast.

College tuition has little link to state funding, analyst determines

By Glenn Minnis | Jun 25, 2017

College tuition tends to go up regardless of how much money the state puts toward education, a new study reveals.

Illinois held down by economic, moral decay, analyst says

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 25, 2017

While every state around it continues to grow in population and prosperity, Illinois keeps shrinking under the strain of higher taxes and more regulations, Michael Lucci, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, said in an article on the institute's website.

Special legislative session costs Illinoisans at least $40,000 a day

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 25, 2017

The current 10-day special session of the General Assembly stands to cost Illinoisans up to $500,000, according to an analysis by the Better Government Association (BGA).

IIlinois sinks to near-junk bond status in eyes of two agencies

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 25, 2017

One day after the General Assembly ended its spring legislative session, lllinois sank to new depths, as two of the three major U.S. credit rating agencies dropped the state to one step above "junk" bond status, the Illinois Policy Institute reported.

Illinoisans plead for property tax relief in Rauner ad

By Caitlin Nordahl | Jun 25, 2017

With a week left in the special legislative session, Gov. Bruce Rauner has released a new ad highlighting people hurt by sky-high property taxes and urging reform.

GOP compromise plan gets qualified OK from workers' comp law firm

By Russell Boniface | Jun 23, 2017

A Chicago law firm sees pluses and minuses in the workers' compensation aspects of the GOP's "Capitol Compromise" budget package, according to its website.