Decatur native Dan Caulkins wants to bring his military and business experience to bear as a state representative from the 101st District, taking over for Rep. Bill Mitchell (R-Forsyth), who announced recently that he would not seek re-election.
Illinois’ economy will take decades to recover from the state’s current pension and workers’ compensation obligations, to say nothing of the debts continually being added because of a significant lack of reform, according to a blistering analysis from Chicago attorney Eugene Keefe.
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.
Illinois’ average personal income growth since the Great Recession is tied with Nevada for the worst in the country, according to data from the Pew Charitable Trusts recently published on the Illinois Policy Institute website.
Lawmakers have spent very little time in their seats, but at least they got to have play time, Austin Berg wrote on the Illinois Policy Institute website recently.
All of the Democrats hoping to unseat Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 are backing Speaker of the House Michael Madigan's budget goal of raising taxes rather than enacting reforms, a Madigan spokesman told the Chicago Tribune recently.
As a state lawmaker, Frank Mautino paid nearly $12,500 in campaign fund cash to a man named Joe without keeping any supporting receipts, according to a government oversight group.
Illinoisans pay more in total taxes than anyone else in the nation, so any thoughts about adding to that burden need to be forgotten, a tax analyst argued recently.
Illinois can't grow unless its small businesses grow, Gov. Bruce Rauner told owners and employees of several of the state's 1 million such businesses on a brief tour recently.
A public policy group is calling on Illinoisans to demand that the Senate follow the House's lead and approve a bill that would allow voters to decide to consolidate local governments.