Latest News from Prairie State Wire

Illinois described as sinking under pension woes, redundancies

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 9, 2017

Illinois is sailing straight for an iceberg, and it's too late to change course, a Chicago attorney argued recently on his firm's website.

Rauner takes his school funding case to newspaper boards

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 8, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner called for backup on his amendatory veto of the state's K-12 funding bill, enlisting the help of some Illinois newspaper editorial boards recently, according to a press release.

Rauner order meant to end 'parochial' approach to administrative hearings

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 8, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed an executive order meant to streamline administrative hearings in an effort to improve efficiency and cut down on case backlogs, according to a release from Rauner's office.

Jimenez announces summer meeting of Edgar Fellows

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 4, 2017

Forty members from the sixth class of Edgar Fellows will meet Aug. 6-10 in Champaign for an intensive training program designed to mold them into more effective leaders, according to a recent release from Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez (R-Leland Grove).

Rauner lists problems new state budget presents

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 3, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner wants Illinoisans to know how the state budget that lived through his veto attempt fails them.

Ammons, other downstate Dems rebuff their own schools, GOP claims

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 3, 2017

Downstate Democrats are basically stabbing their own districts' teachers and schoolchildren in the back by supporting Senate Bill 1's provisions tailored to Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the Illinois Republican Party said in a press release.

Illinois GOP sees more media rapping Dems' knuckles

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 3, 2017

The State Journal-Register recently joined the media bashing of Democratic legislators, offering its take on the ongoing struggle to get funding in place for Illinois' public schools, according to the Illinois Republican Party.

Policy institute backs Rauner's veto of school funding bill

By Mia Sims | Aug 3, 2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner's amendatory veto of the state's public education funding bill would finally eliminate "some of the most unfair and inequitable practices" in K-12 funding: subsidies brought about by tax increment financing (TIF) districts and the state's Property Tax Extension Limitation Law (PTELL), the Illinois Policy Institute contends.

Illinois continues to be black sheep of Midwest job growth

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 2, 2017

Illinois is adding only half of the number of jobs its neighbors are creating, according to a recent analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute.

GOP goes on Facebook attack over Madigan, school funding

By Caitlin Nordahl | Aug 2, 2017

The Illinois Republican Party has released several new digital ads for Facebook targeting House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) for pushing a school funding formula that the GOP says favors Chicago Public Schools (CPS), according to a recent release from the party.

Rauner strips CPS additions from school funding bill with amendatory veto

By Hoang Tran | Aug 2, 2017

As expected, Gov. Bruce Rauner has issued an amendatory veto on Senate Bill 1, the education funding bill that was held in the Senate since the end of May and sent to his desk on Monday.

Former DCFS director violated ethics rules, mismanaged agency

By Ruth de Jauregui | Aug 2, 2017

George Sheldon, the former director of the Illinois Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), mismanaged the agency by improperly hiring a consultant, making improper payments and violating vehicle use policies, according to the state's Office of Executive Inspector General (OEIG).