Prairie State Wire

State's vendor debt drops below $7.4 billion

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 26, 2018

Illinois’ unpaid vendor debt dipped to $7,354,609,302.74 during the week ending April 24, a drop of nearly $1.5 billion from last week’s debt load of almost $8.9 million.

Richland County clerk doesn't see transparency provided by HB4395 as being 'high in importance'

By Robert Davis | Apr 26, 2018

Richland County's Clerk and Recorder Alice Mullinax sees nothing wrong with HB4395, but says for a county like hers without its own website the bill may not make much of a difference.

Records show how much Illinois school districts have paid for spiking teacher pensions ahead of retirement

By Local Labs News Service | Apr 26, 2018

School districts in Springfield, Aurora and Decatur paid the most in penalties since 2005 for spiking employee salaries to boost outgoing teachers' retirement benefits, according to data obtained from the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois.

From TX Business Daily

Analysis: Counties in Virginia, Texas and Missouri pay lowest property tax rate in U.S.

By Texas Business Daily | 6 years ago

With an effective property tax rate of 0.1 percent, Mecklenburg County in Virginia has the lowest tax rate among U.S. counties, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions analysis of property taxes levied on single-family homes.

19,560 borrowers in default on student loans after attending Illinois schools

By LGIS Newsfeed | Apr 26, 2018

Devry University in Chicago, American Intercontinental University in Schaumburg, and College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn reported the largest share of borrowers of all higher education institutions who defaulted on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.

Dodge views Pritzker, Rauner campaign spending as a sign of the times

By Glenn Minnis | Apr 25, 2018

Jim Dodge considers himself a realist, prompting him to admit to himself long ago that not everyone views the ever-changing landscape of politics through the same lens as he does.

Analysis: 2,973 college athletes play baseball in Illinois

By LGIS Newsfeed | Apr 25, 2018

Illinois is the fifth most-popular state for college baseball, federal data shows.

Privilege tax on investment services would do more harm than good for state, banker association exec says

By Kasey Schefflin- Emrich | Apr 24, 2018

Debbie Jemison, vice president of communications/marketing at the Illinois Bankers Association (IBA), said proposed legislation involving a privilege tax on investment services would have a negative impact on the state.

House backs bill allowing medical marijuana to be administered on school grounds

By Angela Underwood | Apr 24, 2018

GOP lawmakers helped push a bill through the House that allows medical marijuana be administered on school premises.

State's budget deficit is masked by questionable accounting, report says

By Robert Davis | Apr 24, 2018

Illinois is in deep financial trouble, and state legislators are using some questionable accounting practices to conceal the problem's depth, according to a report published by the Illinois Policy Institute.

Sources: Winchester retains counsel to challenge voting procedures in GOP Central Committee race

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 24, 2018

Sources have told Prairie State Wire that Bob Winchester has retained counsel to challenge the voting procedures used in his race for Republican State Central Committee in the 15th Congressional District, which the Illinois Republican Party claims was won by Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet).

Legislators send letter to Rauner demanding release of more information on Quincy Veterans Home

By Robert Davis | Apr 24, 2018

Legislators in the General Assembly sent Gov. Bruce Rauner a bipartisan letter on April 23 requesting information about the Quincy Veterans Home.

From Higher Education Tribune

114,405 U.S. borrowers in default on student loans from private, nonprofit schools

By Higher Education Tribune | 6 years ago

Everest University in Florida, Liberty University in Virginia, and International American University of Puerto Rico - Aguadilla Campus reported the largest share of borrowers from private, nonprofit institutions who defaulted on school loans they started repaying in 2014, according to the latest disclosure from the U.S. Department of Education.

From Keystone Business News

Analysis: Homeowners in Pennsylvania county pay highest property tax rate in U.S.

By Keystone Business News | 6 years ago

With an effective property tax rate of 3.99 percent, Westmoreland County in Pennsylvania has the highest tax rate among U.S. counties, according to an ATTOM Data Solutions analysis of property taxes levied on single-family homes.

IL Rising - Equal Rights Amendment and why the GOP supports it

By LGIS News Service | Apr 24, 2018

The IL Rising team discusses the Equal Rights Amendment and why the GOP supports it.

IL Rising - The GOP's self inflicted disadvantages

By LGIS News Service | Apr 24, 2018

The IL Rising discusses the troubles the Illinois GOP has recently faced.

House sends 'good' bill changing pawnbroker law back to Senate

By Angela Underwood | Apr 23, 2018

Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) said sending good bills back to the House is nothing new for the Senate during House debate April 17.

Wheeler makes plea for change in Sex Offender Registry law

By Angela Underwood | Apr 23, 2018

Rep. Barbara Wheeler (R-Crystal Lake) wasn't afraid to let her feelings show at the April 17 House Judiciary Criminal Committee hearing on HB816, which would amend the Sex Offender Registry statue to allow judges to use their discretion to add the name of a person convicted of sexually motivated battery to a statewide registry.

Auditors find shortcomings in state treasurer office's handling of fiscal records

By Robert Hadley | Apr 23, 2018

The Illinois Auditor General's office released the Office of the Treasurer Nonfiscal Officer Responsibilities Compliance Examination for the two years ended June 30, 2017, to the Illinois Senate on Feb. 27, 2018.

GOP lawmakers love the idea of transparency, but question statewide pension hearing broadcast proposal

By Angela Underwood | Apr 23, 2018

Broadcasting retirement system or pension fund hearings in real time and archiving the recorded video on a website for public access is a great idea, but not necessarily feasible to some GOP lawmakers.