Prairie State Wire

OPINION: REEDER: J.B. Pritzker's comments on Emil Jones

By Scott Reeder | Feb 18, 2018

Could it be that billionaire J.B. Pritzker, scion of the Hyatt hotel fortune, looks down his nose at Emil Jones, a man who rose from being a Chicago sewer inspector to president of the Illinois Senate?

BGA Special Episode - #METOO hits Illinois government with Kerry Lester, author of "No, My Place."

By LGIS News Service | Feb 17, 2018

The #MeToo movement now has touched both the political operation of House Speaker Michael Madigan and the Illinois Senate. Is this just the start of the moment and movement striking the halls of Illinois government?

Analysis: Three ways to improve Illinois' Budget Process

By LGIS News Service | Feb 17, 2018

Governor Bruce Rauner just gave his budget address to the Illinois General Assembly and has formally submitted his budget proposal for consideration — his budget would spend $37.6 billion and is estimating that the state will bring in $37.9 billion.

Proposal could threaten private-school funding, Catholic Conference of Illinois director says

By Robert Hadley | Feb 16, 2018

A plan by Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Plainfield) to tie continuation of the Invest in Kids Act, a private-school scholarship program, contingent upon the General Assembly satisfying a minimum funding level for all schools each year, according to a report from the Illinois News Network.

National pro-life group endorses Ives for governor

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 16, 2018

The national pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List) has endorsed state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) in her Republican primary run to unseat Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Analysis: State SNAP participation costs fell 11 percent over two years

By LGIS Newsfeed | Feb 16, 2018

Welfare offices in Quincy, Blue Island and Calumet Park saw food stamp costs drop the most from January 2015 to January 2017, according to a Prairie State Wire analysis of 66 Illinois welfare offices.

With spring training underway, hopes high for Cubs, Sox

By Nathan Davis | Feb 15, 2018

With pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training on Feb. 14, baseball is back and the Chicago Cubs and White Sox are both preparing for the upcoming season.

Supreme Court receives final brief in forced union fees case

By Kasey Schefflin- Emrich | Feb 15, 2018

The final brief has been filed in the Supreme Court in a case that will decide whether government employees should have to pay union fees to keep their jobs.

CMA: Noah Rothman talks with Dan & Amy about media coverage of the Olympics & N. Korea

By LGIS News Service | Feb 14, 2018

Noah Rothman talks with Dan & Amy about media coverage of the Olympics & N. Korea

CMA: Stephen Moore joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the budget and infrastructure plan

By LGIS News Service | Feb 14, 2018

Stephen Moore joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the budget and infrastructure plan

State's vendor debt creeps up to $8.9 billion

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 14, 2018

Illinois’ unpaid vendor debt climbed higher for the second straight week after an eight-week trend of gradual deductions.

GOP lawmakers pleased with budget address

By Angela Underwood | Feb 14, 2018

Republican lawmakers reacted to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget address Wednesday using the word balanced as much as the state leader.

Ives and Skillicorn find fault with Rauner's budget address

By Angela Underwood | Feb 14, 2018

In Wednesday’s 2018 budget address, Gov. Bruce Rauner said it is possible for Illinois to become the economic powerhouse of the Midwest.

As Springfield looks to hoist more pension debt on taxpayers, study says they have paid enough

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 14, 2018

Just halfway through the budget year, state lawmakers are already in a desperate search for new sources of revenue.

Illinois pension funds: Where do taxpayers contribute least?

By Local Labs News Service | Feb 14, 2018

Government pension funds in Lakemoor, Chicago and Lake Villa depended least on taxpayer contributions to make ends meet in 2016, according to the Illinois Department of Insurance.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Call for Madigan to step down as House speaker comes from both sides of aisle

By Angela Underwood | 7 years ago

There is no partisan politics when it comes to sexual harassment, according to Reps. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) and Scott Drury (D-Highwood).

Garber's Twitter comment doesn't represent GOP, Dodge says

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 13, 2018

Jim Dodge wants everyone to know Blair Garber does not speak for the entire Republican Party and that all of his views are not shared by its leadership.

Harassment complaint against Madigan aide points to a flawed process, Project Six CEO says

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 13, 2018

Faisal Kahn thinks the sexual harassment scandal now rocking the office of longtime House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) offers a clear illustration of just how miscast elected officials are when placed in the job of policing themselves.

Rauner refusal to debat a disservice to voters, Ives says

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 13, 2018

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R- Wheaton) argues Gov. Bruce Rauner plan of steering clear of her on the debate stage is a grave disservice to voters across the state.

CMA - Ted Dabrowski joins Dan & Amy to talk about the Illinois state pension problem

By LGIS News Service | Feb 13, 2018

Ted Dabrowski joins Dan & Amy to talk about the Illinois state pension problem