Prairie State Wire

From DuPage Policy Journal

Ives calls recent Rauner endorsements a sham

By Glenn Minnis | 2 years ago

In some ways, Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) regards news that some Republican leaders have resulted to “rigging” the GOP endorsement process to favor Gov. Bruce Rauner as a backwards compliment to the challenge she is posing to him in the upcoming Republican primary.

Former Illinois Department of Aging employee double billed for expenses, state says

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 20, 2018

The Illinois Office of the Executive Inspector General (OEIG) has recommended that a former state employee be barred from all future employment with local government after she pleaded guilty to defrauding the state in an ongoing double-dipping scheme.

Rauner out of bounds campaigning on union dues case before Supreme Court, legal center says

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 20, 2018

The president of a Chicago-based legal group representing a public-sector employee in a case that could end forced unionism nationwide has demanded that Gov. Bruce Rauner stop overplaying his role in the case.

Dodge says his treasurer's bid not being sidetracked by endorsement rumblings

By Glenn Minnis | Feb 20, 2018

Jim Dodge refuses to take his eyes off the big picture where he views the preservation of Illinois to be concerned.

Analysis: Illinois residents pay up to 99 percent more to attend Division I schools than peers in other states

By Local Labs News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Illinois residents pay up to 76 percent more to attend a Big Ten school and up to 49 percent more to attend a Mid-America Conference school than their counterparts in other states, according to a Higher Education Tribune’s analysis of in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in 10 Midwest states.

CMA - Steve Cortes joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the Russia indictments

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Steve Cortes joins Dan & Amy with reaction to the Russia indictments

IL Risiing - Rauner's Failure In Quincy

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Rauner's Failure In Quincy

IL Rising - Taxpayers Can't Afford IL's Pension Mess

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Taxpayers Can't Afford IL's Pension Mess

IL Rising - Will Democrats Stand Up To Madigan?

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Will Democrats Stand Up To Madigan?

IL Rising - Sexual Harassment Allegations In Madigan's Office

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

IL Rising - Sexual Harassment Allegations In Madigan's Office

IL Rising - How Rauner Became The "Worst Republican Governor In America"

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

How Rauner Became The "Worst Republican Governor In America"

Crash course in Illinois taxes with David Merriman, UIC Economic Policy Professor

By LGIS News Service | Feb 20, 2018

Illinois has so many different ways to tax its citizens, it can be hard to keep up. Join us as we interview David Merriman, an economic policy professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago about the past, present and future of Illinois tax structure.

This week in Illinois history: March 5-11

By Robert Hadley | Feb 19, 2018

An Alton activist slams the Equal Rights Amendment, a new Capitol is built and Abraham Lincoln sets his sights on the statehouse in this week in history.

BetterGov - Fact check: does Gov. Rauner truly have a $1 billion tax relief plan?

By LGIS News Service | Feb 19, 2018

The day after unveiling a new budget blueprint for the coming fiscal year, Gov. Bruce Rauner followed that up with a televised campaign ad that portrays the re-election seeking incumbent as “leading the charge” to cut taxes for working people in Illinois.

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.