Austin Berg, Illinois News Network News
Can Pritzker keep promise to stop Illinois gerrymandering?
Illinois House Republicans are out with an independent mapmaking plan. And Gov. J.B. Pritzker is on the record saying he’ll reject a legislative map drawn under political influence. The 2020 census is just around the corner, after which Illinois must redraw its district lines.
When taxes hit home(s)
Adan Villafranca never thought about buying a home.
Who gets Madigan money and what it means for November
Pension reform is a moral imperative. The alternative is a future in which core services are cut, taxes are raised, and pensioners risk losing what they’ve already been promised as the funds go insolvent.
If Frank Mautino didn’t break the rules, the rules are broken
When it comes to political graft, paying people under the table isn’t too complicated – as long as you have some blurred lines to hide in.
In a shrinking state, Census sheds light on struggling cities
Rich Roth didn’t think his story would go viral. But a Facebook post with his photo and a quote from the longtime Clinton, Illinois, resident has reached more than 800,000 people since May 21, with more than 10,000 reactions and 8,000 shares.
Progressive tax battle pits taxpayers against Madigan
It was no small feat that House Republicans stood their ground against a progressive income tax in April.
The bipartisan bullies of township government
A great deal of what’s wrong in Illinois government can be explained by a socioeconomic theory called “concentrated benefits and diffuse costs.”
The ‘friendly’ tax hike taking shape in Springfield
In election season, some Illinois politicians are looking for ways to promise more revenue without inciting the rage of voters, who just saw the largest permanent income tax hike in state history last summer.
Yes, Speaker Madigan, you have a culture problem
In a hastily arranged press conference Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Madigan laid out nine more instances of sexual harassment his office has overseen in the past five years, with more potentially excluded.
Meet the Illinoisan at the center of a historic Supreme Court case
Mark Janus learned about public service from a young age, growing up as a Boy Scout in Springfield. He eventually became an Eagle Scout. And he’s passed along his knowledge to young men and women from the state’s capital while leading scouting trips to Florida.
The most misleading myths in Illinois politics
It’s no secret there’s a lot wrong with Illinois. Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, Feb. 12, is an annual reminder of how far the state has drifted away from the virtues of its most illustrious lawmaker.