Cole Lauterbach, Illinois News Network News
Illinois homeowners pay nearly double the national average in property taxes
For all of the outcry and political promises to help property taxes, Illinoisans still pay the second highest rates in the nation.
Illinois GOP looks to turn screws in Pritzker’s toilet 'scheme to defraud'
Illinois Republicans are not going to let Democrat J.B. Pritzker’s troubles concerning a potentially illegal property tax break go away.
Metro East school districts contribute to state's pension spiking
Over the past five years, schools in the Metro East have paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in penalties for giving teachers in the twilight of their careers pension-boosting raises.
Southern Illinois mayor says cities across the state face insolvency from pension debt
The Metro East city of Alton is growing. Businesses are expanding or buying new locations. The local hospital is expanding. Alton has been selected as the site for a new reality show that will invest in small businesses there.
City officials accused of sharing private business tax information with outside auditors
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association said Monday that it had obtained emails showing that municipal officials illegally shared local businesses tax information with an outside company that makes money auditing businesses on behalf of local governments.
Civic Federation: State 'lost' billions in revenue by foregoing taxes on retirement income
A Chicago think tank says Illinois is losing out on billions of dollars in revenue by not taxing retirement income.
Poll: 4 of 5 voters think Illinois on wrong track
A new poll shows Illinoisans are upset with just about all things political.
Transparency group finds pay spiking practices continue to cost taxpayers in Illinois
A new report of Illinois public employee pay by government transparency advocate Open the Books shows 144 local government employees in the state making more than $190,000, out-earning every governor.