Madison - St. Clair Record

Recent News About State of Illinois View More

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  From Cook County Record

  Taxpayer suit says state constitution drafters would be 'horrified' to see long-term debt issued to fund Illinois’ structural budget deficits

  By Dan Churney | 1 month ago

  Plaintiffs suing to bar Illinois' government from treating borrowing like tax revenue are asking a state judge for the chance to make the case that two state bond issues are illegal and prohibited by the Illinois State Constitution.

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  Their View

  Every Illinoisan must see these two charts

  Whether you know nothing or everything about Illinois’ state and local fiscal crises, take a moment to digest these two charts below, recently published by the Wall Street Journal.

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  From Cook County Record

  Appeals court: No rehearing for class action vs SEIU to obtain $32M refund of illegal fees

  By Jonathan Bilyk | 9 months ago

  A federal appeals panel in Chicago has rejected the request by a group of home caregivers for a new hearing to reconsider the courts’ prior decisions denying them the opportunity to bring a class action to recover nearly $32 million they accuse a union of unconstitutionally taking from them under a state law invalidated by a U.S. Supreme Court decision.

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  Elections

  At $3.4 million, Bristow-Babcock race in 111th is most expensive in state, report says

  Which House race in the State of Illinois has run the most expensive campaign this season?

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  From Cook County Record

  Choosing a hat: Proposal seeks to ease home closing costs by rewriting rules for IL lawyers who sell title insurance

  By Jonathan Bilyk | 12 months ago

  A new legislative proposal would force real estate lawyers in Illinois who also serve as title insurance agents to 'choose which hat they will wear' in a home sale transaction, in a bid to reduce the typical closing costs paid by Illinois homeowners, and bring those costs more in line with the national average. But the proposal has drawn fire from lawyers and their associations, accusing supporters of the bill of unfairly 'scapegoating' lawyers for Illinois' relatively more expensive title insurance costs.

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  From Cook County Record

  Post-Janus Landscape: Decision will impact union coffers, membership; more litigation on its way, say lawyers

  By Jonathan Bilyk | 1 year ago

  In the wake of the U.S Supreme Court’s landmark decision to declare unconstitutional forced union fees, the legal and political landscape will undoubtedly change. But precisely what will change, and how and when those changes will roll out, remains anybody’s guess.

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  Their View

  Who does Illinois’ Civic Federation really champion?

  Glance at the list of the Civic Federation’s Trustees and you’ll see a collection of Illinois corporate titans. Many of the 16 men and one woman are CEOs, heads of private equity, chairs of boards, investors or hugely successful entrepreneurs.

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  Rauner, state reply to school districts' opposition to dismiss funding dispute

  In a response to several school districts’ opposition to their motion to dismiss, defendants named in a school funding dispute argue that it is the “legislature’s exclusive constitutional authority” to allocate state funds.

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  Rauner, state file motion to dismiss school districts' lawsuit over state funding

  Attorney General Lisa Madigan argues that claims brought against Gov. Bruce Rauner and the state by 17 school districts must be dismissed, stating that funding for public education is controlled by legislators.

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  Rauner seeks court guidance on illegally hired patronage workers in wake of special report; Hoffman and Clayborne connected to 11

  In the wake of a scathing report from a court-appointed “special master” empowered to investigate political hiring abuses under former Gov. Pat Quinn, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and other state officials and lawmakers, current Gov. Bruce Rauner has asked for the court’s guidance on whether those improperly hired, thanks to political connections, should now be able to use collective bargaining agreements to leverage the experience they gained in those positions to land in different positions or even move up in the state’s employment ranks.