Many supporters didn’t want to cross business groups which, At the 11th hour, sent a letter urging legislators to back the piecemeal fixes. “While the legislation didn’t satisfy many of the business groups’ benchmarks for reform, our sources say that they were desperate to proclaim a victory to their members. We’re also told that Democratic legislative leaders promised businesses a gas-tax swap to fund infrastructure, which was a top priority for many of the groups.” via The Problem With Illinois Republicans – Wall Street Journal – WSJ.com.

http://www.bnd.com/2013/12/05/2943719/businesses-concerned-about-inaction.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/ill-pension-fight-could-create-deeper-fiscal-hole/2013/12/04/f937744a-5d41-11e3-8d24-31c016b976b2_story.html

http://www.nwherald.com/2013/12/04/our-view-pension-bill-doesnt-solve-states-problems/az99tu1/

Republican candidates for governor Kirk Dillard and Dan Rutherford, who both voted against the pension bill, met with Service Employers International Union asking for their endorsement as the vote approached. The SEIU is one of the big public sector unions whose members were impacted by the bill. Historically, they’ve bankrolled Governor Quinn. Exposure of union influence over many Illinois Republicans may turn out to be the most interesting side effect of the pension vote.   Thttp://www.therepublic.com/view/story/e96fd99fa55e484186203c96dc1d8f7c/IL–Illinois-Pensions-2014

http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/12/what-the-detroit-bankruptcy-ruling-means-for-illinois.html Good summary of the topic in this story. The IL General Assembly would have to authorize Illinois cities and municipalities to file for bankruptcy. If an Illinois city or municipality then filed, it could avoid the constitutional ban on cutting pension benefits — assuming a court here followed the Detroit precedent.

http://www.talkingnewmedia.com/2013/12/05/amazon-reopens-associates-program-for-residents-of-illinois/ Illinois’ Main Street Fairness Act, passed in 2011, required consumers to pay sales taxes on their online purchases through a mechanism on the state income tax returns. In response, Amazon closed down its Associates program in Illinois. Because the Illinois Supreme Court has vacated that law in October, Amazon will be restarting its program.

http://live.wsj.com/video/opinion-illinois-slouches-toward-bankruptcy/22325C5D-B8BF-48F8-B6C8-E4C14A9E95A7.html#!22325C5D-B8BF-48F8-B6C8-E4C14A9E95A7

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20131204/OPINION/131209911/why-you-should-give-mike-madigan-a-hug Only a tiny bit of optimism, in our view. This piece ran in Crain’s various headlines, one of which was “Give Madigan a Hug.” A guy robs us for a generation, leaves us bleeding in a ditch, then throws us a bandage in the form of this bill and we’re supposed to hug him?  Save your hugs for the kids who will be stuck most of this monstrous liability.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/24129686/ill-pension-fight-could-create-deeper-fiscal-hole Rahm: “Should Chicago fail to get pension relief soon, we will be faced with a 2015 budget that will either double city property taxes or eliminate the vital services that people rely on.”