-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Their SNAPSHOT Spending Report is a great tool to help citizens identify soaring school district spending, one of the root causes of Illinois’ high property taxes. Openthebooks.com examines soaring school district spending in IL
Two of Illinois’ staunchest amnesty advocates – U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin – are not happy about President Obama’s decision to delay issuing an executive order that Gutierrez has said would legalize five million immigrants already living in the U.S. http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2014/09/gutierrez-durbin-blame-us-house-republicans-for-obama-amnesty-dealy.html
Read IPI’s “Border Wars: Illinois vs. Wisconsin” http://www.illinoispolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Wisconsin.pdf
Rockford authorized the use of eminent domain to take over Warshawsky Muffler property if the owners don’t agree to the city’s offer to buy the land for a private developer to build a parking lot. Rockford set to seize property for crony deal
By: Mark Glennon* A debate is emerging over whether Illinois’ pension obligation bonds, seen through the rear view mirror, were wise. The idea behind pension obligation bonds is actually pretty simple. Instead of the state funding its pensions, it borrows from the public by issuing bonds and uses the borrowed money to fund the pension, with the pension then investing the proceeds. Whether that works out depends, at least in part, on whether interest the state pays on the borrowed money exceeds the returns the money earns on the investments the pension makes. In 2003 Illinois issued
The Shakedown, institutionalized and personified. http://politics.suntimes.com/article/chicago/alderman-burke-hoarding-10-million-political-cash/fri-09052014-711pm
“Many lawmakers will tell you the job is full time and warrants a pension. It isn’t, and it doesn’t.” via Illinois lawmakers, go first. No more pensions. – Chicago Tribune.
By: Mark Glennon* Each month, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability issues an update on how much revenue the State of Illinois is taking in. The August report, including fiscal year-to-date numbers, came out last week. (The state’s 2015 fiscal year started July 1). Unfortunately, year-to-date total revenue numbers are actually down by 6% compared to the same period last year. (See page 7 of the full report, linked here.) Much of the decline is attributable to a decline in certain refunds to the state, according to the report, but it still remains troubling. Personal income tax
Comment: If you’ve seen these trains, which currently already run between Chicago and New Orleans, you know how beautiful they are. http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/09/05/rail-travel-between-chicago-and-madison-is-about.html
http://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2014/09/05/lincoln-park-zoo-to-give-lionel-trains-a-new-brand.html
http://watchdog.org/169075/workers-comp-reform-draws-praise/
Foster’s taxpayer-paid mailing blares: “When millionaires can pay a lower tax rate than middle class families, it’s bad for our economy, and it’s just plain wrong. But as one of the 50 wealthiest members of a Congress and a multimillionaire, he paid no taxes in 2011 and when he did pay taxes, he paid a lower rate than most middle class families. http://www.cdobs.com/archive/featured/congressman-foster-favors-everyone-else-except-bill-foster-paying-more-taxes/
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