The November election is “also a referendum on whether voters ought to hold this state’s politicians to their words.” Governor Quinn, Senate President John Cullerton and House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie all lied about the last tax increase. via Anatomy of your Quinncome Tax – Chicago Tribune.

http://www.publicsectorinc.org/2014/10/why-pension-plans-are-left-unfunded/#comment-80768 Why public pension plans are left unfunded.

http://www.illinoispolicy.org/meet-the-company-pushing-sales-tax-hikes-across-illinois/?utm_source=Illinois Policy: Opens&utm_campaign=b1f0410541-utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9471dd8540-b1f0410541-13002509

http://www.civicfed.org/iifs/blog/budgetary-gimmicks-allow-spending-increases-state’s-fy2015-budget The increase of $528 million represents only a 1.5% increase in spending. However, the State’s General Funds revenues are projected to decline by $1.7 billion, or 4.6%, to $35.1 billion from $36.8 billion. The enacted FY2015 budget additionally includes borrowing $650 million from other State funds to make up for some of the lost revenue.

“Handing out millions in taxpayer funds with few questions asked means there’s little risk for companies to begin far-fetched projects that may never be completed. That was the case with a coal-to-gas plant that failed in 2012.” via Illinois Wasting Millions on Another Coal-to-Gas Pork Project | Will Reynolds.

While supporters of a minimum wage hike downplay increasing labor costs as minimal, some local small-business owners seem to view things a little differently. http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2014/10/21/fight-over-minimum-wage-hikes-small-businesses-get-trampled

A controversial proposal to overhaul how Illinois funds public schools won’t come up for debate during the General Assembly’s fall veto session. http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/school-funding-overhaul-shelved-for-now/article_3d2d9d8f-f0e0-5d84-ad9c-fa02a6e17361.html