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Same for other cities around the state, which are worried about losses on the fund, including Belleville and Collinsville. via Suburbs withdraw from municipal investment pool after loss – Chicago Tribune.
http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2015/03/09/urban-labs-innovation-challenge-focus-chicago They’ll be looking for evidence about what actually works — the question usually brushed aside in favor of good intentions.
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/28310938/immigration-reform
What’s hurting Illinois’ pension systems — and ultimately, government workers — is the unwillingness to admit the system is beyond repair. via The maiming of Illinois: The state’s pension systems – Chicago Tribune.
http://www.illinoisobserver.net/2015/03/09/lisa-madigan-seeks-dismiss-rauner-labor-lawsuit/ And we’re paying her to represent us in that effort.
http://www.qconline.com/news/illinois/cullerton-calls-gov-rauner-s-proposed-budget-unworkable/article_9fa134e0-c6a7-11e4-897d-5bf768a795fd.html?utm_content=buffer42d9a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Chicago is almost $400 million underwater on 24 swaps tied to $2.4 billion of floating-rate general obligation and revenue-backed paper, the city reports in a new disclosure. http://www.bondbuyer.com/news/regionalnews/chicago-report-city-almost-400-million-underwater-on-swaps-1071193-1.html
http://chicago.suntimes.com/chicago-politics/7/71/425927/emanuel-ally-warns-post-election-property-tax-hike?utm_source=Chicago Sun-Times&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=298327_PropertyTax030915&ID=298327_PropertyTax030915&dm_i=2JCP,6E6V,2KDDSB,DXII,1 Surely among the most non-news stories we’ve ever posted.
By: Mark Glennon* Here’s a flat-out prediction: Home rule units of government in Illinois will begin enacting right-to-work locally, and it doesn’t matter what Springfield does or does not do. Over 200 cities and towns in Illinois have home rule status. Never mind the other aspects of what that means, and never mind what you think about right-to-work on the merits. Some or many home rule cities and towns will embrace right-to-work and their prospects for legally prevailing are high. The attraction will be especially strong in depressed areas on the edge of Illinois because we are
“In many ways, its challenges are more serious than Detroit’s.” via The Unfolding Fiscal Disaster That Is Chicago.
Illinois is now surrounded by right to work states.
Lawmakers finally terminated a $13 million program that was designed to help needy and deserving students, but wound up benefiting too many sons and daughters of politically connected insiders. Despite that, state Rep. Thaddeus Jones not only wants to bring the program back from the dead, he wants to expand it. http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/419822/legislative-scholarships-walking-dead
Proposal calls for no decrease in state funding. http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/2015/03/04/will-county-area-community-colleges-satisfied-with-rauners-budget-proposal/a2lizgg/
“The big charge for these directors is to really shake things up; to really look at how we can be more efficient; how we can be more effective, but especially how we can be more creative and innovative,” said City Manager David Hales. http://www.pantagraph.com/news/tight-times-bloomington-council-wrestles-with-ways-to-cut-costs/article_617eea98-ee0d-5621-8d49-31315bc45634.html
Democrats have the numbers but not the power needed to enforce their agenda. They’ve signaled they want — and may need — Republican votes on any deal to fix the state’s financial crisis. http://www.sj-r.com/article/20150308/NEWS/150309507
Rauner’s proposed state budget is calling for a 40 percent cut in funding for Amtrak, which could have significant impact on all of Southern Illinois. http://thesouthern.com/business/local/amtrak-service-could-be-cut-percent/article_1c1f668b-7be0-5d25-8dd7-7c4bacb4fb46.html
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