The Illinois’ Supreme Court recently decided it would not take up Rauner’s appeal of a lower court ruling that the state has to pay thousands of members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 their automatic raises, called step increases. Rauner and lawmakers now have to figure out how to pay for those pay hikes that have been accumulating since summer 2015.

The Tribune is tracking down expats to hear their stories. By the tens of thousands

And it’s not just Streator. Poorer school districts across the state get the short end of the stick when it comes to state pension “subsidies.”