Chicago Hopes To “Solve” Record Pension Deficit With Creative Solution: More Debt – Zero Hedge
August 23, 2018
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-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Chicago’s predatory funeral homes target homicide victims, cash in on taxpayer-funded expenses – Fox News
August 23, 2018
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Citi muni analysts see potential benefits of Chicago POBs – The Bond Buyer
August 23, 2018
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Comment: “Assuming successful interest rate arbitrage,” that is, according to Citi. Assuming it works then it will work, in other words.
Trump administration acts to stop high-tax states like Illinois from skirting $10K cap – ABC Chicago
August 23, 2018
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Measures designed to work around the $10,000 cap have been adopted in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Oregon, and introduced or explored publicly by officials in California, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington and the District of Columbia.
Top 10 recipients of Madigan money – IL Policy
August 23, 2018
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More than 60 sitting state representatives have received money from Madigan over the course of their careers, totaling around $15 million.
Chicago’s New Idea to Fix Its Pension Deficit? Take On More Debt – WSJ/Dow Jones
August 23, 2018
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Proposed $10 billion bond would be biggest pension obligation bond ever issued by a U.S. city.
Investors demand fat yields for Illinois’ $968 mln bonds – Reuters
August 23, 2018
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Meet Illinois’ “It could be worse” bipartisan campaign donor class – Chicago City Wire
August 23, 2018
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Some 323 campaign donors to Democrat Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel have also given to his friend-turned-nemesis, Republican Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, according to an analysis of Illinois State Board of Elections records by Chicago City Wire.
Illinois Horse Racing Looks To Past Races To Secure Future – NPR IL
August 23, 2018
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Illinois pensions sink during record bull market run
August 23, 2018
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There’s little to cheer about in Illinois after the stock market’s decade-long rally just became the longest bull market run in U.S. history. Illinois’ unfunded pension liabilities have worsened by more than $50 billion during the same period.
Finally, a tough interview of an Illinois candidate for governor – Quicktake
August 23, 2018
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For a break from the usual softball interviews, watch Mark Maxwell’s 15-minute interview of Governor Bruce Rauner. His questions largely reflect arguments made against Rauner by J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats, but that’s OK — he put those arguments to Rauner clearly and demanded answers. When Rauner gave unresponsive answers Maxwell repeated his questions firmly. Pritzker must be forced to submit to the same kind of interview. He has not yet given a single, serious interview. The problem is whether there’s anybody in the Springfield press corps informed enough about right-of-center perspective to do the job, and with the guts
That City Hall pension borrowing idea wins a noteworthy fan – Crain’s
August 23, 2018
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Comment: Surprise, surprise. A unit of CitiBank in New York says “financial engineering is potentially part of a comprehensive solution.”
Rauner Vetoes Bill to Create Urban Agriculture Zones in Illinois – WTTW
August 23, 2018
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Neighboring state rejects Illinois’ children – MyWebTimes
August 23, 2018
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Apparently unable to care for our own youths, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) recently tried to place some of its wards (wards of the state, meaning you and me) with Indiana state social service agencies. But the Hoosiers rejected our pleas: “Sorry, Illinois, but you’re a bad payment risk.”
Amid skepticism, aldermen to be briefed on $10 billion pension borrowing plan – Chicago Sun-Times
August 23, 2018
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Chicago’s chief financial officer will sound out aldermen Thursday on the possibility of issuing $10 billion in pension obligation bonds amid widespread skepticism from municipal finance experts about Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan.
O’Hare expansion gets financial boost under Duckworth plan – Crain’s
August 23, 2018
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The federal government would provide financial help—maybe a lot of help—for O’Hare International Airport’s $9 billion gate expansion project under a plan being pushed by Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill. A proposed amendment sponsored by Duckworth and colleague Sonny Purdue, R-Ga., specifically would extend relatively low-cost federal funding to airport runway and terminal construction jobs.
E-filing should make Cook County courts more accessible. It doesn’t. – Editorial – Chicago Tribune
August 23, 2018
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The long-promised e-filing platform is supposed to make the courts more efficient and accessible, but the system is confusing, unreliable and error-ridden, the