Wirepoints will be in Belvidere on June 26th to tell the truth about how the progressive income tax will hit middle class Illinoisans. Come hear Wirepoints’ Mark Glennon debate Ralph Martire of the union-backed CTBA.

See our Quicktake on this sale of body parts linked here.

  By: Mark Glennon*   Home appreciation around Chicago is lagging behind national averages. How much is that costing homeowners? Recently released data suggests roughly $12.3 billion per year is being forfeited by Cook County homeowners alone. Here are the numbers:   Start with the total market value of all homes in Cook County (excluding apartments). The most recently available estimate of that total is $348 billion as of 2013. That’s according to a study recently released by the Civic Federation for Cook County only.   Now, how are homes appreciating in Cook County compared to national averages? S&P’s Case-Shiller

Increases in minimum wages appear to help some poor families escape poverty while having the perverse effect of dragging other families below the poverty line. http://chicagopolicyreview.org/2014/05/22/minimum-wage-increases-the-unintended-consequences/

“In the short term, they’re OK. In the long term, I wouldn’t touch them. The [state’s] pension liability is much worse than [the reported $100 billion that] people think.”       http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/12/university-of-chicago-nobel-prize-winner-eugene-fama-on-illinois-bonds.html

  September 17, 2013   In my day job I work with growing technology companies, and I’ve spent a good chunk of my career trying to help grow Illinois’ entrepreneurial community.  Here’s an email forwarded to me by the CEO of a young Illinois company I work with that he received. It should make all of us who are interested in local job growth puke. I’ve redacted the names, but it came from a major West Coast technology company — one of the largest in the world.  They provide technology and services that are key to this company’s growth and

http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/illinois-governor-quinn-afscme-contract-180250351.html

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/chi-dennis-hastert-office-story,0,72946.story

http://www.sj-r.com/thedome/x871169650/Cellini-gives-up-bid-to-remain-free-will-go-to-prison-Jan-4?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/83818_Page2.html

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/16234328-505/how-much-did-it-cost-tea-party-goper-joe-walsh-to-lose-about-70-a.html

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20121107/OPINION/121109786/come-back-republicans-we-all-need-you

12 via 5 Things to Watch When Cutting Public Pensions.

http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/16222915-474/editorial-a-quack-at-reform.html

http://www.nwherald.com/2012/11/12/illinois-fiscal-cliff-is-public-pensions-reform-must-happen/a9b2m0z/