State employee salary information is disappearing from a government transparency website. The Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal – available at accountability.illinois.gov – is a spending database that was launched by state government in 2009. Billed “as a single point of reference to review how their tax dollars are being spent to support state government programs,” [...]
Now you see it, now you don’t: Government employee salaries disappearing from state transparency website
November 18, 2011 By
Kotkin to Chicago: Look to “The Big Easy” for School Reforms
November 12, 2011 By
Joel Kotkin, an author and futurist, recently spoke at the Institute on what Illinois might look like in 2050. He had a number of insights on different areas of public policy, including a commentary on the reforms that have affected New Orleans’ public school system. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the city [...]
Debt bombs and how we can disarm them
November 4, 2011 By
By John Tillman There is only one way out of the worldwide debt crisis, but so far Illinois’ political leaders do not seem to understand what that path is. Here is what the solution is not: The solution is not increasing taxes. The General Assembly and Gov. Quinn did that in January by implementing a [...]
How one village trustee got Illinois’ strongest transparency policy enacted
November 2, 2011 By
Guest post by Peter Breen The number one issue for folks in my recent campaign for Lombard village trustee was holding the line on taxes and spending. After I won the race and was sworn in, I realized the practical difficulty of a part-time member of a village board having to watch over a roughly [...]
All pain and no gain: Why lawmakers should put the affiliate nexus law on hold
October 28, 2011 By
Illinois needs sustainable private sector job growth. Yet in the midst of continued economic troubles, political leaders enacted a state law that is driving technology-driven jobs away. That shortsighted directive is called the “affiliate nexus law,” also known as the “Amazon Tax.” Sold as a significant revenue raiser and a step toward improved tax fairness, [...]
House Republicans Say No to Federal Pension Bailout for Illinois
October 21, 2011 By
As Illinois state legislators head back to Springfield for the veto session next week, pension reform is the hot topic on everyone’s mind. The time for reform is now, but what solutions are available to legislators? The right way: Taking the difficult, but necessary steps towards real pension reform that ensures there will be money [...]
2011 Illinois General Assembly Legislative Vote Card: Mid Year Report
October 12, 2011 By
Policy changes lives. Legislation that lowers the cost of living and doing business in Illinois makes life better across the state. Legislation that gives children better educational opportunities can transform the futures of families and communities. But legislation that increases taxes, drives up public debt or limits economic opportunity can destroy a family’s dream, even [...]
Charter High Schools Deliver: When Given the Chance, Chicago Students Can Compete
October 6, 2011 By
Chicago high schools have long held a tragic reputation. For years, district-wide dropout rates have hovered near 50 percent. High school test scores remain low. Only a relative few students have been able to attend selective schools, where seats are reserved for students with exceptional records in elementary school. Now, a new group of schools [...]
New poll finds Illinois voters supportive of free markets
September 23, 2011 By
A new public opinion poll reveals that three out of four Illinoisans think the state’s economy is headed in the wrong direction, and a majority of likely voters blame lawmakers’ “careless and self-serving decisions” for Illinois’ fiscal woes. The poll was released today by the Illinois Policy Institute and New York-based Manhattan Institute. Doug Schoen, [...]
Now you see it, now you don’t: Government employee salaries disappearing from state transparency website
Recent research has indicated that Illinois government employee total compensation has been outpacing that of private employees over the last 15 years. Access to detailed historical information, including pay, job title and seniority, is key to understanding the gap between public sector and private sector pay. Yet instead of increasing transparency, State employee salary information [...]