Sunday, August 26, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
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Sunday, August 26, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — Things were mostly quiet here a week after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on comprehensive pension reform during a special legislative session. Rutherford: Pension inaction could have ‘very serious impact’ by year end State Treasurer Dan Rutherford sounded the alarm on Illinois’ financial crisis Friday, after a Moody’s report said lawmakers’ inaction on pension reform continues to be an issue for the state’s credit rating. “I know we keep hearing these things about potential downgrades … but the fact is it is now to the point that (the credit rating agencies) are repeatedly saying this. The …
Sunday, August 19, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, August 19, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Democrats had a no-good, very bad week, starting Wednesday when disgruntled state workers and retirees booed and heckled them off the stage during the usually upbeat Governor’s Day rally at the Illinois State Fair. It ended Friday, when lawmakers called back for a taxpayer-funded special session by Gov. Pat Quinn were unable to come to any kind of agreement on pension reform for the state, which continues to drown in pension debt. Jeers for Quinn, other Democratic leaders at state fair Thousands of people gathered at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday, officially “Governor’s Day” at the fair…
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Letter to the Editor: With a call from Gov. Pat Quinn, the General Assembly will hold a special session Friday to determine the next step in pension reform.
- GOVERNMENT
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Thursday, August 16, 2012
On Friday (Aug. 17, 2012), Gov. Quinn has called a Special Session of the General Assembly that will cost Illinois taxpayers an extra $40,000 and will be as good for us as a deep-fried Twinkie at the State Fair. I hope that the Pension Crisis will be resolved, and I will reintroduce a practical compromise—with some improvements—that I have sponsored for the past three years. However, you and I both recognize that it is more likely that the public employee union alliance with the Quinn-Madigan-Cullerton triumvirate will continue to protect the insolvent but lucrative-for-them "status quo." The longer this problem remains unsolved, the more these special interests benefit ... but the worse other priorities like education, social services …
Sunday, August 5, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, August 5, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Gov. Pat Quinn increased transparency in one part of state government this week, but his own office failed to release emails that could shine light on his handling of public discourse about prison closures. Prepaid tuition fund to become more transparent Illinois families who invested in the state’s troubled prepaid tuition program will enjoy more transparency in the system because of legislation signed into law Wednesday. The bill, House Bill 3923, requires meetings about the state’s prepaid tuition fund, known as College Illinois!, to be open to the public under the state’s Open Meetings Act. The …
Monday, July 30, 2012
As we start a new week, it's always good to get caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened last week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Monday, July 30, 2012
SPRINGFIELD — A severe drought devastating crops throughout Illinois prompted concerns about the potential costs of disaster aid and crop insurance payouts later this year. And House lawmakers will take up pension reform when they return to the Capitol for a special session Aug. 17. Here is the week in review: Taxpayers on the hook for millions in crop insurance payouts An environmental watchdog says taxpayers nationwide, including Illinois, will be on the hook for millions, if not billions, of dollars in crop insurance for grain farmers hit hard by this summer’s devastating drought. Government aid, mostly in the form of low-interest loans, will not provide much help for farmers suffering through the drought because of the slow, creeping …
Ernie Knight
10:45 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Dan, Illinois exempts from income tax, distributions from qualified retirement plans, not just pensions. If you are retired and drawing from your 401k, that is not taxed. Neither is Social Security. Pension holders are not being given more favored status by the Illinois income tax code. more ›