Stories by Amanda Vinicky

In 1917, Woodrow Wilson was president. Telegrams were a popular way to communicate across long distances. World War I began. And a Chicago company got its rolling start.

At long last, Illinois has a budget – its first in more than two years. And residents will be sending more of their paychecks to state government to help pay for it.

Thursday will be do or die for an income tax increase and Illinois’ first budget since July 2015, following a warning from Moody’s that the state is under review for a credit rating downgrade.

Illinois is a single step away from having its first budget in years, after a whirlwind of Fourth of July action that saw the state Senate swiftly overriding Gov. Bruce Rauner’s vetoes of a $5 billion tax hike and $36.1 billion budget that the senators had passed just hours earlier.

Illinois senators will spend Independence Day voting on a budget and income tax hike. Even if both plans pass, it doesn’t necessarily mean Illinois will get its first budget in two years. 

In a stunning turnabout from the partisan divisions that has kept Illinois without a budget for the past two years, Republicans joined with Democrats to pass $5 billion in new taxes, along with a $36 billion budget.

Illinois escaped an immediate slump to “junk” bond status as it began its third consecutive year without a budget—a politically depraved condition that’s a first for modern state governments. Get the latest from Springfield.

The state will begin a third fiscal year without a budget in place, despite a potential breakthrough Friday morning, when a $36.5 billion spending plan cleared a major hurdle in the Illinois House.

Two days before a Springfield special legislative session is scheduled to end, Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno announced she will resign Saturday.

Budget negotiations are ongoing in Springfield, with Friday's deadline edging ever closer. 

Illinois lawmakers were in special session Monday—and all weekend—attempting to hash out a budget deal. But what if they don’t get it done before Friday?

As Illinois faces an end-of-month deadline to pass a budget, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has introduced a new set of preconditions to a compromise.

An updated “doomsday” picture offered by Comptroller Susana Mendoza: Without a budget in place soon, she won’t be able to write checks to pay for the most basic of services come August.

The end of the fiscal year is a week from Friday. Is Illinois any closer to getting a budget passed by that deadline?

The 10-day special session called by Gov. Bruce Rauner got off to a slow start Wednesday, with legislators spending none of their short time on the House and Senate floors debating material fiscal matters. 

On the eve of a special legislative session, Gov. Bruce Rauner took a rare step to draw attention to the state budget situation, with a short, but – highly publicized – speech Tuesday evening.

If a budget isn’t in place by July 1, the Illinois Department of Transportation says all contractors must stop any roadwork. What this may mean for your morning commute.

Gov. Bruce Rauner is calling for a special 10-day legislative session. It will run from Wednesday to the end of the month. 

A class-action “use of force” lawsuit seeks a federal crackdown on the Chicago Police Department.

Chicago residents should expect to pay about 10 percent more in property taxes. 

A leaky roof, rotting walls and crumbling stairs – that was the condition of the Illinois executive mansion in 2015. Now a renovation of the 161-year-old mansion is underway.

U.S. District Court Judge Joan Lefkow is directing the cash-strapped state to put more money into Medicaid.

Wednesday marks what would have been the 100th birthday for poet Gwendolyn Brooks.

Illinois government is sitting on $14.68 billion of bills it can’t afford to pay, and providers of Medicaid are suing to get to the front of the line.

The Chicago Sun-Times is for sale, and Tronc—the parent company of the Chicago Tribune—has already signaled an intent to buy the paper. But the Department of Justice is giving others an opportunity to get in on the action.

Gov. Bruce Rauner sits down with Amanda Vinicky to talk about the next steps in Springfield.