The fight over Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed graduated income tax is already being influenced by nonprofit groups that are not required to disclose their donors.
Stories by Amanda Vinicky
Pritkzer’s ‘Austere’ Budget Relies on Pension Plan, New Taxes
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker unveiled his first budget proposal Wednesday, calling it an “austere” spending plan meant to serve as a “bridge” to future budgets.
Illinois Minimum Wage to Rise to $15 by 2025
Just a little over a month after becoming Illinois’ governor, J.B. Pritzker signed a law that stands to change the state’s economy by raising the minimum wage from $8.25 to $15 by 2025.
Illinois EPA Shuts Down Suburban Sterigenics Plant
A medical supply sterilization company in suburban Willowbrook was shut down Friday by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency due to elevated cancer risks.
A Window Into Pritzker’s Plans for Illinois
A series of transition reports unveiled last week provides a look at what new Gov. J.B. Pritzker has in store for Illinois, from potential new taxes to the creation of a statewide infrastructure czar.
Pritzker Advances Agenda, But Transition Reports Slow to Emerge
When will Gov. J.B. Pritzker release the reports he says will serve as his guides? And why is it taking so long?
Chicago’s Big-Time Business Club Calls for State Tax Increase
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A new report from the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago recommends a 1-percent increase in the state income tax.
Illinois Democrats Poised to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 by 2025
For the first time since taking full control of Illinois government, Democrats in Springfield are poised to flex their political muscles by quickly passing a statewide hike in the minimum wage.
Mayoral Candidates Take a Nuanced Stance on Chicago’s Complex Issues
Five of the 14 candidates running for Chicago mayor participated in a forum Tuesday as the Feb. 26 election draws near. But getting simple answers to complex issues was no small task.
Chicago Mayoral Candidates Square Off at Community Forums
With the election three weeks away, it’s crunch time for Chicago mayoral candidates to get their messages across.
Enyia Casts Personal Financial Issues as Selling Point in Campaign for Mayor
Chicago has an operating budget shortfall of nearly $100 million – a hole that mayoral candidate Amara Enyia says she has the skills to tackle. But documents show Enyia is struggling to manage her own finances.
13 Revelations from House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Deposition
House Speaker Michael Madigan has been a player in state politics for the better part of his 76 years. What a newly released deposition reveals about the famously guarded speaker and his 13th Ward Organization.
In Chicago, No Time to Chill Out About the Weather
The bone-chilling temperatures may have subsided – a little – but that doesn’t mean Chicago is out of the woods, Mayor Rahm Emanuel warned Thursday.
Speaker Madigan the Latest Snared in Solis Wiretap
Bombshell reporting from the Chicago Sun-Times details a federal probe of Ald. Danny Solis, and tells of a secretly recorded conversation involving, arguably, the state’s most powerful politician.
Chicago Plan Commission Unanimously Approves Lincoln Yards Development
The massive plan for a “city within the city” moves one step closer to reality – but residents worry about what the transformation will mean for their communities.
Ald. Ed Burke Faces Challenges in First 14th Ward Forum
Embattled Ald. Ed Burke faces lawyer Jaime Guzman and civil engineer Tanya Patiño in the first public forum of their contest for the 14th Ward seat Burke first won in 1969.
Chicago Mayor’s Race Set at 14 Candidates
The field of candidates running for Chicago mayor is narrowed again. A look at who’s out and who’s in for the Feb. 26 election.
Lessons From the Governor Who Instituted Illinois’ First Income Tax
Looking back 50 years to the inauguration of former Gov. Richard Ogilvie, and the politically risky decision he made shortly thereafter.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker Restores Pay Increases for State Union Employees
On his first full day in office, new Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker moved to give approximately 20,000 state employees raises they’d been denied by former Gov. Bruce Rauner since 2015.
J.B. Pritzker Takes Oath as Illinois’ 43rd Governor
With a collective call for elected officials to end their abdication of responsibility, and with a promise for what’s become a rarity – a balanced budget – J.B. Pritzker takes the oath of office, becoming Illinois’ 43rd governor.
Billionaire Gov.-Elect Pritzker to Take Hands-Off Approach to Wealth
He is currently ranked No. 251 on Forbes’ list of the wealthiest Americans. Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker will fulfill his campaign pledge to put his assets in what the campaign describes as a blind trust. How it will work.
New Class of Illinois Lawmakers Will Face Enduring Challenges
Mounting pension debt, a budget deficit and a backlog of unpaid bills – all effects of Illinois’ budget impasse – will continue to plague not just the state but its incoming governor and newly sworn-in class of legislators.
In Final Days as Governor, Rauner Opens Up on Trump, Taxes, Unions and Burke
Outgoing Gov. Bruce Rauner reflects on the past four years, and gives recommendations to his successor.
Preckwinkle, FBI at Odds Over Campaign Contribution
A footnote in the 37-page criminal complaint against Ald. Ed Burke is causing a headache for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle as she seeks to become Chicago’s next mayor.
New Year Begins With Chicago Police Officer Committing Suicide
The Chicago Police Department has taken steps to combat low morale and suicide among its officers, but some are calling for more to be done.
