Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle won a victory Wednesday after the county board narrowly signed off on her controversial sales tax hike, but there might be some legal and political risks. We’ll talk with the Civic Federation president Laurence Msall and Nick Kachiroubas, an assistant professor at DePaul University’s School of Public Service.
Laurence Msall
Illinois is one of only three states that does not tax retirement income. That cost the state $2.2 billion in FY 2013, and along with other tax breaks the total revenue the state is foregoing is close to $9 billion. Is it time to reassess and end at least some of these tax breaks? Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, is just back from Springfield and joins us to share his thoughts.
With just two days until Gov. Bruce Rauner delivers his first budget address, analysts are debating how best to tackle Illinois’ massive budget deficit. The Institute for Illinois' Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation has released a five-year state budget roadmap that it says will stabilize Illinois while protecting important government services.
Just weeks before Gov. Pat Quinn is set to make his budget address, government watchdog group The Civic Federation releases a proposal it says will balance the state’s budget. The plan would pay down the state’s backlog, but would impose a tax on pension and social security income. Civic Federation President Laurence Msall and State Director for AARP Illinois Bob Gallo discuss how the proposal could affect retirees. Read the full report.
Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield this week to vote on pension reform. Carol Marin and her guests discuss the deal, and what it would mean for employees. Read the full Conference Committee Report on Senate Bill 1 and details of the proposal.
Springfield’s inability to reform the state’s pension system has all sorts of consequences: for unions, for the markets, and for taxpayers across the state. We discuss the future with some of the key players.
A mixed report on the backlog of Illinois' unpaid bills is released. Carol Marin breaks down the billions with the study's author.
Chicago civic groups back bipartisan pension reform, but will it prompt any action in Springfield? Eddie Arruza and his panel discuss the latest developments.
It's the second week of no classes for Chicago Public Schools students. What went wrong after things looked so promising on Friday? Where do negotiations go from here? Phil Ponce and our panel have analysis.
There's more bad news on the state of the city's pension funds. What's being done in Springfield to solve the problem? Carol Marin talks with two legislators, and the author of a new report.
Illinois could eventually face nearly $35 billion in unpaid bills. A new report suggests the governor and general assembly can fix the problem.
The Mayor's budget gets unanimous approval, despite earlier controversy over some of the fee hikes and service cuts. Is it the "rubber stamp city council" all over again? Carol Marin and her panel have more.
