Sunday, October 7, 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, October 7, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — Political news here this week largely was marked by the first of three presidential election debates, the November election and the sentencing of a former state government political insider. Obama, Romney fail to address states’ debt during debate The presidential debate Wednesday focused on domestic issues with one glaring exception — the skyrocketing pension debt crushing state governments nationwide. And the chances that voters will hear Democrat President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney address that issue before the election are slim, one observer said. “I do think it’s going …
Sunday, September 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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Sunday, September 30, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD – Voter purges and other campaign news began to take center stage in Illinois as September drew to a close and the November election looms. Southern Illinois counties purge 4,000 from voter rolls Two cash-strapped counties in far southern Illinois purged more than 4,000 names from the voter rolls ahead of the November presidential election. Alexander and Massac counties at the southern tip of the state culled the voters from the rolls for reasons like death and relocation. State elections officials say they are continuing efforts to clean up Illinois’ lists of registered voters. “Having good, clean …
Sunday, September 2, 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, September 2, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Watchdog, formerly Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — With the Labor Day weekend looming, unionized state employees found themselves tangled in much of the news that affected state government last week — from the state’s continued pension-reform gridlock to a dispute over raises for state workers. S&P downgrades IL’s credit rating, citing pension stalemate Standard and Poor’s nicked the state of Illinois’ credit rating Wednesday, citing its “weak pension funding levels and lack of action on reform measures.” S&P downgraded Illinois from an A+ rating to an A rating. A lower credit rating means the state could pay more for interest when it borrows money…
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.
- GOVERNMENT
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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…
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 …
Sunday, July 22, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, July 22, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News. SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois House this week came another step closer to expelling indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith from the chamber, and Gov. Pat Quinn headed to southern Illinois to examine drought damage and dodge protesters. Illinois Statehouse News compiled these stories for this week in review. House committee recommends expulsion for Smith A bipartisan committee of House lawmakers voted Thursday to recommend that Smith, the Chicago Democrat under federal indictment for bribery, be expelled from the state House. Of the 12 representatives on the Select Committee on Discipline, 11 voted in favor of recommending expulsion with state Rep. …
Sunday, July 8, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, July 8, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois House Select Committee on Discipline will have its final hearing on possible punishment for indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith on July 19, according to a schedule posted Friday. Much of the committee’s business – which is not a court proceeding but has the tone of one – between now and then will occur by email, the schedule indicates, but the committee chair, Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, can call additional hearings as needed. The committee and Smith are to disclose to each other by July 6 all evidence they intend to introduce at the final hearing. By …
Sunday, July 1, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, July 1, 2012
Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters. SPRINGFIELD – Illinois reacted to the U.S. Supreme Court upholding President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, and a House legislative committee began looking at possible discipline against a colleague. Quinn: Illinois will expand Medicaid under Affordable Care Act Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday said he plans to carry out the full Affordable Care Act including expanding the Medicaid rolls in Illinois. “The state of Illinois is going forward with the president of our country, President Barack Obama, to expand using Medicaid (to) those that would be covered under the Affordable Care…
Sunday, June 24, 2012
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Sunday, June 24, 2012
SPRINGFIELD — In an ongoing effort to slash state spending, Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed a bill eliminating free health care for state retirees and revealed he intends to move forward with prison closures throughout Illinois. Quinn signs bill eliminating free health care for state retirees Quinn on Thursday signed legislation to end premium-free health insurance for state retirees. The state spends about $800 million yearly on the insurance program, but the exact savings from the new law will not be known, until a premium rate is negotiated between the state and public labor unions. “Those who have faithfully served the state deserve access to quality health care, and insurance costs should be more balanced and based on actual …
John Tips
7:09 pm on Tuesday, October 9, 2012
You said it correctly, Illinois Coal cannot be burned without the companies spending a huge amount in pollution controls to clean the aftermath. Illinois coal is plentiful but DIRTY! I really don't know anyone who is happy with having a coal burning plant in their back yards. These old coal plants spurn out mercury, uranium, thorium, arsenic, and other heavy metals, all dangerous to human health… more ›