NW Illinois News

Pritzker 'completely broke his promise' made on campaign trail over redistricting Germantown Hills, senator says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 8, 2021

Gov. J.B.

GOP proposal to provide 'actual relief' to overtime workers in Illinois hit roadblock

By Karen Kidd | May 6, 2021

Sen. Neil Anderson (R-Rock Island) tried to reduce the tax burden on Illinois residents who worked overtime, but the policy never made it to the floor for a vote.

Chesney wants legislation to count offenses against police as a hate crime in Illinois

By Karen Kidd | Mar 11, 2021

Illinois state Rep. Andrew Chesney (R-Freeport) filed a bill to counter the Criminal Police and Criminal Justice Reform Bill signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently.

Eight apply for associate judge vacancy, Savanna reimburses WCSD for sidewalk replacement

By Karen Kidd | Jan 12, 2021

Carroll County has eight applicants for an associate judge vacancy and the city of Savanna has reimbursed West Carroll School District for a sidewalk replacement project, according to separate news stories published before Christmas by My Carroll County News.

Illinois gambling revenues cratered with pandemic, re-opening shows few signs of improvement

By Karen Kidd | Nov 8, 2020

Illinois is not reaping the expected windfall from legalized gambling, which began with high hopes before pandemic-driven shutdowns this year.

From Prairie State Wire

U.S. Senate Resolution: No bailing out Illinois

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

The Land of Lincoln is suffering a number of financial woes, fueled in large part by unfunded pension liabilities, but neither Illinois nor any other state should expect a bailout from Uncle Sam, according to a resolution introduced into the senate last summer.

From Prairie State Wire

'Dirty tricks' alleged in 2016 primary were not illegal, Team Madigan claims in Speaker's defense

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

Even if Illinois state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) used "dirty tricks" to fend off 2016 primary challenger Jason Gonzales, the strategy allegedly employed was not illegal, according to a re​cent court filing.

From West Central Reporter

Rep. Hammond renews call for fair maps, supports petition to end gerrymandering

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

A Republican Illinois House representative from the 93rd District earlier this week renewed her call for fair maps and pushed support for an independent map-drawing petition following a U.S. Supreme Court decision not to hear gerrymander cases.

Neighboring states will benefit from Illinois' increased minimum wage, upstate GOP chairman says

By Karen Kidd | Feb 21, 2019

Illinois' neighbors are already benefiting from an influx of workers fleeing Illinois' high taxes and various crises, and now they will benefit from businesses fleeing Illinois ahead of the six-year-long minimum wage increase signed by Gov. J.B. Pritsker earlier this week, a northwest Republican official warned.

Jo Daviess GOP chair says there are better options than new minimum wage bill

By Karen Kidd | Feb 19, 2019

As Gov. J.B. Pritzker prepares to sign a bill today raising Illinois' minimum wage to $15 over six years, his gaffe last week when he claimed GOP lawmakers had compromised to reach the legislation is fading from memory.

From Prairie State Wire

Illinios education officials want half the state's budget, Wirepoints warns

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois education officials are out to get half of the state's budget—and they just might—to the detriment of the state's taxpayers, according to an online Wirepoints newsletter issued earlier today.

From Prairie State Wire

IPI: FBI's secret Madigan recordings in affidavit reveal nothing new about speaker's operations

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), earlier today revealed to be a target in the same FBI investigation that led to an extortion indictment against a Chicago alderman, is not accused of anything new, a think tank reported.

State lawmakers should 'cut wasteful spending', not raise gas tax, Village of Elizabeth president says

By Karen Kidd | Dec 21, 2018

Illinois lawmakers would do better to make reforms and do some budget cutting instead of raising the state's motor fuel tax by a proposed 20 to 30 cents, a Village of Elizabeth official said during a recent interview.

From Prairie State Wire

Legislature overrides some Rauner vetoes, fails on others

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's outgoing Republican governor saw a few of his vetoes overridden during the Fall Veto Session in Springfield and a few new laws have been passed, a QUAD city area lawmaker said in a summary recap released last week.

From Prairie State Wire

State facing huge debt for public-sector retiree health benefits, says Wirepoints

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's "other debt disaster" is $73 billion in unfunded state retiree health insurance benefits and more than twice that amount owed over the next four decades, according to a special report issued this week by an online news outlet.

From Prairie State Wire

FY19 Budget: 'Not one penny should be spent on pork,' Ives says

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) believes state lawmakers need to reject political pork spending that was hidden in the budget passed earlier this year.

From Prairie State Wire

Pro-economic liberty group launches campaign against soaring Illinois property taxes

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Supporting a proposal to cut Illinois property taxes in half and a slate of political candidates who would help make that happen is part of Liberty Principles PAC's recently announced "Save Your Home" campaign.

From Prairie State Wire

People in prime working age are fleeing Illinois, think tank reports

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Not only is Illinois' overall population in deep decline, the number of people in prime working age also is going down in the state, a Chicago-based Conservative think tank said in a recent report.

From Prairie State Wire

Better Government Association says Obama didn't say fathers in the home is a solution to gun violence -- but he did

By Karen Kidd | 7 years ago

Sometimes the fact-checker needs a good fact-checking.

Budget described as no solution to Illinois insolvency

By Karen Kidd | Jul 21, 2017

While state lawmakers ended a two-year budget impasse, the measures adopted by the Illinois Legislature will not fix the state's fiscal mess, an analyst who co-wrote a paper that places the state 49th in long-run solvency told the Sangamon Sun.