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Springfield
PI Original
by Steven Ross Johnson
5:27pm
Mon May 14

Business Butts Heads With Cullerton On Corporate State Income Tax Transparency Bill

A bill currently making its way through the Illinois Senate that would require public-held companies to report how much they pay in state income taxes is being lauded by a local community group as being a first step toward creating a more equitable tax structure, while business leaders have decried the measure, alleging it could further perpetuate the state’s reputation of being a bad place to do business.

Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
12:08pm
Wed May 9

Anti-Family Policies Have Illinois Moms Facing Uphill Battle, Say Women's Rights Advocates

In light of Mother’s Day, some women's rights advocates say recent cuts to state-run programs and too many anti-family policies are damaging the economic security for Illinois mothers and their children. 

From Medicaid cuts to dwindling access to child care, single mothers across the state are disproportionately impacted, said Sharonda Glover, manager of communications for the Chicago Foundation for Women.

These various state cuts have a “domino effect” on mothers, she said.

Read more »

Quick Hit
by Aricka Flowers
7:57pm
Tue May 8

Unions Balk At Emanuel's Pension Proposal

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel spent time in Springfield today to lay out his proposal for handling the state's underfunded pensions - and his suggestions are not being well-received by union leaders.

Emanuel testified in front of the Illinois House Personnel and Pension Committee Tuesday, giving lawmakers his "Roadmap to Retirement Security" plan that would lower the underfunded pension liability by 40 percent - like Gov. Pat Quinn's unpopular proposal, with which Emanuel's shares many similarities.

Read more »

PI Original
by Steven Ross Johnson
12:05pm
Wed Apr 18

Gambling Expansion Bill Likely To Resurface In Springfield This May

More than 20,000 jobs and close to $200 million in additional annual revenue is what Illinois stands to gain if proposals to expand the state’s gaming industry go forward, according to the findings of a new study released this week.

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
2:13pm
Wed May 6, 2009

Sierra Club Victory Brings Wind To State Capitol

As Illinois environmental groups push for
expanded renewable energy use, they will inevitably engage in some
political give-and-take with traditional suppliers. A prime example is
some dealmaking led by the Sierra Club almost three years ago. In that
case, the nonprofit ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
10:14am
Wed Nov 19, 2008

Foster Care Checks Are In The Mail ... Almost

On Monday, we reported
that Illinois officials were scrambling to find the funds for thousands of vouchers that parents and social
service agencies rely on to care for foster children across the state.

Well, the crisis has been averted.

We got word that ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
8:46pm
Mon Nov 17, 2008

Foster Care Payments Face Delays

We've already written about how drug treatment programs, social services and child welfare
have fallen victim to the dysfunction in Springfield. This
afternoon we confirmed some news that cements just how bad things
have gotten.

Despite being one of the wealthier ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
7:51pm
Thu Nov 13, 2008

DCFS Workers Try To Beat Back Layoffs

When Fred Pennix (right) was hired 15 years ago as a state child welfare investigator in
Chicago's Englewood neighborhood -- arguably one of the nation's most devastated communities
-- he thought the job would be tough. Turns out, he was
right.

Poverty there runs deep ...