Illinois Budget Crisis

Legislature's Decisions Have Local Impact

Dick Simpson | Posted 05.30.2012

Read More: Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Mental Health Facility Closures, Illinois Budget Cuts, Chicago Mental Health Clinic Closures, Illinois Pension Crisis, Illinois Medicaid Cuts, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

The last weeks of the state legislative session hold dire consequences for our neighborhoods. As usual, more decisions are being made in backroom deals than by meaningful debate and votes in public.

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It's Time for Illinois to Close Tamms Supermax

John Maki | Posted 05.23.2012

Read More: Tamms Correctional Center, Tamms-Super-Max-Closure, Illinois Budget, Tamms Prison, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Budget Cuts, Tamms Prison Closure, Chicago News

If Illinois does not close Tamms, the state will face the certainty of substantial long and short-term costs that taxpayers cannot afford.

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Can Democrats Handle Illinois' Budget Reality?

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.02.2012

Read More: Illinois Budget, Video, Michael Madigan, Illinois Democrats, Illinois Health Care Costs, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, Democratic Party, Illinois Democrats Budget, Illinois Medicaid, Illinois Pensions, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Facing one of the nation's worst budget crises, the Democrats who run Illinois insist they're serious about overhauling the ...

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Balancing Budgets With Humanity

Sid Mohn | Posted 12.25.2011

Read More: Human Services, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Human Services, Illinois Budget Cuts, Health and Human Services, Budget Cuts, Chicago News

To listen to the current debate in Springfield, it seems that a balanced budget for Illinois means building more casinos and cutting funding for human services. But will that really create a brighter future for us all?

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In Illinois, Bills Get Paid Faster When A Lawmaker Is On Your Side

AP | By JOHN O'CONNOR | Posted 12.20.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn, Third World America, Illinois Unpaid Bills, Illinois Debt, Illinois Bill Pay, Illinois Budget Crisis, Judy Baar Topinka, Beyond Broke, Springfield Illinois, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- If you plan on doing business with the state of Illinois, you'd better learn to beg – preferably to an influential politici...

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Watchdog Group: Despite Cuts, Illinois's Deficit Still Daunting

Posted 11.26.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Deficit, State Budget Cuts, Pat Quinn, Illinois Budget Cuts, Civic Federation, Governor Quinn, Illinois Budget Crisis, Laurence Msall, Judy Baar-Topinka, Chicago News

A new report released Monday by the Civic Federation says that, even though the state has made some serious cutbacks and increased its income tax rate...

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Judge Rules Gov. Quinn Can Legally Cancel Raises

AP | Posted 11.08.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Unions, Pat Quinn, Illinois Budget Cuts, Illinois Employee Raises, Governor Quinn, Illinois Budget Crisis, Worker's Rights, Unions, Labor Unions, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A federal judge has ruled against Illinois state employees in a dispute over whether Gov. Pat Quinn can cancel raises promised in...

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Quinn Admits Thousands Of Layoffs, Facility Closures Coming Soon

Posted 11.06.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Deficit, Pat Quinn, Bill Brady Illinois, Governor Quinn, Illinois Budget Crisis, Bill Brady, Illinois Layoffs, Labor Unions, Unions, Afscme, AFSCME Union, Chicago News

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on Tuesday admitted that the reports about thousands of state employee layoffs and facility closures across the state shor...

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Illinois' Low-Income Heating Aid Faces Likely Drastic Cuts

Posted 10.31.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Heating Aid, Third World America, Low-Income, Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois, Illinois Beyond Broke, Illinois Heating Assistance, Recession, Seniors, Beyond Broke, Chicago News

Low-income individuals, senior citizens and the disabled are being warned by the state to apply as early as possible for state and federal assistance ...

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BEYOND BROKE: Cuts To Home-Delivered Meals Driving Seniors To Nursing Homes

Posted 09.17.2011

Read More: Illinois Nursing Homes, Illinois Budget, Illinois Elderly, Chicago, Nursing Homes, Illinois, Illinois Budget Crisis, Chicago Impact, Elderly Meals, Beyond Broke, Chicago News

Cuts in the recently-passed Illinois budget could drive hundreds of seniors from their homes and into nursing homes, a move that advocates say will be...

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Hard Hit By Recession, Presidential Citizens Medal Winner's Organization Is In Need Of Cash

HuffingtonPost.com | Andrea Stone | Posted 09.11.2011

Read More: Oprah Winfrey, Presidential Citizens Medal, Budget Cuts, Daisy Brooks, Teen Pregnancy, Social Services, Illinois Budget Crisis, North Chicago, Barack Obama, Illinois Social Services, Impact News

UPDATE 7/14/2011: Two days after The Huffington Post reported on financial problems at a social service center run by Presidential Citizens Medal win...

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Defeated Mayoral Candidate Named Chair Of State Board Of Ed

HuffingtonPost.com | Will Guzzardi | Posted 08.08.2011

Read More: Isbe, Illinois Schools, Rahm Emanuel, Chicago Schools, Chicago, Gery Chico, Gery Chico State Board of Education, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois, Illinois State Board of Education, Chicago News

The second-place candidate in Chicago's mayoral race wasn't deterred from public service by losing an election. In fact, he's moved up to state-level ...

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A Run To Support Social Services For Latino Families In Need

HuffingtonPost.com | Will Guzzardi | Posted 06.19.2011

Read More: Illinois Human Services, Humboldt Park, Casa Central Fundraiser, Chicago, Wrigley Early Start Run, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois, La Posada, Casa Central, Chicago Impact, Chicago News

Casa Central is located in a handsome brick building at the corner of California and Evergreen Avenues. It’s across the street from a beautifully ma...

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How Illinois' Budget Cuts Affect Children

Christine Bork | Posted 06.01.2011

Read More: Dcfs, Illinois Budget, Governor Quinn, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Social Services, Chicago News

Illinois needs spending restraints. What I don't understand is why the cuts come first for people who can't help themselves or defend themselves.

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New Poll Reveals Quinn's Dismal Approval Ratings

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn Poll, Illinois, Illinois Budget Crisis, Pat Quinn, Pat Quinn Approval Rating, Illinois Democrats, Chicago, Chicago News

Since his narrow re-election last November, Illinois governor Pat Quinn has signed into law some major legislative undertakings: an increase of the in...

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Quinn Announces New Budget For Coming Year, Relying On Heavy Borrowing

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Illinois, Illinois Budget Crisis, Pat Quinn, Pat Quinn Budget, Chicago, Illinois Borrowing, Chicago News

Illinois governor Pat Quinn laid out his budget plan for the coming year, a $52.7 billion package that relies heavily on borrowing to pay off the stat...

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Governor Pat Quinn Is Moving to Pay Illinois' Overdue Bills

David Ormsby | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Governor Pat Quinn, Illinois Budget, Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, Chicago News, Illinois Budget Crisis, Kelly Kraft, Lou Lang, Sara Moscato Howe, Sara Feigenholtz, Chicago News

Quinn's administration is planning to move forward next week with an expanded program to sell a big chunk of the state's $5.3 billion of vendor-owed debt to Wall Street banks and hedge funds.

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Quinn's Hazy Ideas On Solving Budget Crisis

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS and DEANNA BELLANDI | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn Budget, Illinois Budget Crisis, Pat Quinn, Illinois, Illinois Governor, Chicago, Chicago News

CHICAGO — While Gov. Pat Quinn has accused his opponent of telling voters fairy tales about balancing the budget, he provided only a hazy pictur...

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Back To Work: Cullerton, Senate Debate Massive Borrowing Package

Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Pat Quinn, Illinois State Senate, John Cullerton, Illinois Borrowing, Chicago, Illinois Budget, Illinois, Illinois Budget Crisis, Chicago News

In an election season where Republicans won control of 19 state legislatures across the country, Democrats in Springfield were able to avoid getting c...

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In The Public Interest : Learn From Chicago's Mistakes

Celeste Meiffren | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Mayor Daley Budget, Mayor Daley, Chicago, Privatization, Chicago Parking Meters, P3 Transactions, Illinois Budget Crisis, California Budget Crisis, Chicago Parking Meter Privatization, Politics News

It may be too late to undo parking meter privatization in Chicago, but it's clear that the Chicago way shouldn't be the model for selling taxpayer-owned assets.

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Illinois Stops Paying Its Bills, But Can't Stop Digging Hole

New York Times | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Pat Quinn, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Deficit, Dan Hynes, Chicago News

CHICAGO -- Even by the standards of this deficit-ridden state, Illinois's comptroller, Daniel W. Hynes, faces an ugly balance sheet. Precisely how ugl...

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School Cuts Protested By Teachers, Parents

NBC Chicago | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Chicago Public Schools, Chicago School Protests, Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois Budget Crisis, Chicago Schools, Chicago Budget, Chicago News

Chicago teachers and parents took to the streets Tuesday armed with chants like "save our schools" and "children first" and signs to protest proposed ...

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NSFW: The Onion Takes On Illinois' Budget Crisis

The Onion | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: The Onion Illinois Porn, The Onion Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois, The Onion Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Budget the Onion, Chicago, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, IL--The State of Illinois acknowledged last week that in an effort to stay afloat during the worst financial crisis in its history, it ha...

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Illinois Budget Crisis: Debt Broker Steps In To Help Those Owed Money By The State

AP | CHRISTOPHER WILLS | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Debt, Illinois Budget, Illinois Bills, Illinois Deficit, Alpharetta Industries, Illinois Budget Crisis, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — For some businesses, Illinois' budget crisis is a disaster. For others, it's an opportunity. A Georgia company entering the...

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Illinois Still Behind $5 Billion In Payments To Vendors, Nonprofits

St. Louis Post-Dispatch | Posted 05.25.2011

Read More: Illinois Budget, Pat Quinn, Illinois Bills, Illinois Budget Crisis, Illinois Legislature, Governor Pat Quinn, Chicago News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- As a provider of in-home assistance for seniors, St. John's Home and Community Care of Collinsville partners with the state of Il...

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