Dupage Policy Journal

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.

Foster's election opponent calls him out on Pelosi vote

By Karen Kidd | Jan 7, 2019

U.S. Rep. Bill Foster's endorsement of fellow Democrat Nancy Pelosi for speaker of the House only weeks after publicly opposing the idea is what Foster is always going to do—what the party tells him—his opponent in the general election 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.

Sterigenics controvery 'nonsense,' says chemist

By Karen Kidd | Dec 4, 2018

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has been calm during the ongoing Sterigenics ethylene-oxide-emissions controversy, the national EPA not so much and the residents of Willowbrook should breathe easy, an air quality specialist said during a recent radio interview.

Lombard 'very confident in the numbers' despite actuary's suspension, village finance official says

By Karen Kidd | Nov 17, 2018

Lombard is taking positive steps in the wake of news this past summer about actuary Timothy W. Sharpe's suspension that prompted one lawmaker to call for pension plans to be recalculated and reviewed, a village finance official said during a recent interview.

Rep. Peter Breen: Costa Howard attack ads use 'lies as campaign tactics'

By Karen Kidd | Oct 15, 2018

That a Chicago-based news affiliate had to fact check a negative campaign ad by Democrat Terra Costa Howard in her bid to take the 48th District House seat says something about her, the incumbent in that race said during a recent interview.

Mazzochi, Caffrey won’t support more property taxes to pay for pensions

By Karen Kidd | Oct 2, 2018

Both candidates for House District 47 have come out in opposition to a proposed statewide tax levy by the Chicago Civic Federation and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

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.

Breen warns against Pritzker corruption, 'bad faith' actions

By Karen Kidd | Aug 30, 2018

Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) calls J.B. Pritzker’s gubernatorial campaign more of the same corruption that has long plagued the state and is not what Illinois needs.

Olsen warns Pritzker tax hike will hit working class, not just billionaires

By Karen Kidd | Aug 30, 2018

Illinois Rep. David Olsen (R-Downers Grove) doesn’t believe the state’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate when he claims his proposed tax hikes will only be levied against billionaires.

Mazzochi blast candidate as Madigan's puppet during press conference

By Karen Kidd | Aug 30, 2018

State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) argues that Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker is nothing more than a pawn of House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).

Pritzker offers only an 'intellectually lazy' approach to state problems, Wehrli says

By Karen Kidd | Aug 30, 2018

Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) doesn’t think Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker will put much effort into governing Illinois if he wins November’s election.

Pritzker wants to follow Madigan 2017 tax hike with more increases, Durkin says

By Karen Kidd | Aug 29, 2018

Illinois Democrat gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker will follow State House Speaker Mike Madigan's huge tax hike with increases of his own if he wins in November, the ranking House Republican said earlier this week.

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin anticipates property tax advisory question results

By Karen Kidd | Aug 27, 2018

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin ilooks forward to seeing how voters answer an advisory question that seeks to raise property taxes by almost 50 percent every year for 30 years.

DuPage County board member wants to see more county-specific advisory questions on ballot

By Karen Kidd | Aug 27, 2018

DuPage County voters will see three tax-related advisory questions on the ballot this November but the District 2 representative said there should be more.

Oberweis warns against property tax increase question on November ballot

By Karen Kidd | Aug 26, 2018

Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) is warning DuPage County voters to look out for an advisory question on November’s ballot about raising property taxes by almost 50 percent every year for the next 30 years.

DuPage County Election Commission took action following 'bungled' March election, director says

By Karen Kidd | Jul 12, 2018

DuPage County Election Commission has already apologized and has put safeguards in place to prevent issues that occurred during March balloting, a county election official said this week.

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.