A day after the governor used his State of the State message to call for ethics reform, a joint commission on that very topic met at the Capitol Thursday.… MORE
Category Archives: Politics
Illinois lawmaker seeks to change Illinois window tint restrictions
An Illinois bill would allow drivers with certain medical conditions to tint all of their vehicle’s window surfaces.… MORE
‘He talked about Twitter more than property taxes,’ Republicans pounce after Pritzker’s State of the State speech
Political leaders from both sides of the aisle weighed in on the state of Illinois after Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered his State of the State address Wednesday to the General Assembly in Springfield.… MORE
Ex-state Sen. Martin Sandoval sent bills to empty committees, ensuring they wouldn’t advance
A former state lawmaker who pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting $250,000 in bribes in exchange for using his legislative weight to unilaterally stop bills from advancing often assigned measures to a subcommittee that had no members, essentially ensuring those measures wouldn’t advance.… MORE
Illinois lawmakers react to governor’s State of the State address
Illinois Democrats liked what they heard from the governor, while Republicans react with guarded optimism.… MORE
Illinois real estate transfer tax money goes to 85 park projects in matching state grant funds
More than 85 communities from across the state will receive matching grants totaling nearly $30 million to add to or improve their parks and outdoor recreation spaces.… MORE
Illinois lawmakers push to give dogs, cats legal representation in abuse cases
Illinois lawmakers want to allow for abused cats and dogs to have legal representation in court. … MORE
Sandoval pleads guilty as some lawmakers seek to end ‘corrupt’ red-light camera industry
Former state Sen. Martin Sandoval pleaded guilty Tuesday to accepting $250,000 in bribes over several years to protect the state’s red-light camera industry while some lawmakers at the statehouse want to ban the cameras altogether. … MORE
Lawmakers hope to see governor address ethics, property taxes, pensions in State of the State address
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is set to deliver his State of the State address Wednesday and lawmakers from parties want the governor to highlight issues important for their constituents.… MORE
Illinois lawmakers seek truce with other states to end business poaching
Illinois lawmakers want a truce with other states to stop the practice of poaching businesses with tax breaks.… MORE
Blogs
Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all
By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …
Is federal mobilization the answer?
By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…
In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans
By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…
Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life
Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…