The proposed bill would also link the state’s unemployment rate to the corporate tax rate. more ›

The Civic Federation released a report this morning on the Fiscal Year 2012 state budget that showed, despite cuts in spending and an increase in the state income tax rate, the state is still running a deficit of $5 billion largely due to added pension and debt costs. more ›

Even with House Republican Leader Tom Cross on board, a bill to start a three-year pilot program to legalize marijuana for medicinal use fell seven votes short of passage today. This news calls for a smoke. more ›

The last time we checked in on the efforts to make medical marijuana legal in Illinois, not even the star power of Montel Williams was enough to move the bill forward in Springfield. Now, it looks like things are gathering steam again. But don't go running for a glaucoma perscription yet. more ›

The last time we checked in with the Gitmo situation almost two weeks ago, the story was drawing attention both nationally and locally. In Illinois, local politicians were arguing back and forth over the possible transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the Thomson Correctional Center in Thompson, Illinois. On Friday, House Republicans decided to make their concerns heard by calling for a bipartisan committee to study the potential sale of the northwest prison. more ›

Fox 32 is reporting that House Minority Leader Tom Cross has said a tentative agreement has been reached on the state budget, which has been in limbo for weeks after the last legislative session ended without a new budget in place. There's no income tax increase in the budget, though State Senate President John Cullerton said that an increase of some kind was inevitable in the future. Gov. Quinn backed off his push for an income tax hike last week in a bid to increase the chances of a speedy resolution. more ›

The ongoing corruption case against Blagojevich, coupled with a projected $9 billion deficit in a Democrat-controlled state, is giving some officials within the Republican party hope that it can rise to its former glory. It's only been three years since George Ryan - the Republican governor who preceded Blago - was convicted on corruption charges himself, but Republicans say following the Democrat governor's ousting and his embattled appointment of another Democrat to the Senate, the party can rightfully hail itself as a promoter of clean government. more ›

Illinois state legislators are at it again today, after yesterday's close-but-no-cigar attempts to resolve the transit funding crisis. The House passed a sales-tax increase plan yesterday, but it fell one vote sort in the Senate; those so-and-sos are going to give it another go today because three of them abstained (courteously?) yesterday. more ›

Maybe it's just that we're ready for the weekend (and ready for this site to say "yes"), but it seems like this whole day is just a jerk. Time: Move faster! Weather: Be a little nicer! World: Be more fair! Especially Illinois. more ›

Looks like Blago's at it again. State legislative leaders are meeting again tomorrow to continue working on transit/casino/construction/dick-wagging, with the plan to head back to Springfield next week for--all together now--a special session. Maybe they could have a Very Special Session in which we learn about molestation or suicide or teen pregnancy. Blagojevich met with three legislative bigwigs today, but Mike Madigan wasn't one of them. Schedulig conflicts, says Madigan's camp. Never RSVPed to... more ›

We're trying not to jinx it, but it looks like legislators might be solving the transit crisis, like, tomorrow. Mike Madigan agreed today to push for a Blago-backed plan that would use the State's share of the sales tax on gasoline in Cook and the five collar counties for the RTA. Even Daley's on board. Are we seeing a unicorn? Last week, Blagojevich endorsed Minority Leader Tom Cross's plan that would send around $385... more ›

Former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar is expected to endorse Rudy Giuliani's presidential candidacy today, according to the Chicago Tribune. The endorsement comes as Giuliani makes several fundraising stops in Illinois. Besides Edgar, he has the backing of former governor Jim Thompson and Illinois Republican House Leader Tom Cross. With the Illinois GOP divided ideologically and Republicans desperately seeking Ronald Reagan, the Giuliani campaign is hoping that an endorsement by Edgar will help shore up his... more ›

Just as a cloud of gloom began to set in over the carless masses of Chicago, a ray of hope came as the State Senate has been called into session on Monday. While a spokesman for Senate President Emil Jones would only say that the session would include discussion of the "transit issue," Sen. John Cullerton, (D-Chicago) told Crain's that he thinks they are going to take up the same bill that Julie Hamos was... more ›

Bad news hit the Chicagoist offices late yesterday afternoon as word came through that SB572 — the bill that would have raised sales taxes in Cook County and the five surrounding "collar" counties, as well as the real estate tax in Chicago, to help fund regional transit — failed to reach a "supermajority" of 71 votes in the Illinois House. Rep. Julie Hamos (D-Evanston), sponsor of the bill, halted voting and placed it on the... more ›

Now that Tony Peraica has thrown his hat in the ring for Cook County State's Attorney, and Luis Gutierrez has been worshipped in seeking a ninth term, we now have a whole flock of Democrats and Republicans lining up to beat the shit out of each other over Dennis Hastert's congressional seat. Addressing a crowd of supporters last Friday from the steps of the Kendall County Courthouse, where he launched his national political career, Hastert... more ›

When five teenagers from Oswego died last month in a horrifying car accident after leaving a party, it wasn't hard to retrace their steps to find a party with a whole lot of booze. Those killed — and the driver, 23-year-old Sandra Vasquez — had all been at a house party where alcohol was served to minors. more ›

Fake badges, football follies, and a whole lotta weed for this installment of Chicagoist's weekly celebration of stupidity: more ›

Illinois Republicans have begun taking the whole Mike Ditka thing pretty seriously. Although a few other names for the vacant Republican US Senate nominee position have been bandied about, former Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka seems to be in the lead for the job. more ›