A public-private task force seeks a new buyer or tenant for the automaker’s mammoth plant. But government may be reluctant to sweeten a deal with tax credits or other incentives, a Rescuing Illinois report finds.
Robert Reed
Municipalities’ New Frontier: Ending Local Debt Disaster
Municipalities must recognize the danger of the local debt crisis and use it as an opportunity to regain control of their finances and fate.
Teachers Retirement System’s Next Lesson: Slicing Fees
Taxpayer-backed union should focus on reducing money manager costs.
Sticker Shock: Lofty Fees, Low Returns
The mammoth state teachers’ pension fund spent $1.3 billion for 10-years worth of financial expertise. Critics argue that’s way too high; Teachers Retirement System says it’s a cost of doing business.
Special Investigation: Why Townships Don’t Add Up
Spawned during the late 1800s, township governments in suburban Cook County continue to operate at the taxpayers’ expense despite growing evidence that many have outlived their basic usefulness to the public.
Dead End Paying A Big Tab For A Few Highway Miles
The price for maintaining a smattering of roads in unincorporated suburban Cook County is sky-high, when compared to other nearby counties. Critics ask: “Why is this allowed?”
Redundant Services & People, Tens of Millions in Salaries
It costs millions of dollars annually to staff and operate townships. The BGA inquiry found that the 20 suburban townships employed 562 full-time workers and 425 part-time employees, adding up to $27.6 million in total salaries. Are they all necessary?
Money In The Bank: Piling Up A Mountain Of (Taxpayer) Moola
The majority of the 20 suburban Cook County townships hoard large amounts of cash that’s in excess of the “rainy day” fund that municipal finance experts recommend. Some townships have enough cash to cover a full year’s expenses without going to taxpayers.
Sticker Shock Part II: Paying Big for Community College Retirees
Thousands of ex-employees are reaping bounteous pensions that often greatly exceed what they have actually paid into the system. What’s more, the cost to taxpayers will spiral out of control unless major public pension reforms are made in Illinois.
Want Reform? Get Ready to Rumble
If Gov. Pat Quinn and the Illinois General Assembly are serious about saving money by changing the pension benefits of current state workers, they will probably need to pick a nasty and costly court fight with labor.