The Civic Federation opposes Governor Pat Quinn’s $52.7 billion FY2012 recommended operating budget for the State of Illinois because it is unbalanced by approximately $2.4 billion and is based on the premise that long-term borrowing is…
The Pew Center on the States recently released its report card on the health of state pension systems. Just as they were last year, the…
Governor Pat Quinn’s recommended FY2012 budget for the State of Illinois proposes that General Funds appropriations for the State Employees’ Group Insurance…
Although the State of Illinois' FY2011 tax amnesty program brought in more than $700 million of delinquent tax payments owed by taxpayers and business, only $12 million of that revenue can be considered new funds. As previously discussed…
General Funds represent the largest component of the State of Illinois budget and are mainly used to support the regular operating and administrative expenses of state agencies through annual appropriations by the General Assembly.…
Although it includes deep cuts to some agencies and programs, the FY2012 budget proposed by Governor Pat Quinn includes increases in other areas that would more than offset the reductions. In all, the proposed budget for FY2012 would…
After three years of increasing budget deficits, the State of Illinois is expected to see a smaller budget gap at the end of FY2011 because of tax increases and expanded borrowing for operations. The FY2011 year-end deficit is currently…
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton has recently suggested that school districts should begin…
The Illinois House of Representatives took a significant step in its annual budget negotiations this week when legislators unanimously passed a resolution limiting General Funds spending to $33.2 billion. The cap on spending is…
For the second year in a row, the State of Illinois raised funds in the municipal bond market to make its annual pension contributions. On February 23, 2011, the State finalized the sale of $3.7 billion worth of Pension Obligation Bonds (…
