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State budget
PI Original
by Angela Caputo
5:54pm
Fri Dec 18, 2009
2 comments

The AP Calls Out The GOP Guv Candidates

State budget

For some time now, we've been bemoaning the fact that the Republican gubernatorial candidates here in Illinois have largely gone unchallenged regarding their vague and overly simplistic plans for closing the state's multi-billion budget gap. Mike Lawrence of the Paul Simon ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
2:39pm
Fri Dec 18, 2009

Number Of The Day: 1.5 Million

State Legislature

Illinois officials have put low-income families and seniors on dangerous ground this year by failing to fund basic human services, from senior centers and child welfare programs to care for the disabled. But there has been one saving grace for the state's neediest: federal ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
10:39am
Fri Dec 18, 2009

Human Service Providers Appeal For Relief

Poverty

The number of human service providers on the verge of closing their
doors because of delayed state payments keeps growing. With the backlog in Illinois now stretching back as far as six months and topping
$4.4 billion, these agencies -- including senior centers and child ...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
1:43pm
Thu Dec 17, 2009
87 comments

More Congressional Action On COBRA, Unemployment Benefits

Stimulus bill

Congress moved a few steps closer yesterday to extending
unemployment insurance for jobless Americans and boosting the economy
more broadly. First, as we noted yesterday, the U.S. House approved the final version of a defense appropriations bill (H.R. 3326)
that includes a...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
4:06pm
Wed Dec 16, 2009
52 comments

Houses Passes Two-Month Unemployment Benefits Extension

Congress

Congress might manage to provide jobless Americans with some help
before the end of the year -- unless the Senate Republicans obstruct
it, that is.

This afternoon, the U.S. House approved the final version of a defense appropriations bill (HR 3326) that included a $13 ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
12:37pm
Fri Dec 11, 2009

The State Budget Deficit And The Absence Of "Political Will"

State budget

This week, the bad financial news continued to roll in for Illinois. First, Moody's downgraded
the state's general obligation bond rating on Tuesday, giving the
Prairie State the second lowest ranking nationwide (only California's
is worse). That same day, the bipartisan ...

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
5:15pm
Mon Dec 7, 2009

An "Affront" To Reality

State Legislature

After "balancing" the state's budget, in part, by pushing $3.2
billion worth of bills off until next year, Illinois lawmakers left
Springfield over the summer crossing their fingers that the economy
would rebound quickly and stave off the obvious need for an income tax
...

PI Original
by Adam Doster
3:37pm
Mon Dec 7, 2009

IL-GOV: McKenna And Dillard Cite Tort Reform As A Budget Solution

IL-Governor

Republican gubernatorial candidates Andy McKenna and Kirk Dillard are claiming that stronger tort reform laws in Illinois would drive down health care costs and alleviate the budget deficit.

PI Original
by Angela Caputo
12:34pm
Thu Dec 3, 2009

More Revisionist History From Dillard

IL-Governor

As he makes his rounds on the gubernatorial campaign trail, State
Sen. Kirk Dillard (R-Hinsdale) loves to tout his "executive experience"
as former Gov. Jim Edgar's chief of staff. And there's no
accomplishment he loves to brag about more than his experience helping
...