State government revenues were up $1.571 billion at the end of the third quarter, according to the most recent report from the legislature’s bipartisan, bicameral Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The almost $1.6 billion in new revenues is an increase of 4.2 percent. The state budget was crafted last year with an expectation that […]
COGFA
Posted inRich Miller
State seeks revenue streams
As I write this, Gov. JB Pritzker is preparing to give his annual budget address. It’s an unenviable task. Earlier this month, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget released a report showing federal tax cuts caused a $587 million reduction in state revenues this fiscal year. The governor announced last month that he was […]
Posted inNews
Lawmakers vote to keep supermax prison open
A panel of state lawmakers voted last week to keep the state’s “supermax” prison open, but the costly facility’s ultimate fate rests with the governor. The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) met on May 1 to vote on several facility closures meant to save the state millions of dollars. Among the facilities on […]
Posted inNews
Pinchin’ pensions
Rita Tarr Scheibe spent most of her career helping others as executive director of social service agencies, including Contact Ministries and Catholic Charities. The jobs were fulfilling, but not ones that would pay the bills after she got divorced and became a single parent. She and her employers both paid into Social Security, but Scheibe, […]
