Kane County Reporter

Illinoisans should 'rise up and vote' out unfair maps supporters, pass redistricting referendum, metro Chicago House rep says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 29, 2021

Illinois's now-passed - and challenged - partisan redistricting is designed to keep Democrats in power and if Illinoisans don't like it, they should say so,  a Chicagoland state representative said during a recent interview.

Former Sen. Ward stands with Rep. Morrison, called 'transphobic' over gender-neutral bathroom bill objections

By Karen Kidd | May 4, 2021

A former collar counties state senator says she stands with a Republican House representative who objected to a recently passed gender-neutral bathroom bill and was accused of being "transphobic" for his trouble.

Geneva residents eschew traditional forms of public comment in favor of social media over proposed retail project

By Karen Kidd | Aug 16, 2020

A proposed retail development and apartment complex in Geneva is drawing attention in social media, much as the projects might once have gotten attention in less digital ways.

From Prairie State Wire

U.S. Senate Resolution: No bailing out Illinois

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

The Land of Lincoln is suffering a number of financial woes, fueled in large part by unfunded pension liabilities, but neither Illinois nor any other state should expect a bailout from Uncle Sam, according to a resolution introduced into the senate last summer.

From Prairie State Wire

'Dirty tricks' alleged in 2016 primary were not illegal, Team Madigan claims in Speaker's defense

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

Even if Illinois state House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) used "dirty tricks" to fend off 2016 primary challenger Jason Gonzales, the strategy allegedly employed was not illegal, according to a re​cent court filing.

From West Central Reporter

Rep. Hammond renews call for fair maps, supports petition to end gerrymandering

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

A Republican Illinois House representative from the 93rd District earlier this week renewed her call for fair maps and pushed support for an independent map-drawing petition following a U.S. Supreme Court decision not to hear gerrymander cases.

Alleged conspiracy to shut down Illinois newspapers behind Sen. Harmon's opposition to Senate bill

By Karen Kidd | May 21, 2019

Illinois state Sen. Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) doesn't want to discuss his "one-liner" about a conspiracy he alleges would shut down most of Illinois' newspapers or his continued opposition to legislation that could save the cash-strapped state millions.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Oberweis: RISE Act is 'fundamentally wrong'

By Karen Kidd | 5 years ago

Legislation that would extend state student aid eligibility to undocumented immigrants, on the governor's desk unsigned for about a week, will not be any easier to fund than the current program, State Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) said during a recent interview.

Rep. Ugaste, GOP colleagues 'arming constituents with the true facts' about graduated tax proposal

By Karen Kidd | Apr 27, 2019

As Illinois Democrats push for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's so-called "fair tax" that one online news outlet calls dishonest, a freshman state House representative from Geneva recently said he is joining fellow lawmakers in encouraging constituents to better understand the proposal.

From McHenry Times

Skillicorn: Rent should be between tenant and landlord, not government

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Government has no business telling a landlord how much rent to charge a tenant, the state representative from Crystal Lake said during a recent interview about an effort to repeal a 22-year-old rent control law.

From Prairie State Wire

Illinios education officials want half the state's budget, Wirepoints warns

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois education officials are out to get half of the state's budget—and they just might—to the detriment of the state's taxpayers, according to an online Wirepoints newsletter issued earlier today.

From Prairie State Wire

IPI: FBI's secret Madigan recordings in affidavit reveal nothing new about speaker's operations

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), earlier today revealed to be a target in the same FBI investigation that led to an extortion indictment against a Chicago alderman, is not accused of anything new, a think tank reported.

From Prairie State Wire

Legislature overrides some Rauner vetoes, fails on others

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's outgoing Republican governor saw a few of his vetoes overridden during the Fall Veto Session in Springfield and a few new laws have been passed, a QUAD city area lawmaker said in a summary recap released last week.

From Prairie State Wire

State facing huge debt for public-sector retiree health benefits, says Wirepoints

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois's "other debt disaster" is $73 billion in unfunded state retiree health insurance benefits and more than twice that amount owed over the next four decades, according to a special report issued this week by an online news outlet.

West Dundee not touched by controversy over defrocked actuary, village manager says

By Karen Kidd | Nov 17, 2018

Despite an East Dundee lawmaker's call for pension plans to be recalculated and reviewed after an actuary was defrocked last summer, West Dundee won't be doing any such thing, Village Manager Joseph Cavallaro said during a recent interview.

Hampshire Fire Protection District not affected by actuary's suspension, finance official says

By Karen Kidd | Nov 17, 2018

Hampshire Fire Protection District isn't at all affected by the news this past summer about actuary Timothy W. Sharpe's suspension, which prompted one lawmaker to call for pension plans to be recalculated and reviewed, a village finance official said during a recent interview.

From Prairie State Wire

FY19 Budget: 'Not one penny should be spent on pork,' Ives says

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) believes state lawmakers need to reject political pork spending that was hidden in the budget passed earlier this year.

From Prairie State Wire

Pro-economic liberty group launches campaign against soaring Illinois property taxes

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Supporting a proposal to cut Illinois property taxes in half and a slate of political candidates who would help make that happen is part of Liberty Principles PAC's recently announced "Save Your Home" campaign.

Wheeler warns Pritzker tax hike will 'hit you hard'

By Karen Kidd | Aug 30, 2018

Rep. Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego) believes Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker’s policies would be painful for most Illinoisans.

From Prairie State Wire

People in prime working age are fleeing Illinois, think tank reports

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Not only is Illinois' overall population in deep decline, the number of people in prime working age also is going down in the state, a Chicago-based Conservative think tank said in a recent report.