State of Illinois

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Local Government Consolidation in Illinois: Small Steps in the Right Direction

Some recent progress has been made when it comes to reducing the number of local governments in Illinois. The State of Illinois has 6,963 local governments. To provide context to this issue, the table below displays the type and number of…

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Illinois Should Not Budget for Payment Delays

Businesses do not always pay their bills immediately, and neither do governments. Delays of a month or two are standard practice, although prompt…

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Annexation of Unincorporated Areas in Illinois

Unincorporated areas lie outside municipal boundaries. The residents and businesses located in these areas are usually provided municipal services such as police protection and building code enforcement by county government or special…

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Illinois' Revenues in FY2014 Exceed Expectations

According to recent reports, the State of Illinois’ operating revenues, which are expected to decline this year due to the partial rollback of State income tax rates,…

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Illinois’ Rating Reversed to Negative Due to Unbalanced Budget

Less than a month into the new fiscal year, which began on July 1, Standard and Poor’s announced that the financial outlook for the State has…

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Retiree Health Insurance Ruling to Increase State Costs by $128 Million

The Illinois Supreme Court’s recent ruling on health insurance for State retirees is expected to increase State costs by approximately $128 million through FY2015, according to the Department of Central Management Services. Although…

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Court Ruling on Health Insurance Could Add to State of Illinois Budget Woes

A court ruling on health insurance for retired State of Illinois workers could put additional pressure on the State’s stopgap budget for the year that began on July 1, 2014…

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Governor Signs Illinois' Operating Budget but Vetoes Capitol Complex Upgrades

Despite criticizing the General Assembly for not passing an adequate budget for the new fiscal year, Governor Pat Quinn…

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Teachers’ Retirement System Changes Will Affect Pension Savings

UPDATE: In addition to the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS), two other large State of Illinois pension funds have also lowered their assumed rates of return on investment. Both the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) and the…

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The Illinois Income Tax: A Significant Source of Revenue for Local Governments

Under Illinois law, the State is required to share a certain portion of state income tax receipts with municipal and county governments…