Berg: The solution that never was to Illinois’ pension crisis
Illinois was born 200 years ago. But another significant birthday should provoke pause, because it points the way forward for our struggling state. Five years ago, on Dec. 5, 2013,...
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Berg: Coalition kicks cronies in Springfield showdown
The formula for bad economic policy in Illinois is pretty simple. State lawmakers have the power to offer special privileges. Moneyed interests from legacy industries go to the state capital...
Berg: Illinois looks for leadership, but familiar faces remain
It’s easy to criticize longevity in politics. “Career politician” is a pejorative for a reason. But there’s a big difference between persistent public service and a political machine. Unfortunately, the...
Berg: Illinois’ richest governor, meet the nation’s most powerful state lawmaker
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan is about to see two things he’s never seen before. And given he’s been in the Statehouse since 1971, that’s saying something. The first is...
Berg: Nearly half of Illinois House candidates face no opponent
There are 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives. But before a single vote is cast on Election Day, nearly half of those seats will have been filled. That’s...
Berg: These Illinois Halloween laws might scare you
How old is too old to trick-or-treat? And what time should Halloween festivities begin and end? Growing up in central Illinois and the western suburbs of Chicago, kids aged out...
Berg: Who votes for Mike Madigan?
The level of drama in Washington D.C. right now would typically be enough to wash state politics to the wayside during election season. But in Illinois that remains to be...
Berg: Can this selfie land you in an Illinois jail?
Early voting is upon us in Illinois. Mail-in ballots are free to fly. But don’t dare take a picture of your vote. Snapping a photo of your filled-in ballot and...
Berg: When taxes hit home
Adan Villafranca never thought about buying a home. Not until he got engaged, that is. Born and raised near Chicago to parents who immigrated to the United States from Mexico...
Berg: Is this the most toxic tax in Illinois politics?
There is one product that, for a century, has towered above all others as a symbol of choice, control and personal freedom in America: the automobile. There are more than...