Column: Federal tax change could determine whether Illinois sinks or swims
Illinois hasn't had a balanced budget since 2001. A lot of that has to do with the nation's worst pension crisis and warped spending priorities. But the state's No. 1...
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Column: Taxpayers should flex their muscle, pick their punches
It wasn't exactly the Boston Tea Party, but it took everything short of dumping Diet Coke into Lake Michigan for Cook County residents to force the repeal of an unpopular...
Column: Lawmaker turned lobbyist turns the tables on taxpayers
This might be difficult to believe, but something smells fishy in Illinois politics. A fresh odor is rising from the 118th House District. Until recently, state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg,...
Column: Illinois lawmakers stampede for the exit
Thirty state lawmakers in the 100th General Assembly will not be holding their seats in the 101st General Assembly. And that's not even counting those who might be ousted at...
Column: Madigan reigns and remains — why?
House Speaker Mike Madigan has no signature legislative accomplishment. He has no obvious successor to his throne. He has no monument, unless you count billions of dollars in public debt....
Berg: Illinois waits for Superman, does Amazon wear the cape?
Jeff Bezos can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. But Illinoisans are styling the Amazon CEO as a man from Krypton who — with a little luck — might...
Column: The march of the millennials – out of Illinois
With this time of year comes the sound of stretched packing tape and whimpering goodbyes, as students head off to college campuses. Boundless ambition and bittersweet pride mix with exhaust...
Berg: Indignation, action needed on Illinois’ jobs crisis
Illinois lawmakers spent much of the last month speaking out about the need for a major change in how the state funds schools. Their message hit headlines statewide on a...
Column: Illinois schools are top heavy, and it’s crushing the classroom
Illinoisans have been hearing a lot from superintendents lately surrounding the push for school funding reform at the Statehouse. Most direct lawmakers' attention toward topics such as funding fairness, demographic...
Column: Former Illinois lawmakers powered by energy interests
No Americans trust their state government less than Illinoisans. Being home to the nation's "corruption capitol" — the state's northern federal district, which includes Chicago — and having governors serve...