The office of Gov. Pat Quinn is claiming victory off a study released Thursday by CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists International. The study shows that Illinois ranked third-highest nationally in the creation of net new business establishments from 2009-2012. An establishment is defined as a single location that produces some form of economic activity, and Illinois had […]
Attn. Renner & Koos: Blm-Normal is IN Illinois Response to Gov. Quinn by Illinois Policy Institute http://illinoispolicy.org/real-state-of-the-state/ JOBS AND GROWTH Illinois has the third-highest unemployment rate in the nation More than 1 million Illinoisans are unemployed or underemployed Illinois is projected to be dead last in jobs growth in 2014 78,713 Illinoisans have given up and left […]
The story of Illinois’ steady out-migration problem is well known, but just where are Illinoisans moving to? Is the outflow driven entirely by retirees and beach-goers moving to Florida? Not according to the U.S. Census Bureau, which just released its 2012 American Community Survey of state-to-state migration flow data. These data use census surveys to make estimates of migration […]
by: Diane Benjamin The State of Illinois isn’t any more transparent than Bloomington. I worked with the Edgar County Watchdogs for close to a year to uncover the state’s activities with Medicaid payment processing. Many FOIA requests were returned to us with a “No matching documents” label. The State didn’t know that we have many […]
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS & ADMINISTRATORS Sue to keep gold plated pensions Read the lawsuit here _______________ YET… TOP 100 School Administrator Pensions Exceed $180,000 per year,click here. AND… over 4,767 educators have $100,000 plus annual retirement pensions- to search Heat Map click here. This pension lawsuit is about protecting the perks of highly-compensated school administrators who don’t even […]
“This kind of work requires time, tenacity and resources.” Jim Dey | Champaign News-Gazette November 2, 2013 Thanks to your support and aggressive citizen action, Illinois has a future. Here are some highlights: LAWSUIT FORCED OPEN ILLINOIS STATE CHECKBOOK: Republican Comptroller Judy Baar-Topinka falsely claimed that production of state checkbook was an undue burden, and […]
Where is the recovery we are supposedly in? Maybe somebody is lying! Food stamp use should be down by now. Recoveries NEVER take 5 years, and obviously we still aren’t recovered.
by: Diane Benjamin During the March 2012 primary, a couple hundred Illinois citizens descended on poling locations in Mike Madigan’s district to pole watch. I was one of them. Here’s what happens in the “belly of the beast”. Open and free elections DO NOT happen in Chicago. The poll watching event organizers had many […]
FACT: The Quinn administration has targeted state employees and managers inside his administration– Did they “blow-the-whistle” on his no-bid deal? It’s Illinois’ largest project in history outside of road construction.Upgrading the outdated Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS) will cost up to $190 million dollars. An intergovernmental agreement with Michigan was used to avoid a […]
Op-Ed: Why Do We Have a Medicaid Program? Illinois Review: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/12/why-do-we-have-a-medicaid-program-.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2FbYHz+%28Illinois+Review%29&utm_content=Yahoo!+Mail By Alieta Eck, M.D. – A Star Ledger headline reads: “ObamaCare fuels applicant boom for NJ Medicaid—Advocate hails 35% increase in October.” Almost 22,000 new applications were filed in October, up from 16,000 in September. Is this a triumph? Was a 990-page law needed to […]
$20 BILLION UNDER-FUNDED STATE UNIVERSITY PENSION PLAN (SURS) “Each passing day without pension reform threatens the excellence of higher education at the 65 colleges & universities.” Institute of Government & Public Affairs, University of Illinois March 12, 2013 Share on Facebook, Click here Vernon O. Crawley, Moraine Valley Community College $673,000 final year salary […]
by: Diane Benjamin Primary season is cut-throat in Illinois because of the passions supporters have for “their” candidates. It’s messy, sometimes corrupt, and sometimes an evil system, but that’s all we have. Anointing candidates to avoid debate isn’t going to make the process better. One continual attack on GOP candidate for governor Bruce Rauner is […]
By State Rep. Tom Morrison I rise today in support of natural marriage and urge my colleagues to vote no on this measure. This is an extremely emotional issue, however, we must examine this subject objectively, factually, not just with feelings. This issue is NOT just about two adults and their emotional, relational, or financial […]
by Jim Hoft Here’s the school’s phone number: (773) 583-4050 Read more: http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/11/illinois-university-proudly-displays-plaque-honoring-democrat-abe-lincoln/ . . .
FORCING OPEN THE ILLINOIS STATE CHECKBOOK All public payments since 1996 soon online “We sued because the Comptroller refused to show citizens the state checkbook and the Attorney General refused to do anything about it.” State Capitol Press Conference January 8, 2013 For The Good of Illinois, Inc v. State of Illinois, Office of Comptroller […]
The need for quality voting systems is universally accepted, but not universally attended to within the election jurisdictions across America. So often we speak of frustration over election security, but our ability to truly touch the system is channeled through the role of poll watchers and election judges. Important roles, but they only cover a […]
and why Gary Niehaus wants to retire early Even if Illinois pension funds see investment returns that exceed expectations, that still won’t be enough to plug the largest fund’s hole. The Teachers’ Retirement System reported its pension underfunding grew to $55.73 billion as of June 30, 2013 — an increase of more than $3.5 billion […]
by: Illinois TEA Party Recently, Republican Tom Cross “forgot” that he brought Obamacare to Illinois two years early. Former GOP Leader Tom Cross is currently running for State Treasurer against Dupage County Auditor Bob Grogan. Bob Grogan is the DuPage County Auditor, a CPA, and a Certified Fraud Examiner, who has both public and private financial sector experience. […]
by Diane Benjamin From Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s website: http://foia.ilattorneygeneral.net/default.aspx Attorney General Lisa Madigan believes that an open, honest and accountable government, the cornerstone of a democracy, can be achieved only through the free and open exchange of information between government and the public. In Illinois, our most important transparency laws – the Freedom of Information […]
by: Diane Benjamin If government really is For the People and By the People – the PEOPLE need to take participate. Here’s your chance. Term Limits – Term Limits – Term Limits! If you really believe in term Limits – do something to make that happen. Signatures of Registered Voters are needed to get a […]
Maybe he’s still behind the other DC liar from Illinois, but not by much. WH: Durbin story ‘did not happen’ By Justin Sink White House press secretary Jay Carney on Wednesday flatly denied that a House Republican told President Obama “I cannot even stand to look at you” during negotiations over the government shutdown. “It […]
by: Diane Benjamin I’m sidetracked today with lots of other issues, so unless something changes there won’t be any other posts today. I will leave you with this for the weekend: $17,000,000,000,000 Look your kids in the eyes and tell sorry, but the debt will be all yours. Merry Christmas, you have no future. Who represents […]
by: Diane Benjamin Today reporter Paul Swiech did a front page story on Central Illinoisans trying to sign up for ObamaCare. He did say most of the people expecting to sign up qualified for Medicaid. Illinois expects to add 850,000 to the Medicaid roles in Illinois. Even before adding all these people, Medicaid recipients had […]
by: Diane Benjamin For decades, when buying a car from a dealer, the finance manager pulled out a pre-numbered Sales Tax form, filled in the information and had the customer sign it. The dealer then had 20 days to submit the form and taxes to the State. Illinois was the only state I know of […]
This article doesn’t mention Illinois, but Next-Gen has been used locally for at least a year, maybe longer. By Ben Velderman EAGnews.org TOPEKA, Kan. – In education circles, 2013 may well be remembered as the Year of Nationalized Learning Standards – and the beginning of the political battles they instigated. Even while Americans are still […]
SUNDAY 8:00am until 9:00am This will be in conjunction with Million Vet March on the Memorials in DC. Our Veterans Memorial is located by Oak Ridge cemetery. If you are entering via J David Parkway, you will find the Memorial to your right after you enter the gate. If you enter via Monument Drive, you […]
In 2010 the Illinois Democrats re-drew the district lines – of course to benefit their candidates in elections. This provided them with super-majorities in Springfield – both the House and Senate. Republicans are immaterial. The Democrats OWN Illinois, the pensions mess, the mass exodus, the unfunded liabilities, and all the corruption. Worse, many of these […]
This is the continuing story based on our 9 month investigation “Only a free and unrestrained press can effectively expose deception in government.” Hugo L. Black (New York Times Company v. United States, 1971) H-1B ObamaCare Illinois Bombshell Read my Huffington Post column Within a high-cost IT contract, the Quinn administration is discriminating […]
by: Diane Benjamin Supporters of Common Core want citizens to believe governor’s got together and made new standards. The following documents proves Illinois adapted Common Core to get Federal RACE to the TOP money. The legislature was never consulted and never voted to accept Common Core. It is also obvious that NOT accepting the adoption […]
This book is NOT connected to Common Core, this is a result of a bill passed in Illinois to require sex-ed education. HB2675 http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GAID=12&GA=98&DocNum=2675&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=85&LegID=&SpecSess=&Session= by: Diane Benjamin This text is approved for sex-ed classes, but it is not required. Each school district can pick what they want to use. This book is for ages 10 […]
What do you think the annual pension will be for a member of the Internal Revenue Service’s top brass after working 33 years in government? Five figures? Six figures? If you live in Illinois, you likely chose six figures. But according to the Daily Mail, Lois Lerner — of IRS infamy and tea party targeting […]
by: Diane Benjamin In 2009 they supported ObamaCare. How’s that working out for the country? Part-time nation, higher insurance costs, higher deductibles, businesses not hiring . . .the list of destruction caused by Democrats only passing this law is endless. Now they are wrong about supporting a progressive income tax for Illinois. Tax the rich, […]
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel recently revealed a plan to spend $24 million on additions and improvements to several of the city’s schools. Emanuel’s school projects are reported to include playground upgrades and a brand new school on the city’s southeast side — Emanuel has categorized this initiative as “school modernization.” But the mayor’s latest spending […]
Illinois’s Medicaid Scandal A tale of questionable dealings and taxpayer risk By Jillian Kay Melchior Bollywood performers, a Boston boat cruise with an open bar, gifts of cigars and wine — the vendor working on Illinois’s expensive new Medicaid information-technology system entertains public officials in style, according to sources in the Illinois government. These whistleblowers tell National […]
Complete list of mandates: http://www.isbe.net/IMTF/pdf/instructional_mandates_list.pdf The school district teaches character education, which includes teaching of respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, trustworthiness, and citizenship in order to raise pupil’s standard of good character. Family Life. If any school district provides courses of instruction designed to promote wholesome and comprehensive understanding of the emotional, psychological, physiological, hygienic and […]
Governor Quinn’s “Indian H1B visa” Problem This is the continuation of the story we have been investigating for 9 months. It’s not over yet! Springfield – Edgar County Watchdogs http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2013/09/governor-quins-indian-h1b-visa-problem/ Our work has been beyond reproach and it now appears the level of forked- tongue deception reaches levels well beyond the County Governments where we […]
by: Diane Benjamin Both Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson openly support Kirk Dillard for governor. According to http://www.openthebooks.com/ MONTHLY pension received: Jim Edgar: $11,574.84 received since 2001 11, 575 X 12 mths = $138,900 per year x 12 yrs (so far) = $1,666,800 of which he contributed a total of $164,657 Jim Thompson: $11,246.86 received since […]
The next shot in the Illinois-ObamaCare scandal (Woof-Woof): http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2013/09/somebodys-lying/ Posted by Kirk Allen on September 5, 2013 Illinois Health and Family Services, under the direction of Julie Hamos, might want to take a long weekend and figure out who needs fired for lying to the public. In this FOIA request/response I wanted to know who paid for the wining […]
If you missed the previous post: http://blnnews.com/2013/08/29/thank-you-fox-news/ Adam Andrzejewski Founder, openthebooks.com Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-andrzejewski/implementing-obamacare-by_b_3861333.html Implementing ObamaCare by Outsourcing Illinois Jobs to India CHICAGO- While everyone debates the policy points of ObamaCare, few understand that billions of dollars in IT contracts are wrapped inside the law. To meet federal mandates, states must upgrade […]
When people don’t like the direction in which their state is headed, they often vote with their feet. That’s precisely what Illinoisans did during the last decade, and they took their income with them. Illinois netted a loss of more $20 billion to other states through the out-migration of its residents from 2000-2010, according to […]
