Rockford Sun

Keicher receives U.S. Defense Department honor for 'leadership on public policy changes' for Illinois veterans

By Karen Kidd | Jan 29, 2022

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) recognized the legislative record of an Illinois State House representative out of DeKalb County earlier this month.

Stadelman: 'More state help is on the way' for Rockford-area small businesses

By Karen Kidd | Jul 16, 2021

An expanded state service is available to Rockford-area small businesses who need help accessing economic recovery grant programs, State Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said in a recent social media post and statement.

Boone County expands eligibility for receiving COVID-19 vaccine

By Karen Kidd | Feb 21, 2021

Boone County essential workers and people 65 and older are signing up for COVID-19 vaccination appointments following.

Supervisor's 'reign of terror' in Pecatonica Township 'dealt a massive,' watchdog group reports

By Karen Kidd | Jan 12, 2021

Pecatonica Township Supervisor Joe Musso's former habits of trying to control the township's office building and who may attend public meetings have been curtailed by a recently passed ordinance, a two-man Paris-based political activist group announced late last month.

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 | 6 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.

Rep. Cabello calls $4.7 billion in new tax fee hikes 'nightmare on Illinois Street'

By Karen Kidd | Jul 12, 2019

The 21 state tax and fee hikes that total $4.7 billion are a nightmare of Freddy Krueger proportions, according to a Republican state representative from District 68's Facebook post earlier this month.

From West Central Reporter

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

By Karen Kidd | 6 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.

Rep. Sosnowski planning graduated income tax town hall meeting today in Rockford

By Karen Kidd | Apr 25, 2019

Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) is planning to co-host a town hall meeting today about Gov. J.B Pritzker's so-called "Fair Tax," which one online news outlet calls dishonest.

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.

From Prairie State Wire

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

By Karen Kidd | 7 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 | 7 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.

From Prairie State Wire

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

By Karen Kidd | 7 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.

Taxing retirement income would prompt retirees to flee Illinois, Syverson says

By Karen Kidd | Apr 10, 2018

A Chicago think tank that says Illinois is missing out on billions of dollars in revenue by leaving retirement income untaxed hasn't thought that idea through, Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) said during a recent interview.

From Prairie State Wire

Better Government Association says Obama didn't say fathers in the home is a solution to gun violence -- but he did

By Karen Kidd | 7 years ago

Sometimes the fact-checker needs a good fact-checking.

Syverson says he sees no rigging in Cook County GOP's Rauner endorsement

By Karen Kidd | Feb 15, 2018

Concerns that Gov. Bruce Rauner's recent Cook County Republican Central Committee endorsement was a rigged outcome are unfounded, a Rockford lawmaker and Rauner supporter said during a recent interview.

Parents, students in College Illinois should not worry but program must end, Sosnowski says

By Karen Kidd | Jan 16, 2018

Parents and students enrolled in the College Illinois prepaid tuition program, which closed to new investors last summer after falling $320 million short of its obligations, should not worry, Rep. Joe Sosnowski (R-Rockford) said during a recent interview.