Stories | McLean County Times

City of Pontiac Fire and Police Commission will meet May 31

By Corazon L. Gonzales | May 30, 2017

City of Pontiac Fire and Police Commission will meet at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 31.

Manar attacks Kankakee Times for publishing school funding numbers

By Michael McGrady | May 26, 2017

Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is demanding a state investigation after the Kankakee Times reported on the anticipated district-by-district financial impact of his Senate Bill 1, which promises to change the state's formula for dispensing money to public schools.

Rauner says end run around Madigan only way forward for Illinois

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 26, 2017

The buckling stops here, Gov. Bruce Rauner said during a call-in radio show recently.

Watchdogs: Who's Joe, and why did Mautino pay him $12,487?

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 26, 2017

As a state lawmaker, Frank Mautino paid nearly $12,500 in campaign fund cash to a man named Joe without keeping any supporting receipts, according to a government oversight group.

Report shows 'true' accounting of pension liabilities more than double what governments say; Expert: debt is 'utterly absurd'

By Ann Maher, Madison County Record | May 26, 2017

Financial expert Mark Glennon of Wilmette says in his analysis of a new study on state and local pensions that the options available to reduce the substantial obligations facing Illinois funds include amending the state constitution or going through federal bankruptcy.

Village of Cullom met May 23.

By Lhalie Castillo | May 26, 2017

Village of Cullom met at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 23.

Tax analyst: Illinoisans crushed under weight of sales, income, property taxes

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 25, 2017

Illinoisans pay more in total taxes than anyone else in the nation, so any thoughts about adding to that burden need to be forgotten, a tax analyst argued recently.

Brady, Rose, Barickman oppose Senate move to raise income tax

By LGIS Newsfeed | May 23, 2017

Without the help of Republicans, Senate Democrats voted Tuesday to fix the budget by raising the Illinois income tax and expanding the sales tax.

Brady budget described as deception wrapped in false spending cuts

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 21, 2017

Sen. Bill Brady’s (R-Bloomington) budget plan overestimates its spending cuts and overstates its reform efforts, the Illinois Policy Institute argued recently.

GOP rep chides chamber: Pick a revenue number and get budget going

By Hoang Tran | May 19, 2017

Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) chastised the House for its lack of progress on a state budget estimate, calling it a failure of the chamber.

Critics pan $5,000 fine over Mautino financial reports, request criminal inquiry

By Glenn Minnis | May 19, 2017

The Illinois State Board of Elections slapped a $5,000 fine on Auditor General Frank Mautino's campaign committee on Monday for failing to comply with board order to update financial disclosure reports filed in 2014 and 2015.

Small businesses have big role to play in saving Illinois, Rauner says on tour

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 18, 2017

Illinois can't grow unless its small businesses grow, Gov. Bruce Rauner told owners and employees of several of the state's 1 million such businesses on a brief tour recently.

'Absurd' math used to calculate 'Comeback Agenda,' financial pro says

By Karen Kidd | May 18, 2017

There won't be any coming back for high-wage earners who will exit Illinois in a hurry if the so-called "Illinois Comeback Agenda" passes, a financial services professional said.

City of Pontiac Fire & Police Commission will meet May 17.

By Lhalie Castillo | May 16, 2017

City of Pontiac Fire & Police Commission will meet at 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 17.

City of Pontiac Council met May 15.

By Lhalie Castillo | May 16, 2017

City of Pontiac Council met at 7 p.m. Monday, May 15.

If budget hopes are scrapped, Illinois could become first 'junk' state

By Glenn Minnis | May 15, 2017

he chances that Illinois will reach a budget before May 31 and avoid seeing its bond rating lowered to the worst of any state in history are 50-50 at best, according to Mark Glennon, founder of the business and government website WirePoints told the Sangamon Sun recently.

Home builders group sees walls tumbling down if 'home repair tax' passes

By Glenn Minnis | May 14, 2017

A "home repair tax" will do little to fix the rotting infrastructure of Illinois' economy but would do devastating damage to an industry still reeling from the Great Recession, Mike Moews, president of the Bloomington-Normal Area Home Builders Association, said recently.