Will County Gazette

From Prairie State Wire

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

By Karen Kidd | 6 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 | 6 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 DuPage Policy Journal

Olsen warns Pritzker tax hike will hit working class, not just billionaires

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois Rep. David Olsen (R-Downers Grove) doesn’t believe the state’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate when he claims his proposed tax hikes will only be levied against billionaires.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Pritzker offers only an 'intellectually lazy' approach to state problems, Wehrli says

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Rep. Grant Wehrli (R-Naperville) doesn’t think Illinois Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker will put much effort into governing Illinois if he wins November’s election.

From DuPage Policy Journal

Pritzker wants to follow Madigan 2017 tax hike with more increases, Durkin says

By Karen Kidd | 6 years ago

Illinois Democrat gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker will follow State House Speaker Mike Madigan's huge tax hike with increases of his own if he wins in November, the ranking House Republican said earlier this week.

Benford warns state falling far behind in pension crisis, sees education as top priority

By Karen Kidd | Jul 20, 2018

Republican House candidate Alyssia Benford had some straight talk during a recent radio interview about Illinois' pension crisis, saying the state is never going to catch up.

From Prairie State Wire

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

By Karen Kidd | 6 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.

NFL should have taken lesson from NBA's handling of anthem controversy, Batinick says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 12, 2018

The NFL could have taken a lesson from the NBA in how to deal with protests over the national anthem, an Illinois state representative said during a recent interview.

'Room for improvement and cause for concern' in recent budget agreement, Laib says

By Karen Kidd | Jun 6, 2018

The recent budget agreement in Springfield that the governor signed was no small feat but it's not a perfect package, the Republican candidate for the 86th District Illinois State House seat said during a recent interview.

Benford: 'We can’t tax our way out of our issues'

By Karen Kidd | May 23, 2018

A proposed statewide 1 percent property tax would hit already over-burdened Illinois taxpayer and would only make their lives harder, the Republican candidate for the state House 98th District seat said during a recent interview.

'Change is hard, but we can do it,' 98th state House District candidate says

By Karen Kidd | May 17, 2018

Springfield legislators should partner with business and communities - not work against them - to pull Illinois out of its recent ranking as among the worst states in the nation in which to do business, the Republican candidate for the state House 98th District seat said during a recent interview.

State agency's hiring of ex-cop with federal conviction 'a massive mistake,' Batinick said

By Karen Kidd | May 14, 2018

An Illinois regulatory agency's decision to hire a former Chicago police officer with a past that included close ties to the Mickey Cobras street gang was "a massive mistake," Rep. Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) said during a recent interview.

Proponents of youth tackle football ban using outdated information, Bolingbrook Trojans exec says

By Karen Kidd | Mar 8, 2018

Proponents of Illinois House legislation that would ban children younger than 12 from participating in organized tackle football teams need to look at more modern research about concussions and the sport, a coach said during a recent interview

Amid debate over youth football bill, academy official says sport's safety has improved

By Karen Kidd | Mar 8, 2018

People advocating for an Illinois House bill that would ban children younger than 12 from joining organized tackle football teams are going after the wrong sport, the national recruiting director for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Academy said in a recent interview

Proposed restrictions on tackle football is based on outdated info, youth sports group president says

By Karen Kidd | Mar 7, 2018

Proposed legislation that would ban organized youth sports programs from allowing children younger that 12 to play tackle football is based on poor research and outdated information far more relevant to pro-players than children, the head of a Joliet-based youth sport and cheer organization 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 | 6 years ago

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

17-year-old Aurora precinct committeeman has had a rough introduction to politics

By Karen Kidd | Feb 14, 2018

As a young Republican running for precinct committeeman in Aurora during next month's General Primary Election, 17-year-old Carolyn Humphrey has been finding out that some liberals do not always practice the inclusivity and tolerance they preach.

Batinick calls on College Illinois to fulfill contractual obligations

By Karen Kidd | Jan 4, 2018

Resolving issues with the College Illinois prepaid tuition program, which closed to new investors last summer after falling $320 million short of its obligations, will not be simple, Illinois' 97th District state House representative said during a recent interview.

Will County cutting salary money, not individual pay, board member says

By Karen Kidd | Nov 29, 2017

The $1 million in salary cuts announced in Will County's fiscal 2018 budget will not mean individual pay cuts for county employees, a board member said during a recent interview.

Proposed budged reflects Will County Board's commitment to fiscal responsibility, District 10 member says

By Karen Kidd | Nov 14, 2017

Will County Board members are considering a budget plan for fiscal 2018 that is being called a fiscally responsible proposal by at least one board member.