Public Building Commission – a public agency tasked with helping the city and county with construction – doles out big raises to employees, as other embarrassments surface.
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Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Sheriff Gives Teenage Son Access To Police Database
DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba not only let his high school-aged son go on ride-alongs with deputies and participate in arrests, the teen was given access to a confidential police database containing information on all licensed drivers in Illinois. The BGA is suing to find out whose data was accessed.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
When in Doubt, Remap Them Out
A year after running unsuccessfully for alderman, dozens of politically active Chicagoans find themselves remapped into different wards, a sign that political powerbrokers are looking after themselves instead of residents.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Thieves Target City Equipment
While municipal facilities are plundered in Chicago – with crooks making off with everything from truck wheels to tools and rolls of costly copper wire – bureaucrats struggle to answer: Why is security so bad?
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
Daley’s “Insecurity Detail” Doesn’t Add Up for Taxpayers
Ex-Mayor Richard M. Daley kept his police chauffeur-bodyguards after retiring last year – quite the expense for taxpayers, and quite the perk for him. Which raises a question: why isn’t Daley paying taxes on this “unearned income?”
Posted inAnalysis, Perspective, Policy
Hey Lansing, Why Wait? Take Public Pension Cure
The Village of Lansing knows there’s a big problem with the way it’s awarding some public pensions. Lansing’s leaders just need to show some courage and fix it.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
Lansing’s Last-Day Raises Last a Lifetime
Taxpayers are left holding the bag as Lansing leaders give pay hikes to cops and firefighters as they retire – prompting pensions to soar.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
Quite the Fare for Taxi Owner
Cab company gets fined by city for using salvaged vehicles on Chicago streets – then ends up with hundreds of thousands of dollars in government grant money.
Posted inFollow-Up, Legal, Results & Reforms
RAHM RETURNING LOBBYIST CASH
After the BGA discovers that Rahm Emanuel’s campaign fund apparently violated a pledge not to accept donations from lobbyists, his political action committee announces it will return five donations totaling $7,650.
Posted inAnalysis, Perspective, Policy
State Lawmakers Did OK But Need to Do Much More
While the state’s latest legislative session ends with a whimper and not the big bang of much-needed public pension reform, taxpayers can still chalk up a few important victories.