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?”
Follow-Up
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 inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
Revisiting Rahm’s Lobbyist Pledge
Mayor Emanuel’s pledge not to accept campaign cash from lobbyists is adhered to — for the most part. BGA review prompts some questionable donations to be returned.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
Local Government Has Obesity Problem
Public agencies need a crash diet, with unnecessary units of government eliminated and duplicative functions consolidated.
Posted inFollow-Up, Legal, Results & Reforms
PROMISING MOVEMENT ON PENSION
Prompted in part by disclosures by the BGA and Chicago Sun-Times of a pension perk apparently crafted by a state legislator just for a member of one of Chicago’s most powerful political families, the Illinois Senate passes a bill to reverse the benefit. While the House didn’t take up the measure, it’s expected to be revisited in the next legislative session.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Legislators Move to Kill Pension Perk for Ex-Chief
Former Oak Brook Police Chief Tom Sheahan’s taxpayer-funded retirement benefits soared thanks to a law that appeared to be quietly crafted several years ago just for him. Now, following a BGA/Sun-Times expose, the Illinois Senate has voted to reverse the sweetheart deal.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, Newsroom
The Wild, Wild West
A Melrose Park cop sues the western suburb in federal court, claiming racial discrimination and accusing police brass of ignoring misconduct – including allegations of cops soliciting a prostitute, shooting a squad car and stealing a golf cart.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Summertime Clout in the Southwest Suburbs
How did the teenaged sons of a Cook County commissioner from Orland Park end up with good-paying summer jobs with the local fire department? The agency’s former human resources director says political favoritism played a part.