WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Mayor Rahm Emanuel  had a busy week: He made a quick appearance at the trial of former Gov.

University of Illinois President Michael Hogan says faculty at all three of the systems main campuses, including Chicago, could receive their first pay raise in three years this summer if current state budget proposals become reality.Hogan told The News-Gazette newspaper in Champaign on Monday that

The Illinois House voted against a measure on Thursday that aimed to the state to the list of those legalizing medical marijuana.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said that Rahm Emanuel's proposal to tax some services is going nowhere. Chicago's mayor-elect has said he wants to broaden the sales tax to cover what he called "luxury" services, while lowering the tax rate.

Gov. Pat Quinn delivered his annual State of the State address Wednesday. As he gave a brief run-through of his new budget Quinn tried to paint an optimistic future for the Prairie State. That’s no easy task.

A pair of Illinois men who were charged with killing their daughters but were cleared by DNA evidence said the state should put an end to the death penalty.      The Chicago Sun-Times reported that Kevin Fox and Jerry Hobbs said it should be required in murder cases

These have not been easy times for Illinois bean counters and those who depend on them.  An already weakened state balance sheet, like the pocketbooks of its already stretched citizens, was hard-hit by the recession.  Ever since, the state has been caught in a cycle of rising costs, unpaid