Tag Archives: State Debt

An “Agreed Bill” That I Don’t Agree With

In April, I was appointed to be a representative of the House Republican caucus on an “Agreed Bill Committee” which is a device used by labor and the business community during negotiations over the critical issue of Unemployment Insurance. By … Continue reading

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There’s a “Red Menace” Made of Ink, and We’re Drowning In It

I published the following post last December. With the defeat of the Governor’s so-called “Fair Tax” amendment, it seems an appropriate time to bring it around again. . The Chicago Tribune has published the story of a family trying to … Continue reading

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Debt Option #1: Front-Loading Pension Payments

Long before I was elected to the House, I’ve been talking about Illinois’ pension crisis (here, here, here and here, to name a few). Since that time, our accumulated pension debt has risen from “just” over $100 billion to somewhere … Continue reading

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What to Do About Illinois’ Debt (And Death is Not an Option)

With more than $7 billion of unpaid bills and (depending on who you ask) $130-$200 billion in unfunded pension liabilities, a credit rating hovering just above “junk” status and people and businesses fleeing in droves, there are no easy answers … Continue reading

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