Better Government Association

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Better Government Association and McCormick Foundation Form the Illinois Solutions Partnership

Nov 22, 2021 12:00 AM

Initial $10 Million in Grants to New Investigative and Solutions Journalism Initiative

Investigations

Investigation

Insurance Firms Reap Billions in Profits While Doctors Get Stiffed for Serving the Poor

Milking Medicaid: State-contracted insurance firms balk at paying frontline medical providers, threatening the viability of leading hospitals and clinics, and imperiling Illinois' entire Medicaid program.
Nov 8, 2021 12:00 PM
Investigation

Illinois’ $16 Billion Health Program Is Riddled with Industry Ties and Potential Conflicts of Interest

Milking Medicaid: The state health care agency has a revolving door for executives from the insurance industry.
Nov 8, 2021 12:00 PM
Investigation

Pipeline to Chicago Could Make Joliet Mayor the New Suburban Water Czar

Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk is balancing his sometimes-controversial history with an ambitious plan to buy Lake Michigan water from Chicago and resell it throughout the region.
Sep 16, 2021 1:00 PM

The Circuit: Over 18 years, 61% of all criminal charges were filed against Black people, even though only about 23% of the county’s population is Black. In our latest update to our collaborative investigation, the BGA, Injustice Watch and DataMade break down more than 3 million criminal charges by race, ethnicity and gender.

Aug 13, 2021 10:05 AM

Follow ups

Explainers

Featured

The Madigan Rule

“The Madigan Rule” is a BGA podcast that takes listeners inside the story of how Speaker Mike Madigan ran Illinois--for good and for ill.

Hosted by Justin Kaufmann, a veteran radio host deeply steeped in state government, Kaufmann talks with people who witnessed Madigan’s exercise of power: governors, lawmakers, journalists and politicos. They feared him and revered him and had no choice but to reckon with his rules.

It’s the Madigan Rule: a podcast about Illinois’ most powerful politician, featuring those who knew him well.

Episode 5 available now.

All episodes streaming now.

Watch the trailer here.

The Failures Before the Fires

Read The Story:

Investigation

The Failures Before the Fires: Dozens Die in Chicago Buildings Where the City Knew of Fire Safety Issues

After New York City, Is Ranked-Choice Voting Still The Future of Voting?

Featured Analysis

Ranked-Choice Voting faced one of its biggest tests yet. Did it live up to expectations? Is it the future? BGA takes a deep dive.

Aug 10, 2021 3:20 PM

Policy

Redistricting Controversies
November 19, 2021

Analysis

How's Mayor Lori Lightfoot Doing? We're Keeping Track.

Updated: August 3, 2021

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