New Department of Assets, Information and Services reduced spending growth by $1.8 million per year post-merger, exceeding $1 million savings target.
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Posted inAction, Analysis, Policy
BGA Opposes End Run Around FOIA During COVID-19 Emergency
A bill introduced in the General Assembly’s special session contains a provision that would relieve local governments of their obligation to produce public records during the pandemic.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Email Strings Show City Officials Warned of Health Risks Before Little Village Demolition Fiasco
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration has blown deadlines to disclose internal communications, violating state public records laws. City Hall’s decision-making process prior to the implosion remains shrouded.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Lawmakers in Hot Water With Feds Get Campaign Cash That Helps Pay Defense Lawyers
In one of his last acts, now-retired Illinois Senate President John Cullerton OK’d sending nearly $100,000 to two state senators under federal investigation.
Posted inAction, Analysis, Policy
Tell Lawmakers to Protect Our Nov. 3 Election
New Department of Assets, Information and Services reduced spending growth by $1.8 million per year post-merger, exceeding $1 million savings target.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, PolitiFact
Fact-Check: No, the Novel Coronavirus Was Not ‘Man-Made’
Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford said the novel coronavirus did not occur naturally. In response to our inquiry, she acknowledged she has no proof to back that up.
Posted inAction, Analysis, Policy
BGA Urges Lawmakers to Send a Ballot to All Registered Voters in November
Illinois lawmakers must guard against voting disruptions caused by COVID-19, but SB1863 does not go far enough.
Posted inInvestigation, PolitiFact, Who's on Watch
Who’s on Watch? Q&A with BGA Reporter Casey Toner
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Better Government Association is shifting gears to help inform the public about the government’s role and actions during the crisis. We (virtually) sat down with BGA reporter Casey Toner to ask him how he is responding to the coronavirus.
Posted inPress Release
BGA Wins Three Lisagor Awards
The staff was honored by the Chicago Headline Club for General Excellence in Online Journalism as well as for investigations into a mayor’s insider deals and nepotism in southwest suburban Lyons, and auxiliary police in Illinois.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation, PolitiFact
Fact-Check: LaHood Overstates Chicago’s Share of Illinois COVID-19 Cases
Arguing his region of the state should be allowed to start reopening, the congressman said Chicago accounts for nearly all cases of the novel coronavirus in Illinois. But data show the city makes up less than half of the state’s total.