May, 2017 Stories | Metro East Sun

City of Edwardsville Public Safety Committee met April 24.

By Noddy A. Fernandez | May 30, 2017

City of Edwardsville Public Safety Committee met at 5:36 p.m. Wednesday, May 24.

City of Columbia Committee of the Whole met April 24.

By Noddy A. Fernandez | May 30, 2017

City of Columbia Committee of the Whole met at 7 p.m. Monday, April 24.

Meier sees Rauner as last hope for unborn children after bill passes General Assembly

By Glenn Minnis | May 29, 2017

Rep. Charlie Meier’s (R-Okawville) didn't think twice about voting against House Bill 40.

Metro East homeowners take bridge to property tax relief

By Caitlin Nordhal | May 29, 2017

All most Metro East Illinoisans have to do to see a huge cut in their property taxes is cross the Mississippi River, the Illinois Policy Institute argued recently.

McCann measure would combine costs of Illinois' highest offices

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 28, 2017

Illinois' governor and lieutenant governor would operate within the same budget if a measure filed by Sen. Sam McCann (R-Plainview) passes the General Assembly and is then approved by voters.

Beiser, Stuart, Costello constituents urged to voice opposition to increased taxes

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 28, 2017

Following the Senate’s partisan advancement of budget legislation on Tuesday, the Illinois Republican Party is calling constituents of Reps. Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton), Daniel Beiser (D-Alton) and Katie Stuart (D-Edwardsville), urging them to voice their opposition to increased taxes without reform.

Davidsmeyer applauds talks that resulted in deal for corrections nurses

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 28, 2017

Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Jacksonville) recently cheered word that the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) and the Illinois Nurses Association (INA) would continue negotiations to prevent the layoff of 124 corrections nurses.

McCarter urges 'restraint, responsibility' in budget agreement

By Jessica Waters | May 28, 2017

Two roads diverge in the General Assembly, Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon), wrote in a recent posting: the high-tax path and the road to “restraint and responsibility.”

McCarter calls workers' comp bill a far cry from real reform

By Hoang Tran | May 28, 2017

Illinois is weighed down by a mountain of workers' compensation claims, and the state is not going to lift that burden by chipping away at it with a kitchen knife, Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) said recently.

Manar attacks Kankakee Times for publishing school funding numbers

By Michael McGrady | May 26, 2017

Sen. Andy Manar (D-Bunker Hill) is demanding a state investigation after the Kankakee Times reported on the anticipated district-by-district financial impact of his Senate Bill 1, which promises to change the state's formula for dispensing money to public schools.

Rauner says end run around Madigan only way forward for Illinois

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 26, 2017

The buckling stops here, Gov. Bruce Rauner said during a call-in radio show recently.

Watchdogs: Who's Joe, and why did Mautino pay him $12,487?

By Caitlin Nordahl | May 26, 2017

As a state lawmaker, Frank Mautino paid nearly $12,500 in campaign fund cash to a man named Joe without keeping any supporting receipts, according to a government oversight group.

Report shows 'true' accounting of pension liabilities more than double what governments say; Expert: debt is 'utterly absurd'

By Ann Maher, Madison County Record | May 26, 2017

Financial expert Mark Glennon of Wilmette says in his analysis of a new study on state and local pensions that the options available to reduce the substantial obligations facing Illinois funds include amending the state constitution or going through federal bankruptcy.