Wirepoints
Recent News About Wirepoints
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Wirepoints president Dabrowski: 'We shouldn’t borrow to get out of a debt problem'
Wirepoints president Ted Dabrowski is warning that a plan being pushed by East Moline officials to cover pension deficits could leave residents deeper in debt.“The government wants to borrow a whole bunch of money for cheap, because rates are really low right now,” Dabrowski told WQAD.
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From Prairie State Wire
Wirepoints makes a data-backed argument about why Illinoisans 'can and must get back to work'
When Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed off on the stay-at-home order that essentially shut off Illinois' economy five weeks ago, few could argue with his reasoning. Now, though, a government watchdog group claims the current reality warrants opening the state back up.
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From Prairie State Wire
Illinois has enough ventilators for COVID-19 patients, according to state's data
If Gov. J.B. Pritzker gets the 4,000 ventilators he's requested, Illinois could end up with 2,280 more ventilators than it needs under worst-case scenario projections for the coronavirus crisis in Illinois, according to an analysis of recently released data from the state.
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Public safety pension fund in Moline under 50 percent funded, study shows
The combined police and fire retirement fund in Moline is only 35 percent funded, according to a new analysis of Illinois pension debts by Wirepoints.org.
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Public safety pension fund in Rock Island under 50 percent funded, study shows
The combined police and fire retirement fund in Rock Island is only 35 percent funded, according to a new analysis of Illinois pension debts by Wirepoints.org.
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From Prairie State Wire
Wirepoints calls out Pritzker for doubling state's gas tax, breaking promise to middle class
Illinois state lawmakers have a dubious history of subjecting residents to gas tax hikes, but the recent doubling of the state gas tax to 38 cents per gallon seems to have taken things to an entirely new level.
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From Prairie State Wire
Pritzker’s claims of paying down pension debt “simply dishonest,” fiscal watchdog says
The recently approved state budget hardly makes Illinois the beacon of fiscal prudence that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative leaders claim it is, budgetary analysts at Wirepoints say.
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GOP representative says Democrats won't fairly implement 'Fair Tax'
As Illinois Democrats continue to push for Gov. J.B. Pritzker's so-called "Fair Tax" that one online news outlet calls dishonest, state House Rep. Dan Swanson (R-Alpha) warned attendees at a recent town hall meeting that lower-income state residents should be wary.
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From Prairie State Wire
Illinios education officials want half the state's budget, Wirepoints warns
Illinois education officials are out to get half of the state's budget—and they just might—to the detriment of the state's taxpayers, according to an online Wirepoints newsletter issued earlier today.
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From Prairie State Wire
State facing huge debt for public-sector retiree health benefits, says Wirepoints
Illinois's "other debt disaster" is $73 billion in unfunded state retiree health insurance benefits and more than twice that amount owed over the next four decades, according to a special report issued this week by an online news outlet.
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From Prairie State Wire
Population falling, but Illinois government leaders agree to spend, borrow more
Illinois state government leaders say they will spend a record $38.5 billion and borrow an estimated $11.5 billion over the next year, according to a fiscal year 2019 budget plan approved by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
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Report shows 'true' accounting of pension liabilities more than double what governments say; Expert: debt is 'utterly absurd'
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.
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If budget hopes are scrapped, Illinois could become first 'junk' state
The chances that Illinois will reach a budget before May 31 and avoid seeing its bond rating lowered to the worst of any state in history are 50-50 at best, according to Mark Glennon, founder of the business and government website WirePoints told the Sangamon Sun recently.
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'Privilege tax' bills described as Illinois exit signs
Rather than bring in more money for the state, a pair of bills would probably drive more businesses out of Illinois, the founder of a financial website says.