Combating America's Growing Debt

From the Union League Club of Chicago: former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker and Illinois Congressman Mark Kirk tell an audience about the dangerous growth of America's official debt and the future financial crisis developing due to the unfunded liabilities in entitlement programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

This program is sponsored in-part by the Institute for Truth in Accounting.

Recorded April 6, 2009.  Aired the week of June 22, 2009.  1 hour & 25 minutes.

Illinois State Senate:

Debate on Revisions to Tax Code

From the Senate Chamber at the State Capitol: a portion of the debate in which senators consider whether to revamp the Illinois tax code and apply taxes to business services in addition to manufactured products.

*Program Update: While House Bill 174 passed the Senate 31-27-1, it did not subsequently pass the House.

Recorded May 30, 2009.  Aired the week of June 8, 2009.  40 minutes.

Opposition to Proposed Tax Hike

From the Press Briefing Room at the State Capitol: Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, tells reporters that raising taxes in Illinois would only weaken the state's economy and lead to further wasteful spending.

Recorded May 26, 2009.  Aired the week of June 1, 2009.  25 minutes.

Illinois Business Leaders Discuss the Financial Crisis and the President's Economic Stimulus Plans

This program is archived.  Click on the photo to view via video-stream.

From Chicago: we hear from former Commerce Secretary William Daley, former Transportation Secretary Sam Skinner and others as they discuss the federal economic stimulus plan and the Obama administration's approach to fixing the nation's economy.

Recorded February 18, 2009.  Aired the week of March 2, 2009.  1 hour.

Sheila Weinberg:

Founder & CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting

This program is archived.  Click on the photo to view via video-stream.

From Springfield: Sheila Weinberg, Founder and CEO of the Institute for Truth in Accounting, explains the flaws she has found in the way governments account for their spending and why so-called "balanced budgets" frequently add to growing deficits.

For more information, click here.

Recorded May 8, 2008.  Aired the week of July 28, 2008.  15 minutes.

CAPITOL INSIGHTS: Dan Long

Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability

From the Stratton Office Building in Springfield: we speak with Dan Long, Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.  July 1 marks the first day of the new fiscal year for the state of Illinois.  Mr. Long discusses projections for both revenue & spending growth and how those projections show that balancing the state's budget is increasingly difficult.

For more information, click here.

Recorded July 1, 2008.  Aired the week of July 7, 2008.  15 minutes.

Efforts to Pass a Capital Spending Bill

From the State Capitol in Springfield: a press conference in which Governor Rod Blagojevich is joined by legislative leaders, business leaders, and labor officials as they discuss what had looked to be a breakthrough toward passage of a $31 billion Capital Bill.

Recorded May 28, 2008.  Aired the week of June 2, 2008.  20 minutes.

Priorities and Pressures Facing the Illinois State Budget

From Southern Illinois University in Carbondale: a panel of former state officials bring us behind the scenes and explain just some of the priorities and pressures involved in forging a new state budget.

For more information, click here.

Video Courtesy of WSIU TV, Carbondale.

Recorded April 23, 2008.  Aired the week of May 26, 2008.  45 minutes.

Economist Ralph Martire on the State's Budget Deficit and

Comptroller Dan Hynes on the State's "Leadership Deficit"

From Southern Illinois University in Carbondale: Economist Ralph Martire remarks on Illinois' troubled economy.  We then hear a speech by Comptroller Dan Hynes (D), who says the state lacks leadership by the Governor to address its fiscal problems.

Video Courtesy of WSIU TV, Carbondale.

Recorded April 23, 2008.  Aired the week of May 12, 2008.  25 minutes.

The Impact of Unfunded State Mandates on City Pensions

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Illinois mayors tell reporters why the financial stability of local firefighter and police pensions are threatened by state mandates.  The mayors also discuss how the growth of municipal pension payments is already impacting their cities' abilities to provide other municipal services.

Recorded March 6, 2008.  Aired the week of March 31, 2008.  45 minutes.

Gov. Blagojevich's FY 2009 Budget Address

This program is archived.  Click on the photo to view via video-stream.

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Governor Rod Blagojevich delivers his Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Address.  This is the Governor's blueprint for funding state government from July 2008 through June 2009.

For a brief overview of the proposed budget, click here.

To read a .pdf version of the Budget Address, click here.

Recorded February 20, 2008.  Aired the week of February 25, 2008.  25 minutes.

Reaction to the Governor's FY 2009 Budget Address

From the State Capitol in Springfield: following the Governor's Budget Address, lawmakers and others offered their reaction to the proposed budget.

Recorded February 20, 2008.  Aired the week of February 25, 2008.  1 hour.

Gambling as a Source of Government Revenue

From the Union League Club of Chicago: a panel examines the issues involved in using gambling as a source of government revenue.  How viable is gambling as a consistent source of revenue, and is it moral?  As Illinois state government is considering an expansion of gambling, we hear more on this key issue from lawmakers, business leaders, and ministers.

Recorded December 4, 2007.  Aired the week of January 14, 2008.  35 minutes.

The Future of the Property Tax

From the Union League Club of Chicago: we hear a presentation by Dr. Paul Courant, author and lecturer on tax policy, as he addresses the future of the property tax and what impact this may have on education funding and economic development.

Recorded November 30, 2007.  Aired the week of January 7, 2008.  20 minutes.

Property Tax Reform in Illinois

From the Union League Club of Chicago: State Senator Chris Lauzen, Economist Fred Giertz, and Ralph Martire of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability talk about what options might be used to reform Illinois' property tax system, as well as the impact such reforms would have on schools, homeowners, and businesses.

Recorded November 30, 2007.  Aired the week of December 10, 2007.  1 hour.

Tax Policies and Election Politics

From Springfield: Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, discusses tax policies he believes political parties should pursue and what voters should consider when choosing a presidential candidate.  We also hear comments from Illinois House Republican Leader Tom Cross.

Recorded September 24, 2007.  Aired the week of October 1, 2007.  30 minutes.

Former State Senator Steve Rauschenberger:

Illinois State Budget Issues

From Chicago: Jeff Berkowitz, producer of Public Affairs, interviews former Illinois state senator Steve Rauschenberger, a noted expert on the state budget.  They discuss the process and politics that created the longest legislative session in history before finally passing a state budget.

Recorded August 28, 2007.  Aired the week of September 24, 2007.  30 minutes.

Fiscal Year 2008 State Budget Negotiations

From the State Capitol in Springfield: our one-on-one interviews with lawmakers who tell us about the policy divisions that have kept the legislature from passing a new state budget.  We also hear from Dan Long, Executive Director of the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability, who tells us how much new money is coming into the state budget from the growth of the economy.

Recorded July 18, 2007.  Aired the week of July 23, 2007.  35 minutes.

Fixing Illinois' Financial Future

From the Union League Club of Chicago: Illinois' Chief Operating Officer John Filan, Comptroller Dan Hynes, and others participate in a panel discussion on the state of Illinois' financial problems and possible solutions.  This panel was held during the annual meeting of the League of Women Voters of Illinois.  During this meeting, the Union League Club's Public Affairs Committee also received the Civic Contribution Award from the League of Women Voters.

Recorded April 24, 2007.  Aired the week of May 21, 2007.  1 hour.

State Government's Unfunded Liabilities and Commitments

From Springfield: R. Eden Martin, President of the Commercial Club of Chicago's Civic Committee, discusses the Illinois State Budget, pensions, state revenues, and taxing policies.  Mr. Martin is one of the principle authors of a recent report on the state's finances; a report that House Speaker Michael Madigan has publicly applauded on several occasions.

Recorded April 16, 2007.  Aired the week of May 7, 2007.  1 hour.

Senate Testimony from Those Favoring the Gross Receipts Tax

From the State Capitol in Springfield: a joint committee hearing between the Senate Education and Senate Revenue Committees, in which Senators hear testimony on the Governor’s proposed Gross Receipts Tax (GRT).  The tax would be based on a business’ top line - revenues - instead of its profit, as is the case under current law.  During this hour of testimony, Senators hear from those supporting passage of the GRT.

Recorded April 18, 2007.  Aired the week of April 30, 2007.  1 hour.

Senate Testimony from Those Opposing the Gross Receipts Tax

From the State Capitol in Springfield: in this second hour of testimony before the joint committee hearing of the Senate Education and Senate Revenue Committees, Senators hear from those opposed to the Governor’s proposed Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). Among those testifying against the GRT are small businessmen, who say the GRT would drive them out of business.

Recorded April 18, 2007.  Aired the week of April 30, 2007.  1 hour.

The Governor's Gross Receipts Tax and Spending Proposals

From the City Club of Chicago: John Filan, Chief Operating Officer of the State of Illinois, talks about the administration's plans to create a Gross Receipts Tax, lease the lottery, require healthcare coverage for every worker in Illinois, and pay down the pension debt.

Recorded March 19, 2007.  Aired the week of April 2, 2007.  55 minutes.

Gross Receipts Tax, Borrowing, and Pensions

From Springfield: Senator Christine Radogno, one of the leading Republican spokespersons on the state budget, discusses the Governor's proposals to create a Gross Receipts Tax, borrow money to pay down the pension debt, and lease the lottery.

Recorded March 20, 2007.  Aired the week of March 26, 2007.  35 minutes.

Rally for Increasing Transportation Funding

From the State Capitol in Springfield: noting the lack of a Capital Spending Bill for the last three years, business groups, labor organizations, and lawmakers rally on behalf of a legislative effort to spend $25 billion over the next five years to improve Illinois' transportation infrastructure.

Recorded March 14, 2007.  Aired the week of March 19, 2007.  40 minutes.

Reforming the Budget Process

From Press Briefing Room at the State Capitol: Senate Republicans discuss their proposals to reform the budget process to increase both accountability and transparency.  These proposals come in the wake of past years when the state budget would be passed just hours after it arrived on legislators' desks and after budgets were found to contain millions of dollars in undesignated funds.

Recorded March 8, 2007.  Aired the week of March 19, 2007.  15 minutes.

Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Address

Click here to read a .pdf version of the Governor's Budget Address.

Recorded March 7, 2007.  Aired the week of March 12, 2007.  35 minutes.

Legislative Reaction to the Governor's Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Address

From the State Capitol in Springfield: members of the legislature and others offer their reaction to the Governor's budget plan.

Recorded March 7, 2007.  Aired the week of March 12, 2007.  50 minutes.

The Business Community's Reaction to the Governor's Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Address

From the Press Briefing Room at the State Capitol: leaders in the Illinois business community share their reaction to the Governor's proposal to tax businesses' revenues instead of profits.  They also respond to the Governor's statements that businesses are not paying their fair share of tax revenues.

Recorded March 7, 2007.  Aired the week of March 12, 2007.  30 minutes.

Taxes, Public Spending, and the Illinois Business Climate

From Springfield: our one-on-one conversation with former gubernatorial candidate Ron Gidwitz and Illinois Manufacturers' Association President Greg Baise.  We hear about their efforts to build public support against wasteful government spending and their assessment of the overall business climate in Illinois.

Recorded March 1, 2007.  Aired the week of March 5, 2007.  35 minutes.

The State Budget, Pensions, and Tax Structure

This program is underwritten in part by the Center for State Policy & Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield and the Institute of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois.

Recorded February 6, 2007.  Aired the week of February 19, 2007.  1 hour.

Funding Education, Pensions, and Property Tax Relief

From the Press Briefing Room at the State Capitol: Senator James Meeks (D) introduces legislation which he says will address school under-funding, put additional funds into the state's ailing pension systems, and offer property tax relief.

Recorded February 8, 2007.  Aired the week of February 12, 2007.  35 minutes.

Spending and Tax Problems in Illinois' State Budget

From the Union League Club in Chicago: a panel discussion on the economic challenges facing Illinois state government this year, as it attempts to produce a balanced state budget.  We hear from John Filan, Chief Operating Officer of the State of Illinois; Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; and former Senator Steve Rauschenberger.

Recorded January 30, 2007.  Aired the week of February 12, 2007.  1 hour.

Illinois' Economy and Financial Health

From the Union League Club of Chicago: educators, budget analysts, and civic leaders discuss the state's growing financial problems of unfunded pensions, rising healthcare costs, and its tax structure.  We hear from Southern Illinois University's Mike Lawrence and then from a panel moderated by Chicago Journalist Carol Marin.

Recorded January 17, 2007.  Aired the week of January 29, 2007.  1 hour & 15 minutes.

Building Big Success in Small Towns

This program is archived.  Click on the photo to view via video-stream.

From Springfield: our one-on-one conversation with Jack Schultz, author of "Boomtown USA: The 7 1/2 Keys to Building Big Success in Small Towns."  Mr. Schultz, who is also the President of Agracel in Effingham, says his travels across America uncovered common patterns followed by economically successful communities.

Recorded December 5, 2006.  Aired the week of January 1, 2007.  35 minutes.

State of Illinois' Economic Health

From Springfield: our one-on-one interview with State Comptroller Dan Hynes.  Comptroller Hynes discusses the state's backlog of bills and why he feels the state is operating with a $3 billion debt, while others say the budget is balanced.  He also talks about problems plaguing the state's taxing structure that have led some to say the state is now operating with a "structural deficit."

Recorded November 29, 2006.  Aired the week of December 4, 2006.  30 minutes.

Illinois' Pension Debt and Tax Structure

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Economist Ralph Martire discusses his recent study which examined the growing debt of the state's pension systems and why he says the state needs to restructure its taxing system to meet the growth in the cost of state government.

Recorded November 28, 2006.  Aired the week of December 4, 2006.  10 minutes.

Implications of Extending the Electric Rate Freeze

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Scott Cisel, President of Ameren Illinois, explains the impact on Ameren should the ten-year-old electric rate freeze be extended and notes Moody's has already downgraded Ameren's credit worthiness.

Recorded November 14, 2006.  Aired the week of November 20, 2006.  25 minutes.

Funding Status of State and Local Pensions

From Springfield: the U.S. House of Representatives holds a hearing at the Illinois State Capitol to discuss the financial status of publicly funded pensions.  Among those testifying are Economist J. Fred Giertz of the University of Illinois and Illinois State Budget Director John Filan.

Recorded August 30, 2006.  Aired the week of September 25, 2006.  1 hour & 15 minutes.

The Looming Crisis in Medicare, Social Security, and the Budget

This program is archived.  Click on the photo to view via video-stream.

From the Union League Club of Chicago: David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States, and Robert Bixby, Executive Director of the Concord Coalition, discuss the looming funding crisis in the Federal Budget.  We hear details on how the unfunded obligations in Medicare and Social Security threaten to overwhelm the government's ability to meet those obligations and fund other functions of government.

Recorded August 24, 2006.  Aired the week of September 4, 2006.  1 hour.

Regional Perspective on the Illinois Economy

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: an encore presentation of our interview with James Roolf, President of the Joliet Banking Center, who shares his insights into how the Illinois economy is doing in Will County and what actions state government and Illinois businesses can take to improve the Illinois business climate.  This was taped at a day-long Economic Summit hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Re-aired the week of August 14, 2006.  10 minutes.

Economic Activity in the St. Louis Region

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: Christopher Wheeler, Regional Economist with the St. Louis Federal Reserve, shares data showing regional economic activity in the St. Louis metro area, including Madison & St. Clair Counties in Illinois.  This lecture was part of a day-long Economic Summit hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of August 7, 2006.  35 minutes.

Economic Future of Illinois' Horse Industry

From Springfield:  leading members of the Illinois horse breeders and racing interests discuss why they say the Illinois horse racing industry is facing a crisis.  They also discuss recently passed legislation that requires casinos to pay into a Horse Racing Trust Fund, legislation that is now being challenged in the courts.

Recorded July 25, 2006.  Aired the week of July 31, 2006.  35 minutes.

Blagojevich Administration's Economic Policies

From Chicago: Jack Lavin, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, discusses the Blagojevich Administration's approach to developing the Illinois economy.

Recorded June 22, 2006.  Aired the week of July 17, 2006.  45 minutes.

The Effect of Education on Illinois Businesses

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: Jeff Mays, President of the Illinois Business Roundtable, discusses Illinois' ability to remain economically competitive and whether our state's educational standards are undermining Illinois businesses as in their effort to compete with firms overseas.  This presentation was part of a day-long Economic Summit hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of July 10, 2006.  25 minutes.

Assessing the Chicagoland Economy

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: William Testa, Vice President & Director of Regional Programs for the Federal Reserve Bank, discusses the health of the Chicagoland economy.  Mr. Testa made his remarks before a gathering of business leaders attending a day-long Economic Summit hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of July 3, 2006.  40 minutes.

Illinois Jobs

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: University of Illinois Economist Fred Giertz shares his data into recent trends in job creation in Illinois.  This discussion was part of a day-long Economic Summit hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth & Prosperity.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of June 26, 2006.  45 minutes.

Business Conditions in Illinois

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: following Professor Giertz's presentation, John Lewis of Northern Illinois University discussed the cost of doing business in Illinois.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of June 26, 2006.  45 minutes.

The Economics of Immigration

From Chicago: Jeff Berkowitz, Producer of Public Affairs, discusses the economics of legal and illegal immigration.  His guests are economists Dr. Barry Chiswick, of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Dr. Hoyt Bleakley, of the University of Chicago.

Recorded May 16, 2006.  Aired the week of June 19, 2006.  30 minutes.

Jobs and Personal Income Trends in Illinois

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: Economist Ralph Martire, Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, presents his research into job growth and trends in personal income in Illinois.  This presentation was part of a day-long Economic Summit sponsored by the Illinois Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity.

Recorded May 24,  2006.  Aired the week of June 5, 2006.  30 minutes.

Regional Perspective on the Illinois Economy

From the Governor's Mansion in Springfield: James Roolf, President of the Joliet Banking Center, shares his insights into how the Illinois economy is doing in Will County and what actions state government and Illinois businesses can take to improve the Illinois business climate.

Recorded May 24, 2006.  Aired the week of May 29, 2006.  10 minutes.

Creating a Budget Review Period

From the State Capitol in Springfield: the state budget is generally the last piece of business in the legislature's Spring session.  Members may get the printed budget just an hour before they vote on it.  Here, State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka briefs reporters on her proposal that would ensure legislators and the public have at least seven days to review the state budget before a final vote.

Recorded May 2, 2006.  Aired the week of May 8, 2006.  15 minutes.

Illinois State Budget

From the State Capitol in Springfield: lawmakers and Budget Director John Filan discuss the budget process and their thoughts on this year's $56 billion budget.  They talk about what happens next year when the state will have to resume making its pension payments.

Recorded May 3, 2006.  Aired the week of May 8, 2006.  30 minutes.

Governor Pushes Passage of Capital Spending Bill

From Rochester High School in Rochester: Governor Blagojevich campaigns for passage of his $3.2 billion capital spending bill.  If approved by the legislature, the bill would fund building projects such as roads and schools.

Recorded March 6, 2006.  Aired the week of March 13, 2006.  20 minutes.

Diverting Dedicated Funds for General Operations

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Republican lawmakers hold a press conference to discuss the Blagojevich Administration's diverting money from special funds to cover the cost of general operations.  The Republicans claim more than $1.2 billion has been diverted from dedicated funds since 2004.

Recorded February 21, 2006.  Aired the week of February 27, 2006.  15 minutes.

Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Address

Click here to access the Governor's PowerPoint Presentation illustrating the Fiscal Year 2007 budget.

Recorded February 15, 2006.  Aired the week of February 20, 2006.  40 minutes.

Reactions to the Governor's Fiscal Year 2007 Budget

From the State Capitol in Springfield: we hear reaction to the Governor's budget from legislators and several gubernatorial candidates.

Recorded February 15, 2006.  Aired the week of February 20, 2006.  50 minutes.

Pensions and the State Budget

From Springfield: a panel discussion on the growth of the state's pension costs and its impact on the Illinois state budget.  As noted in the program, by most accounts, Illinois is now last in the nation in terms of meeting its pension funding obligations.  We hear possible solutions and whether the funding of pensions may mean cutting back on other services.

This program is sponsored by the Institute of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and the Center for State Policy & Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Recorded February 6, 2006.  Aired the week of February 13, 2006.  1 hour.

America's Unfunded Pension Systems

From Washington, DC: Comptroller General David Walker discusses the mounting accumulative debt in America's public pension systems.  Among the pension systems without adequate funding to meet future obligations are Social Security, the Military Retirement System, and the Federal Civil Service Retirement System.

Recorded January 19, 2006.  Aired the week of February 6, 2006.  10 minutes.

Government's Handling of the Illinois Economy

From the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago: Mike Lawrence, Director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, comments on the economic challenges facing Illinois and the job Governor Blagojevich and legislators have done to meet those challenges.  This address was part of the 5th Annual Fiscal Symposium held by the Center for Tax & Budget Accountability.

Recorded January 17, 2006.  Aired the week of January 30, 2006.  15 minutes.

The Promises and Pitfalls of Gaming

From the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Annual Meeting in Seattle, Washington: a discussion on the promises and pitfalls of state revenue derived from gaming.  The panel of speakers and members of the audience consist of legislators and others from around the country who share their thoughts on the morality and dependability of funding state services with income from gaming.

Recorded August 17, 2005.  Aired the week of January 16, 2006.  1 hour and 20 minutes.

Globalization and the Illinois Economy

From Knox College in Galesburg: a speech examining the impact of globalization on the Illinois economy.  We hear from former Chicago Tribune reporter Richard Longworth, who now works with the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations.

Recorded March 31, 2005.  Aired the week of January 16, 2006.  35 minutes.

Making Chicago a Global Financial Center

From Chicago: three of Chicago's financial leaders discuss the effort to make Chicago a global financial center.  We hear comments from the Chairmen of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, the Chicago Board of Trade, and the Chicago Board Options Exchange.

Recorded November 30, 2005.  Aired the week of December 25, 2005.  50 minutes.

Auditor General's Review of Central Management Services

From Springfield: the Legislative Audit Commission hears testimony from the Illinois Auditor General’s office and from Central Management Services (CMS).  This testimony regards an October report, issued by Auditor General William Holland, critical of CMS’s efforts to improve operations after a Spring audit showed multiple inefficiencies.

Recorded November 2, 2005.  Aired the week of November 6, 2005.  2 hours.

Tax Reform

From Chicago: Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, discusses the politics and policy options behind Washington’s effort to reform the tax code.

Recorded October 11, 2005.  Aired the week of October 23, 2005.  15 minutes.

Tourism's Impact on the Illinois Economy

From Rockford: Illinois tourism officials hear a briefing on Illinois' efforts to draw more tourists to the state and how much tourism adds to the state's economy.  This briefing was held during the annual Visit Illinois conference.

Recorded July 29, 2005.  Aired the week of August 21, 2005.  20 minutes.

$54 Billion Fiscal Year 2006 State Budget

We get reactions from State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, Budget Director John Filan, and Senators Steve Rauschenberger (R) and Kwame Raoul (D).

Recorded May 31, 2005.  Aired the week of June 5, 2005.  30 minutes.

Illinois State Chamber of Commerce v. John Filan

From the State Supreme Court in Springfield: the case of the Illinois State Chamber of Commerce v. John Filan.  As compared to general taxes, which finance general government operations, government fees are imposed to finance specific government operations.  Such fees may include drivers or fishing licenses.  In this case, the Illinois Chamber brought suit against State Budget Director John Filan, alleging that certain business fees were raised far in excess of the amount needed to fund a specific government service.

Recorded May 19, 2005.  Aired the week of May 29, 2005.  57 minutes.

Sen. Frank Watson (R) on the Budget & Medical Malpractice

From Springfield: Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson appears as a guest on WFMB's morning radio program, hosted by Sam Madonia and Jeff Hofmann.  Senator Watson comments on and takes listeners' questions concerning the state budget, online pharmaceutical sales, and next year's race for Governor.

Recorded May 17, 2005.  Aired the week of May 22, 2005.  45 minutes.

Senator Emil Jones (D) on Budget Negotiations

From Springfield: at a luncheon co-hosted by the Illinois Manufacturers' Association and the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, Senate President Emil Jones comments on budget negotiations being held between the party leaders and Governor Blagojevich.  Following his remarks, we hear from businessman Glen Johnson, who currently heads the Illinois Manufacturers' Association.

Recorded May 3, 2005.  Aired the week of May 15, 2005.  20 minutes.

Road Fund Diversion

From Chicago: Senator Wendell Jones of Palatine is joined by Doug Whitley of the State Chamber of Commerce, Don Schaefer of the Mid-West Truckers Association, and others who allege the Blagojevich Administration is diverting money from the Road Fund to spend on other programs.

Recorded May 2, 2005.  Aired the week of May 8, 2005.  15 minutes.

Speaker Madigan Sides with Republicans on Budget

From Springfield: at the annual legislative luncheon held by the Illinois Manufacturers' and Illinois Retail Merchants Associations, House Speaker Michael Madigan tells the gathering why this year he is again siding with House and Senate Republicans on budget issues.

Recorded May 3, 2005.  Aired the week of May 8, 2005.  10 minutes.

Privatizing Social Security Retirement Accounts

From Washington, DC: an interview with Michael Tanner, Director of the "Project on Social Security Choice" at the Cato Institute.  Mr. Tanner discusses why allowing workers to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes into private retirement accounts would benefit both the worker and the Social Security system.

Recorded April 28, 2005.  Aired the week of May 8, 2005.  20 minutes.

Impact of Tourism on Illinois Economy

From Springfield: spokesmen for Illinois tourism testify before the House Tourism and Conventions Committee.  In 2003, Illinois reported visitors to the state spent $23 billion, which produced $1.7 billion in tax revenues.  We will hear tourism participants testimony concerning the economic impact of tourism on state and local economies and their desire to avoid further cuts in state funds for marketing Illinois tourism.

Recorded April 12, 2005.  Aired the week of April 17, 2005.  25 minutes.

John Filan: State Budget Director

From Springfield: our one-on-one interview with State Budget Director John Filan.  Along with hearing how state budgets are created, we also hear how the growth of state pensions and Medicaid payments threatens the funding balance of the Illinois state budget for years to come.

Recorded April 6, 2005.  Aired the week of April 10, 2005.  1 hour 15 minutes.

The Illinois Economy and State Budget

From Springfield: Economists from the University of Illinois Analyze Illinois' current economic conditions and prospects for future growth.  Also, Illinois Budget Director John Filan discusses details behind Governor Blagojevich's proposed budget and plans for changing the state's pension plan.

This program is underwritten in part by the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois and the Center for State Policy and Leadership at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

Recorded March 1, 2005.  Aired the week of March 6, 2005.  1 hour 10 minutes.

Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Address

From the State Capitol: Governor Rod Blagojevich delivers his $53 Billion Budget Address, proposing some $43.5 Billion in spending for Operations and $9.4 Billion in Capital spending.  The Governor also calls for reforming state pensions, reforming Medicaid, and centralizing spending on state healthcare.

Speech Transcript - PDF      Speech Transcript - HTML

Recorded February 16, 2005.  Aired the week of February 20, 2005.  60 minutes.

Legislative Reaction to Governor's Budget Address

From the State Capitol: legislators react to the Governor's proposals, with support and criticism coming from both sides of the aisle.

Recorded February 16, 2005.  Aired the week of February 20, 2005.

Senate Republicans React to Budget Address

From the State Capitol: Senate Republican leaders offer their analysis of the state's budget woes and why they reject many of the Governor's proposals.

Recorded February 16, 2005.  Aired the week of February 20, 2005.

Teachers Union Reacts to Budget Address

From the State Capitol: teachers constitute a large segment of those covered by state pensions.  The President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers reacts to calls for changing pension benefits for new hires.

Recorded February 16, 2005.  Aired the week of February 20, 2005.

Workers Compensation Rates and Job Growth

From Springfield: A look at proposed changes in the workers compensation law and how it may impact both businesses and the medical profession.

Recorded October 14, 2004.  Aired the week of October 31, 2004.  10 minutes.

Budget Wrangling Review

From Springfield: Senator Dan Rutherford (R-Pontiac) discusses the past negotiations in the legislature that led to the long delay in passing a new sate budget.  Senator Rutherford was a guest on the "Abdul in the Morning" program, on Springfield's WMAY radio station.

Recorded July 30, 2004.  Aired the week of August 8, 2004.  35 minutes.

Budget Negotiations

From Springfield: Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson briefs reporters in the Capitol on the progress of negotiations to form a state budget and address the medical malpractice problem.  The legislature set a new record this year for being in session without approving a permanent budget for the new fiscal year.  Fiscal Year 2005 began on July 1.  On Saturday, July 24, the legislature and Governor agreed to a budget, but malpractice reform was not part of the agreement.

Recorded July 21, 2004.  Aired the week of July 25, 2004.  5 minutes.

Resolving the State Budget

From Springfield: Illinois Senators Steven Rauschenberger and Donne Trotter discuss the State Budget negotiations that the Governor and the party leaders are holding.  The budget was to be passed by the end of spring session, which ended on May 31. The new fiscal year began on July 1.

Recorded July 8, 2004.  Aired the week of July 11, 2004.  30 minutes.

Illinois State Budget Process Continues

From Springfield: Senators Steve Rauschenberger (R) and Patrick Welch (D) are experts on the state budget process.  In this program, they explain the issues that are holding up passage of a state budget for Fiscal Year 2005.

Recorded June 29, 2004.  Aired the week of July 4, 2004.  40 minutes.

Special Legislative Sessions Called to Resolve the State Budget

From Springfield: With the new fiscal year beginning on July 1, and no budget in sight, Governor Blagojevich says he will call legislators to Special Session every day until a new budget is passed.  The Governor's political tug-of-war is not only with legislative Republicans, but also with House Speaker Michael Madigan, who opposes the Special Sessions.

Recorded June 23, 2004.  Aired the week of June 27, 2004.  30 minutes.

House Appropriations Committee

From the State Capitol in Springfield: In the wake of the on-going budget impasse, the House Appropriations Committee took testimony from state agencies on what they will need as a minimum in order to operate in the coming fiscal year.  Those testifying included Budget Director, John Filan, pictured to the left.

Recorded June 16, 2004.  Aired the week of June 20, 2004.  1 hour and 20 minutes.

Stalled Budget's Impact on Education

From the State Capitol Press Room in Springfield: Educators from around the state warn that a failure to pass a budget with adequate funding for education will have dire consequences on Illinois' education infrastructure.

Recorded June 16, 2004.  Aired the week of June 20, 2004.  30 minutes.

Gas Prices and Oil Firms' Profits

From Springfield: US Senator Dick Durbin questions the profits being made by oil companies as a result of the high gas prices.  Sen. Durbin says oil companies should be investigated to determine if their profits are what are behind the high gas prices.  Sen. Durbin also says we should not be adding to the nation's strategic oil reserve (designed to protect the military and our economy against another Middle-East oil embargo) at this time of high oil prices.

Recorded May 25, 2004.  Aired the week of June 13, 2004.  10 minutes.

Legislators Discuss Budget Stalemate

From Springfield: Representatives Raymond Poe and Rich Brauer, along with Senator Larry Bomke, discuss the legislative stand-off that has prevented passage of a new state budget.  All three are Republicans.  Now their votes are far more meaningful as a new budget will require a 3/5 majority, giving the GOP minority legislators the power to approve or block passage of a new budget.  The three were guests on Abdul Shabazz's morning program on Springfield's WMAY talk radio. 

Recorded June 3, 2004.  Aired the week of June 6, 2004.  40 minutes.

Making Business Tax Breaks Public

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Governor Blagojevich calls for changes that would require corporations with assets over $100 million to publicly report the tax breaks they claim in order to reduce their state tax liabilities.  His legislative proposal would also require these businesses to report the number of Illinois jobs they've created.

Recorded May 12, 2004.  Aired the week of May 16, 2004.  40 minutes.

Business Leaders Warn of Further Job Losses if Taxes Rise

From Springfield: A coalition of business leaders warn members of the legislature and the governor that any further increases in state taxes or fees will result in a deterioration of the state's business environment, resulting in an inability to expand the Illinois job market.

Recorded May 5, 2004.  Aired the week of May 9, 2004.  35 minutes.

Manufacturer's Press Conference

From Springfield: Various business and medical leaders discuss Illinois' state ranking in the growth of lawsuits and its impact on the efforts to bring new businesses and doctors to Illinois.

Recorded March 8, 2004.  Aired the week of March 29, 2004.  30 minutes.

Illinois State Budget Address

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Governor Rod Blagojevich lays out his plan for spending in Fiscal Year 2005, which starts July 1, 2004.

Recorded February 18, 2004.  Aired the week of February 23, 2004.

Legislative Reaction

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Senate President, Senator Emil Jones (D-Chicago), responds to questions from members of the Capitol press corps, who wanted to know the senator's reaction to the Governor's budget.  State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka also reacts.

Recorded February 18, 2004.  Aired the week of February 23, 2004.

Eliminating Statewide Offices

From the State Capitol in Springfield: State Treasurer Judy Barr Topinka is joined by House Republican Leader, Representative Tom Cross and Senate Republican Leader, Senator Frank Watson at a press conference in which they announce their plan to combine the Treasurer's office with the Comptroller's office and eliminate the office of the Lieutenant Governor.  The Republican leaders claim this will save the state between $4 million to $15 million a year and will lead to better operations within state government.

Recorded February 4, 2004.  Aired the week of February 9, 2004.  12 minutes.

Agriculture and Free Trade

From the Chicago Council on Foreign Relations' Conference on the Global Economy: A discussion on the international issues affecting the growth of agricultural sales and the continuing barriers to free trade.  Among those participating are G. Allen Andres, CEO of Decatur-based Archer Daniels Midland.

Recorded September 15, 2003.  Aired the week of November 16, 2003.  40 minutes.

Selecting the Right Bank for the Investment of Your Tax Dollars

From Springfield: Scott Clarke, of the Office of Banks and Real Estate, talks to local treasurers, who are responsible for investing local tax receipts.  Clarke discusses how to select the right bank and avoid those who may be prone to failure.

Recorded May 1, 2003.  Aired the week of July 27, 2003.  50 minutes.

Press Conference Opposing a Tax Increase on Casinos

From the State Capitol in Springfield: Labor and business leaders hold a joint press conference to oppose the proposal to raise casino taxes to 70 percent.  This was recorded during the final week of the legislative session.

Recorded May 28, 2003.  25 minutes.

Press Conference Opposing a Natural Gas Tax

From Springfield: Opponents to a 5 percent tax on natural gas explain the impact on industry, should such a tax take effect.

Recorded May 28, 2003.  35 minutes.

Governor Blagojevich's Budget Address

Recorded April 12, 2003.  Aired the week of April 13, 2003.  90 minutes.

Legislative Reaction to Budget Address

Recorded April 12, 2003.  Aired the week of April 13, 2003.  20 minutes.

State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka: Low Interest Loans for Reservists

From Springfield: State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka discusses her office's low-interest loans available to active duty reservists.

For more information on this program click on this link: http://www.state.il.us/treas/Programs/operationprotect.htm

Recorded March 12, 2003.  Aired the week of March 24, 2003.  5 minutes.

Senate Appropriations Committee on Fiscal Year 2004 Funding Requests

Recorded March 5, 2003.  1 hour and 30 minutes.

House Appropriations Committee on Education

Recorded February 19, 2003.  1 hour and 40 minutes.

Budget Review

Recorded January 29, 2003.  1 hour.

From Illinois State University in Bloomington-Normal: Former Senators Paul Simon and Adlai Stevenson join former Governor Jim Edgar and members of Governor-Elect Rod Blagojevich’s transition team in panel discussions on ways to improve Illinois’ economic future.

Recorded December 12, 2002.  3 hours and 55 minutes.

From Springfield: The Illinois Comptroller is one of two elected financial officers in state government, but just what does the Illinois Comptroller do?  Comptroller Dan Hynes discusses the roles and responsibilities of his office, how his office managed to avoid bouncing state checks even though the state's general revenue fund ended the last fiscal year with just nine cents left in the account, and what reforms he feels are needed to improve the state budget process.

Recorded August 8, 2002.  20 minutes.

From Springfield: In this candid interview, State Treasurer Topinka discusses the state budget process, why the state went from budget surpluses to fighting budget deficits, and flaws in the state budget process.

Recorded June 11, 2002.  10 minutes.

From Springfield: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Professor J. Fred Giertz covers the surprises contained in the 2000 census and how immigrants are changing the face of Illinois.

Recorded April 23, 2002.  52 minutes.

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