Law firms certainly don’t go broke doing this business. Property tax lawyers go to the mat for private clients against Chicago City Hall and taxing bodies across the state.

In politics, desert has become a useful noun, while adjectives help tell the story.

Titled “2024 Illinois’ National Rankings,” the 70-page document compares our state to the rest of the country in 23 categories covering tax rates and revenues, government spending and employment trends.

The Illinois legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability recently released an eye-popping actuarial analysis of a union-backed pension reform plan.

It was supposed to be a fun-filled weekend in Chicago for deserving students from the Illinois School for the Deaf in Jacksonville. The whirlwind schedule included a visit to a museum, a basketball game, and a stay in a luxury hotel. Then it went horribly wrong. 

These aren’t forfeitures of items used in alleged crimes – an issue with its own tangled past – which means state police aren’t informed. Lawyers and judges presume the deals are on the level.

My friend Joan was lamenting the speed of life.

Few toys capture the imagination like Lego bricks. There’s even a day on the calendar to celebrate them.

It’s important for regular folks and elected officials to have a working knowledge in order to participate in meaningful discussions about solutions.