The U.S. Constitution leaves almost everything related to elections up to individual states, but people who don’t like the outcomes are relentless in trying to use federal courts to reach their desired goals.

This year’s state budget once again provides only $4.5 million in operational funding for the state’s 97 Soil and Water Conservation Districts – comparable to levels from the 1990s.

The agencies combine on a rental housing study titled Out of Reach, which this year determined a full-time worker in Illinois needs an hourly salary of $29.81 to afford the market price of a two-bedroom apartment.