Previous articles
-
▼
2021
(108)
-
▼
February
(55)
- Over 150 area businesses aided by loan program
- Budget plan pushes nine new taxes on Illinois tax ...
- Basketball Players of the Week
- Spartans remain undefeated, Kimball a major threat...
- Guest Commentary: Relieve their burden, plan your ...
- 3rd quarter adjustment saves SJO from Unity upset
- Henry's rebounding effort not enough to save Rockets
- Basketball Players of the Week
- SJO basketball games rescheduled
- Game night! Unity hosts undefeated Spartan basketb...
- How origami influences science
- Porter, Kimball combine for 41 points against Pontiac
- Vaccines for kids could be available by September ...
- Rival girls teams meet on the hardwood, SJO vs Uni...
- Photo of the Day - February 18, 2021
- Village Crier: Youth summer sport programs open fo...
- Photo of the Day - February 17, 2021
- SJO basketball faces Oakwood tonight at home, catc...
- SJO & Unity basketball streaming schedule tonight ...
- Citizen-Initiative proposal could give more power ...
- Guest Commentary | We need to all stop biting each...
- College Notebook | Former SJO player knocks one ou...
- Cast your bucket where you are
- Prep Hoops | Not holding back, SJO keeps perfect r...
- Photo of the Day - February 14, 2021
- Prep Hoops | Porter delivers 15 points in Unity's ...
- Reed leads Rocket ladies in road loss at Pontiac
- Porter, Armstrong earn The Sentinel's first Basket...
- Looking for their voice, young Spartans ready for ...
- College Notebook | Former area prep athletes shine...
- Spartans knock off STM 67-33, Behrens and Vallee s...
- Photo of the day - February 10, 2021
- Viewpoint | African-American Children Are Brillian...
- Prep Hoops | Scoring drought sinks Rockets in seco...
- Photo of the Day - February 9, 2021
- SJO girls rally back early to pick up first win of...
- Photo of the Day - February 8, 2021
- A case for why opening restaurants and bars was a ...
- Guest Commentary: Poverty never comes with privilege
- Langendorf leads Rockets in season opening loss to...
- Photo of the Day - February 7, 2021
- Photo of the Day - February 6, 2021
- Photo of the day - February 5, 2021
- SJO girls set to open tonight, boys squad is equal...
- Photo of the Day - February 4, 2021
- Photo of the Day - February 3, 2021
- College Notebook | Knudsen posts 29 point performa...
- Photo of the Day - February 2, 2021
- A casual stroll by the mysterious deep web
- Unity basketball tips off tonight
- Breaking | First two SJO boys basketball games can...
- What SJO fans need to know about home basketball g...
- SJO football on tap, Spartans open on the road Mar...
- Guest Commentary: In hard economic times, be creative
- Photo of the Day - February 1, 2021
-
▼
February
(55)

Citizen-Initiative proposal could give more power to special interest groups
Republican lawmakers will propose a series of constitutional amendments they say would give residents a more direct voice in Illinois government, but which critics counter could give more political power to special interests. The three resolutions would open up the use of citizen initiatives, allow residents to hold referendums on legislation and expand the existing governor recall process to apply to all public officials. Alisa Kaplan, executive director of Reform for Illinois, said regulating campaign spending on ballot questions is nearly impossible, so the amendments could give wealthy special interests an outsized impact. "It's hard to find that balance between empowering citizens and preventing special interests from hijacking the process," Kaplan acknowledged. "But we think it's a worthwhile discussion to be having right now." She pointed to the example of an initiative in California in which companies such as Lyft, Uber and DoorDash spent $200 million to effectively overturn a state law requiring those companies to classify workers as employees rather than independent contractors. Kaplan pointed out other efforts in various states have brought about important change. Michigan established an independent commission for redistricting by a ballot question in 2018. That same year, New Mexico voters passed an initiative to create an independent state ethics commission to keep lawmakers in check. "We really are missing out in Illinois on the opportunity to use citizen initiatives to enact meaningful reforms," Kaplan contended. "That's particularly true of areas where politicians might be particularly invested in the status quo and unwilling to act themselves." She noted the legislative inspector general's office in Illinois has often been seen as ineffective in providing oversight over lawmakers. She hopes democracy reform, without the influence of big money, will help in the future.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Top trending stories this week
-
February 14 - 20, 2021 ~ Boys ~ Blake Kimball Unity Kimball tallied 30 points and five rebounds a...
-
In game three of the season, the St. Joseph-Ogden boys basketball team was poked and prodded like a patient with a unexplained, sudden lump ...
-
The federal government has provided more than $590 billion dollars to lenders to distribute low-interest loans to the self-employed, busines...
-
For a little more than 19 minutes of clock time, the St. Joseph-Ogden girls' basketball team's undefeated record was in jeapordy. En...
-
by Adam Schuster, Senior Director of Budget and Tax Research Illinois Policy In the annual governor’s budget address on Feb. 1...
-
February 7 - 13, 2021 ~ Boys ~ Ty Pence St. Joseph-Ogden Pence open the season with an impressive doub...
-
by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator A good friend died recently. At the age of 80 all his life insurance had expired and his savin...
-
Both Unity and St. Joseph-Ogden's girls basketball squads face league rivals tonight to kick off the final month of prep basketball. ...
-
Taylor Henry and the Unity girls basketball team suffered their second straight loss after a convincing win over Illinois Valley Central on ...
-
by Gail Strange Presbyterian News Service In recognition of Black History Month, the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) celebrated Wednesda...

No comments:
Post a Comment