On Jan. 4, the final report from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s task force on local government consolidation and unfunded mandates was made public. After 11 months

A sluggish economy, a not seasonally adjusted Illinois unemployment rate (5.8%) that lags behind the national average (4.8%) – according to the most recent state

Although the flood waters are beginning to recede, Illinois continues to be plagued by flooding triggered by heavy rains during the last week of 2015.

The Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) announced Jan. 4 a delay in state income tax refunds. The agency cited concerns about fraud and identity theft.