Hoang Tran Stories | Dupage Policy Journal

Salzberg insists that bringing back jobs will curb gun violence

By Hoang Tran | Oct 2, 2016

Gun violence has plagued Illinois, with a reported 3,261 shooting victims in Chicago alone to date in 2016.

Blumenthal: State can't afford union's demands, current pension system

By Hoang Tran | Sep 26, 2016

Talks between the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and Gov. Bruce Rauner over contract renewals have reached what Administrative Law Judge Sarah Kerley has called a partial impasse.

Amrozowicz sees hope in Illinois

By Hoang Tran | Sep 26, 2016

Independent mapping was dealt another blow earlier this month as the Illinois Supreme Court rejected a hearing for reconsideration to add the amendment to the November ballot. Mike Amrozowicz, Republican candidate for state Senate in District 31, said that he believes that while the appeal was a long shot, the decision by the court was nonetheless discouraging.

Salzberg: Illinois needs to bring back manufacturing jobs

By Hoang Tran | Sep 26, 2016

August employment numbers for Illinois conveyed a mixed analysis of the job market in the state; while unemployment shrank from 5.8 to 5.5 percent in July, the sole cause of the decline was a workforce that shrank by 22,000 people.

Amrozowicz: State needs full balanced budget, public pension reforms

By Hoang Tran | Sep 18, 2016

Mike Amrozowicz, the Republican candidate in the District 31 state Senate race, said Illinois needs to break its cycle of fiscal mismanagement.

Blumenthal slams university bonuses amid rising tuition, falling enrollment

By Hoang Tran | Sep 18, 2016

At a time when many students are uncertain about college tuition and attending school in Illinois, leaders of some of its universities are receiving thousands of dollars in bonuses.

McConchie views stopgap budget as example of 'broken' system

By Hoang Tran | Sep 18, 2016

The No. 1 concern among Illinois constituents is property taxes, State Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Hawthorn Woods, said.

Abernathy: Illinois has to finalize a balanced state budget

By Hoang Tran | Sep 11, 2016

The stop gap budget, passed by Gov. Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly in July, was a means to an end – it was approved so that Illinois can fund vital services through to December.

McConchie: State's education system too reliant on property taxes

By Hoang Tran | Sep 6, 2016

Ensuring that students get a proper education is important to state Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich), which is why he was chosen to be on Gov. Bruce Rauner’s school-funding reform commission.

Salzberg: High property taxes, low inventory, rising prices sap housing market

By Hoang Tran | Sep 6, 2016

Chicago’s housing market saw a sharp decline in July, compared with July 2015.

Amrozowicz senses electorate has thirst for change, reforms

By Hoang Tran | Sep 5, 2016

Mike Amrozowicz, Republican candidate for the District 31 State Senate seat, said this year will be a different year for Illinois come November.

Salzberg: Teachers must look out for students' best interests

By Hoang Tran | Sep 5, 2016

The Common Core educational standards have been controversial since their inception.

Blumenthal: State juvenile justice system should try to avoid incarcerations

By Hoang Tran | Sep 5, 2016

Gov. Bruce Rauner recently signed juvenile justice reform bills that will reduce the mandatory minimum lengths of probation for juveniles and allow a juvenile to immediately petition a court for expungement of an offense that is dismissed without a finding of delinquency.

McConchie says high property taxes are heavy drag on state's ecomomy

By Hoang Tran | Sep 5, 2016

A recent report reveals that home sales in Chicago and its suburbs declined 7.3 percent in July compared with July 2015.

State high court ruling against redistricting measure 'no surprise' to Blumenthal

By Hoang Tran | Aug 29, 2016

While many are shocked that the Illinois Supreme Court ruled against the Independent Map Amendment and upheld Cook County Circuit Judge Diane Larsen’s ruling that the amendment is unconstitutional, Martin Blumenthal, the Republican running for the District 58 State House seat, was not surprised by the party-line vote.

Salzberg praises 'No Budget No Pay' bill, warns of health care crisis on horizon

By Hoang Tran | Aug 29, 2016

Benjamin Salzberg, the Republican running for the District 29 State Senate seat, said every business sector in Illinois needs to be examined and commends Comptroller Leslie Munger for shedding light on the situation when she proposed her “No Budget No Pay” bill which ties legislators' paychecks to the passage of a balanced budget.