Latest Updates, Articles, Press Releases & Reports
Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value
Date:
03/20/2014 
by Citizen Action/Illinois Policy Council member Bea Lumpkin:
March is Women’s History Month, dedicated to advancing women’s equality. So why aren’t we smiling? Maybe it’s because women are averaging only 77 cents to every $1.00 of men’s average pay. And as bad as the gender gap is in general, the gap is worse for women of color. African American women average only 64 cents and Latina women only 52 cents to every $1.00 of men’s average pay (AFSCME.org).
Citizen Action issues Report on Bruce Rauner’s Insider Money Machine
Date:
03/03/2014 
Citizen Action/Illinois has worked for over two decades on campaign finance reform. The organization led the original charge to ban campaign gifts in the 1980’s, and has been a vocal advocate for public financing of elections. William McNary, co-director of CA/IL, recently served on Governor Quinn’s campaign finance task force which was charged to review the current campaign finance structure of Illinois.
Attachment:
This is the year we raise the minimum wage!
Date:
02/19/2014 
We live in a new economic reality. Since the great recession, 58% of the new jobs created are low wage jobs, paying $8.25 an hour. Adjusted for inflation, today’s minimum wage worker is making $2.50 less than a minimum wage worker in 1968.
You read that right. Today’s minimum wage worker has 23% less buying power than he would have forty-five years ago.
Working Illinoisans are losing ground. The 400,000 minimum wage workers in Illinois need our help.
Do we need public education?
Date:
02/19/2014 
From Citizen Action/Illinois Policy Council member Beatrice Lumpkin:
The last two mayors of Chicago do not seem to think that we need public education. They have been busy privatizing education. Just weeks after Mayor Rahm Emmanuel’s appointed school board closed 50 public schools, they approved the opening of seven additional private charter schools. These charter schools are privately controlled but publicly funded. They are not supervised by any public agency. They report to no one other than their company’s CEO. The public, which pays for charter schools through their taxes, has no input into any educational practices of the charter schools. Unlike Chicago public schools, where key decisions are made by an elected Local School Council, neither parents nor community control anything a Charter School does.
Read the 2013 Citizen Action/Illinois Annual Report
Date:
01/16/2014 
Citizen Action/Illinois is proud to release our 2013 Annual Report, summarizing the year's issue campaigns and victories.
to read the report.
Attachment:
Victory for Marriage Equality in Illinois! - Marriage FAQ -
Date:
11/06/2013 
HOLY EQUALITY, FREEDOM FIGHTERS!
I'm in Springfield and still reeling from the joy/relief from last night. Thank you all so much for every ounce of hard work that you put into the effort. I can't begin to list the individuals and organizations that made this possible -- All I can do is marvel at the teamwork. Illinois same-sex couples can now access the protections of marriage, and it's because of YOUR HELP. Tremendous thanks and heartfelt congratulations.
CA/IL - Progressive Action Project Endorsements for 2014 Primary Elections
Date:
10/15/2013 
CA/IL - Progressive Action Project Endorsements for the 2014 Primary Elections
An Endorsement Session will be held on Saturday, January 25th, 2014.
Citizen Action/Illinois’ Policy Council will consider endorsements for the following races:
- Statewide officeholders, including U.S. Senate
- State Representative and State Senate
- Congress (mention PAC here?)
All candidates must complete our 2014 Candidate Questionnaire by January 17, 2014.
Introducing the Affordable Care Act Toolkit
Date:
10/03/2013 
From Representative Jan Schakowsky:
I’m proud to announce the launch of an Obamacare Toolkit, available on my website, to help my constituents learn about the many benefits of Obamacare and how to take advantage of them.
Follow the link below to find out more:
Affordable Care Act Fact Sheet: "Obamacare and You"
Date:
10/03/2013 
A great resource on all things ACA: "Obamacare and You" is a series of one-page papers explaining how the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare,” will affect different groups of people.
to learn more.
