The Public Investigator

NEWS ALERT: The engineering firm that was selected to get a no-bid contract for site design of Lake County’s Libertyville campus is a campaign contributor to some Republican members of the County Board.

Why this news is important to you: Whether the transaction is overt or covert, campaign contributions buy influence at every level of privately-funded elected government. To cast informed votes for public servants, taxpayers need to know what special interests and corporations are bankrolling the campaigns of candidates for public office.

Subscribers can read The Public Investigator’s news report for the identity of the firm and which County Board members received political contributions from the firm and how much, plus the reason why the firm got the no-bid contract, its second one from the county in a year.

NEWS ALERT:  A vision statement of a land conservation group declares the mission will be accomplished when one out of every five acres of land in Lake County is permanently preserved as open space.

Why this news is important to you: Preserving both private and public open space, including farmland, creates variety of immeasurable economic impacts on generations of residents.

Subscribers can read The Public Investigator’s news report to find out how many more acres need to be preserved as open space to realize that vision.

NEWS ALERT: After a years-long planning process, local consensus has been reached on the transformation of Illinois Route 120 into the beltway arterial of Lake County’s road system.

Why this news is important to you: The Route 120 project could be the largest public works project by the state in Lake County, with the potential to alleviate east-west gridlock and enhance economic development throughout the county.

Subscribers can read The Public Investigator’s news report for an overview of the project and how much the federal government is kicking back to begin the design phase.