Our View

Illinois government faces myriad difficult decisions in dealing with its tight finances.

The Daily Chronicle editorial board offers this week’s thumbs up and thumbs down:

A new crop of Northern Illinois University graduates will attend commencement ceremonies this weekend.

“There is not enough money in the state budget to pay for child care services for the rest of the fiscal year ending June 30. ... We are sorry for the hardship this creates for you.”

Although a couple of significant steps need to be taken before cameras are allowed in DeKalb County courtrooms, a big one was taken this week.

The Daily Chronicle editorial board offers this week’s thumbs up and thumbs down:

“Drug court is absolutely essential. And if I could give a shout out tonight to Judge Stuckert. She’s been the pioneer here in this county, and she’s doing great work over there running our drug court.”

Wanda Rohl of Ottawa is trying to persuade the Democratic Party chairs in the 16th Congressional District’s 14 counties to put her name on the November ballot.

Many Illinois politicians say they are against waste and fraud.

There’s no doubt that Illinois’ Medicaid program needs to be reformed.

The Daily Chronicle editorial board offers this week’s thumbs up and thumbs down:

It was heartening to see Gov. Pat Quinn finally put forth a plan to address the state’s $80 billion unfunded pension liability, pledging to close the funding gap by 2042.

As 2014 approaches, it has become more evident that the expectations set by No Child Left Behind were unrealistic.

Trust, but verify. Those words were President Ronald Reagan’s motto in dealing with the Soviet Union.

The fallout from DeKalb County Presiding Judge Robbin Stuckert’s not guilty verdict in the Jack McCullough rape trial could have been avoided had DeKalb County State’s Attorney Clay Campbell done the right thing from the beginning.