Under former Gov. Jim Edgar’s pension ramp, unfunded pension liabilities have increased nearly $100 billion despite taxpayers contributing $16.4 billion more to the five state-run pension systems than required under the Edgar plan.
Illinois police have taken in a total of $72 million in seized property over the past two years.
Chicago’s four city-run pension funds’ poor returns on investment in 2015 are a good reminder why defined-benefit pensions are a failure for both taxpayers and government workers.
The most recent Illinois WARN report shows 1,300 mass layoffs in May, including 513 layoffs in the manufacturing sector, up from 450 large-scale layoffs and six manufacturing layoffs in April.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is again mailing notices of vehicle-emissions-testing requirements to vehicle owners, and effective June 1, the Illinois secretary of state has resumed requiring certain drivers to pass emissions tests prior to renewing their license plates. Drivers scrambling to comply by the secretary of state’s June 1 effective date caused headline-making traffic jams throughout Chicago and its suburbs.
If Chicago wants to alleviate poverty and economic inequality, the city needs to reform its zoning laws to allow more building – not institute a new tax on development.
Palatine-area Community Consolidated School District 15 posted its 10-year contract with its teachers union more than a month after it had been signed, ensuring that potentially harmful contract provisions can only come to light after it is too late for students, parents and taxpayers to do anything about it.
May’s corruption headlines show the steep cost nontransparent government can have on taxpayers.
Belleville City Council’s decision to dissolve its township is a great move for taxpayers. Thousands of municipalities could make the same move, too, and eliminate waste.
There’s a reason new facilities aren’t being built in Illinois: In too many cases a business investment in Illinois doesn’t make financial sense unless Illinois taxpayers are paying for a chunk of the project. This system isn’t good for businesses, or for workers and unions that are losing jobs. Until Illinois makes the broad tax and regulatory reforms needed to compete for blue-collar jobs, businesses are going to keep expanding elsewhere or asking for tax breaks to come here.
Three women from Chicago’s West Side are beating the odds.
As Chicago’s population shrinks, Houston is set to overtake the Windy City as the third-largest city in America. Illinois’ slumping economy is a major reason for that, but the cities’ different zoning rules show how regulations can promote growth – or stifle it.
Taxpayers will shell out $36 million for Soldier Field in 2016, in addition to footing the bill for U.S. Cellular Field. And the city of Chicago is still pushing a plan for DePaul University that would cost an initial $55 million for a new basketball stadium.