The 2011 income-tax hike was supposed to address the state’s unpaid bills and ailing government-worker pensions; but five years and $31 billion in additional revenues later, Illinois’ unpaid bills are back up to 2011 levels, and the state’s government-worker pension debt has soared to $111 billion.
From a ban on creating new units of local government to the end of Chicago’s happy-hour prohibition, here are five laws passed in 2015 worth celebrating.
Criminal-justice reform can only be successful if policymakers work to remove barriers to employment and work.
From taxpayer- and donor-funded spending sprees by the president of an Illinois public college, to Chicago’s red-light-camera ticketing and kick-back schemes, 2015 has been rife with instances of public corruption and lack of government transparency.
In the face of strident union opposition, Lincolnshire’s Village Board voted 5-1 to pass a worker-freedom ordinance.
Breaking down the overall high cost and regulatory burden borne by businesses.
Shortly before bowl season kicks off for college football and just over two weeks before the NFL playoffs begin, Illinois’ Attorney General has ruled that fantasy sports are illegal. A bill to regulate the industry was introduced in October.
The Liberty Justice Center sued the city of Chicago in September to compel the city to stop collecting a 9 percent amusement tax on Internet-based streaming video, audio and gaming services.
Illinois’ real-life “Home Alone” story inspired legislation that gives the state too much power to intrude into parents’ reasonable decisions about their children.
Illinois has a stunning loss of 105,000 people to other states, causing population to shrink by 22,000.
Illinoisans pay more in wireless taxes than residents of any neighboring state.
Of the 50 states, Illinois was the top population loser.
The fictional family from “Home Alone” has paid nearly $750,000 in property taxes since the film’s release, and real Illinois families are struggling under a massive local tax burden.
An inadequate-supervision case recently dropped by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services reveals why the department must reform its policies regarding what constitutes child neglect.