Institute on FOX St. Louis: Legislative Pay
Institute on FOX St. Louis: Legislative Pay
The Institute's Kristina Rasmussen discussed whether state legislators should cut their pay on FOX St. Louis
On a Quest: An education reform success story in Peoria
On a Quest: An education reform success story in Peoria
Peoria Quest Charter Academy offers students a better choice.
Understanding teacher pension “pick ups”
Understanding teacher pension “pick ups”
Increasing local pension accountability would increase each school district’s total costs by an average of 3.7 percent.
Unchartered territory: Downstate and suburban families lack school alternatives
Unchartered territory: Downstate and suburban families lack school alternatives
The Problem Illinois has fallen behind its neighbors in offering alternatives to students outside major population centers. All children deserve the chance at a brighter future with schools that work best for them. Where choice in education is available, parents respond. Most downstate and suburban parents have few alternatives to their local public schools. A...
Mark Zandi and CTBA trying to pull Keynesian rabbit out of hat
Mark Zandi and CTBA trying to pull Keynesian rabbit out of hat
The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability (CTBA) wants taxes raised on hard-working Illinoisans by at least $2.4 billion annually through a progressive personal income tax, which taxes individual income at ever-higher marginal tax rates. Currently, Illinois has a flat 5 percent income tax. In a recent report, the CTBA argues for this tax hike by...
Why does Illinois need grant transparency?
Why does Illinois need grant transparency?
Grant transparency in Illinois is vital to ensure that state spending is being used as efficiently and effectively as possible. Amendment 2 to Senate Bill 3773 would strengthen the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal statute to include grant recipient information collection and reporting. What would this bill do? It would post the purpose and results of grants to nonprofit...
Letting in sunshine – Grant reporting and documentation would improve Illinois’ online transparency portal
Letting in sunshine – Grant reporting and documentation would improve Illinois’ online transparency portal
The problem In fiscal year 2011, the state handed out more than $1.1 billion to nonprofit organizations across the state in the form of 1,636 grants. While taxpayers can access online how much money was spent on these grants, it’s difficult for them to find out what the grants were for and if the grants...
Another Illinois business opposes plastic bag regs
Another Illinois business opposes plastic bag regs
By now you probably know that I’m no fan of the plastic bag regulationscurrently up for consideration in the House. Neither is the editorial boardof the Chicago Tribune. Since my article ran back in April, I’ve been contacted by Illinois businesses in the plastic bag and film sector, and the message I’m hearing is the same: they...
IL State Senate votes to end legislative scholarship program
IL State Senate votes to end legislative scholarship program
Yesterday, the Illinois State Senate voted 43-5-5 to end a controversial legislative scholarship program that had been abused multiple times by elected officials. The bill now moves to the House for consideration.
Institute on ABC 7: Skirmish over teacher pensions
Institute on ABC 7: Skirmish over teacher pensions
The Institute's John Tillman discusses whether or not teachers are actually paying their share of their pension costs.
Instructive Disinformation
Instructive Disinformation
The Institute
Playing Favorites Supplement
Playing Favorites Supplement
How will this affect your district? Currently, the state pays the “employer” portion of teacher pension normal costs. How would shifting this cost back to the true employer – school districts – affect local school budgets? “He’s essentially freezing our revenue and increasing our cost. It’s akin to tying the school districts’ hands and feet together...
Want more transparency? Union says “no”
Want more transparency? Union says “no”
For the second time in as many months, AFSCME opposed a measure that would bring more transparency to Illinois.
Institute on ABC 7: Playing Favorites
Institute on ABC 7: Playing Favorites
The Institute's John Tillman appeared on ABC 7 to discuss our latest pension report, Playing Favorites.