Budget + Tax

Budget + Tax Criminal Justice Good Government Jobs + Growth Labor Pensions

State of Illinois previously owned helicopter in crash that killed Kobe Bryant

By Austin Berg

01/26/2020

The state sold the helicopter in 2015 to ease budgetary pressures.

TAGS: budget, credit rating, helicopter, Illinois, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, Moody's Investor Service, NBA: National Basketball Association, pension crisis, Sikorsky S-76B, Springfield

Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change

By Brad Weisenstein

01/10/2020

The Illinois Tollway is spending $33 million on toll machines, some of which can’t make change. The state agency’s legacy is broken promises, political patronage and overcharging Illinoisans.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, cash register, cashier, change, corruption, George Ryan, I-Pass, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, Illinois State Toll Highway Commission, Illinois Tollway, Jim Edgar, Jim Thompson, Rod Blagojevich, Springfield, tollway, transaction

Chicago alderman proposes tax on childbirth

By Vincent Caruso

01/10/2020

Amid Illinois’ population decline, Ald. Ray Lopez proposed taxing conception and licensing childbirth.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, childbirth license, China, Chinese Communist Party, Communist China, conception fee, Ray Lopez, toddler escrow

Illinois cannabis taxes among nation’s highest, could keep black market thriving

By Austin Berg

01/09/2020

Springfield lawmakers have yet to learn the lesson that money walks. And it’s not just to other states. Sometimes, it walks past the legal dispensary with a 40% tax rate and into a dealer’s house.

TAGS: black market, Chicago, Cook County, decriminalization, high taxes, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, legalization, marijuana, medical marijuana, recreational marijuana, Springfield, tax burden, taxes, THC

With voters set to decide on progressive income tax, Illinois wealth flight among worst in the nation

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

01/07/2020

New data shows Illinois since 2010 lost up to $32 billion in income from people moving out. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax plan would hike rates on residents most likely to leave the state, on net.

TAGS: graduated income tax, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Illinois General Assembly, income, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, outmigration, pension reform, population, population loss, progressive income tax, progressive tax, spending cap, Springfield, tax rates, U.S. Census Bureau, wealth, wealthy

Illinois license plate sticker among most expensive in the nation

By Ben Szalinski

01/01/2020

Illinoisans will be paying among the nation’s highest vehicle registration fees as part of a $45 billion infrastructure proposal pushed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the General Assembly.

TAGS: fees, JB Pritzker, taxes, vehicle registration

Chicago commuter will see $286 parking tax hike Jan. 1 under Pritzker plan

By Ben Szalinski

12/23/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan calls for an increased parking tax, just one of the new ways drivers will pay more in 2020.

TAGS: Chicago, commute, high taxes, JB Pritzker, parking tax, progressive tax, tax hikes, tax increase, taxes

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

By Vincent Caruso

12/20/2019

Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.

TAGS: capital plan, collar counties, drivers, driving, DuPage County, excise tax, gas tax, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, Joliet, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, sales tax, Springfield, suburbs, tax hikes, tax increase, Will County

Think those Illinois Lottery tickets help schoolkids? Think again

By Adam Schuster, Ben Szalinski

12/20/2019

Lawmakers sold the idea of a lottery with the promise the money would go toward education. But in reality, students never see the money.

TAGS: education funding, illinois lottery, pension benefits, pension costs, pension crisis, pension debt, pension spending, progressive income tax

Illinois’ high sales taxes turn holiday shoppers into Scrooges

By Ben Szalinski

12/19/2019

Illinois’ state and local sales taxes make shopping for gifts an expensive gesture of kindness every holiday season.

TAGS: business climate, cellphone tax, cook county board, eBay, Etsy, gas tax, Illinois, Magnificent Mile, online, online sales tax, sales tax, shopping, tax burden, taxes, wireless tax

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

Each year, tens of billions of dollars flow through Illinois state government.1 These flows all depend on methods of payment. In deciding on those payment methods, policymakers must consider a number of important factors, including security controls, cost effectiveness, accessibility, speed and allowance for choice. This report shows that by adopting best practices across all...

View Report

Budget + Tax

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

Ifeoma Nkemdi

Budget Solutions 2015: Keeping promises to taxpayers and turning around Illinois

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students