Pritzker wants $500M tax hike on Illinois small businesses

By Adam Schuster

01/13/2021

Congress provided tax benefits for business losses in the CARES Act to help offset economic challenges during the pandemic. Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants to undo that relief to raise revenue for Illinois.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, recession, small business, tax hikes

Illinois’ mountain of debt will be Madigan’s fiscal legacy

By Adam Schuster

01/12/2021

Decades of institutionalized financial mismanagement left Illinois with the nation’s worst fiscal health. Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan has been at the center of nearly every bad decision along the way.

TAGS: corruption, credit rating, debt, Mike Madigan, pensions, taxes

Illinois’ sobering ‘sin taxes’ are among the nation’s highest this New Year’s

By Joe Barnas

12/23/2020

Excise taxes have failed to improve Illinoisans’ health while creating an undue burden for those with the least. But lawmakers have yet to kick the habit.

TAGS: alcohol tax, cigarette tax, gas tax, sin taxes

Holiday scratch-offs win bupkis for Illinois students

By Ann Miller

12/23/2020

Anyone betting those lottery tickets they gifted will help education would lose.

TAGS: education, illinois lottery, pensions, public schools

Property taxes continue to rob owners of ‘Home Alone’ house

By Ann Miller

12/18/2020

Illinois homeowners pay double the national average on their property tax bills.

TAGS: home alone, property taxes, Winnetka

Illinois’ sales taxes make holiday shopping painful reminder of fiscal woes

By Ann Miller

12/18/2020

Sales taxes can exceed 10% in Illinois depending on where consumers do their holiday shopping. The average has been creeping up in recent years.

TAGS: Chicago, Christmas, sales tax

Chicago drivers to see third gas tax increase in 18 months

By Ben Szalinski

12/15/2020

Chicago leaders are using another gas tax hike to help fill a budget hole driven by pensions. Total gas taxes and fees are closing in on $1 per gallon.

TAGS: Chicago, gas tax, Lori Lightfoot

Gas tax, property tax, ticket and fee hikes all part of Lightfoot budget

By Ben Szalinski

12/04/2020

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is trying to raise revenue to close large revenue gaps partially brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, gas tax, Lori Lightfoot, property tax, property taxes

Illinois cell phone taxes highest in nation

By Ben Szalinski

11/21/2020

Nearly one-third of the cell phone bills in Illinois are taxes

TAGS: cell phone tax, wireless tax

Chicago taxpayers on the hook for extra $2 billion under Lightfoot plan

By Ben Szalinski

11/21/2020

Lightfoot’s budget depends on borrowing and property tax hikes.

TAGS: borrowing, Chicago, debt, Lori Lightfoot, property taxes