Former Vernon Hills village manager to receive $161K severance package

By Vincent Caruso

04/20/2018

While details surrounding the ex-official’s separation with the village remain undisclosed to the public, trustees’ approval of his $161,000 severance package went unobstructed.

TAGS: local government, municipal pensions, pensions, salaries

Will Illinois pass a budget this year?

By Adam Schuster

04/20/2018

History shows lawmakers prefer to avoid tough but necessary choices.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, credit rating, debt, income tax, Mike Madigan, progressive income tax, Spending, spending cap, taxes

Illinois House passes bill stopping pay raises for lawmakers

By Brendan Bakala

04/20/2018

House Bill 5760 would stop lawmakers’ scheduled cost-of-living adjustment. Illinois lawmakers are the fifth-highest paid state lawmakers in the nation.

TAGS: COLA, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, lawmaker pay, pensions, salaries

House bill would shield retirement income from taxation

By Vincent Caruso

04/19/2018

A proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution would render residents’ retirement earnings off limits for Springfield.

Bad accounting hides true size of Illinois’ budget deficits

By Adam Schuster

04/19/2018

Poor accounting practices prevent true financial transparency in Illinois state government.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, GAAP, Governmental Accounting Standards Board

Senate Republicans sign on to resolution opposing progressive income tax

By Austin Berg

04/18/2018

Following their colleagues in the House, 19 members of the Illinois Senate have signed on to a resolution opposing a progressive tax in Illinois.

TAGS: Bill Brady, Illinois Senate, income tax, progressive income tax

Tax Day: Where do Illinoisans’ state tax dollars go?

By Adam Schuster

04/17/2018

Pensions and employee health insurance costs consumed nearly a quarter of Illinois’ fiscal year 2018 budget.

TAGS: education, Health and Human Services, health insurance, higher education, Medicaid, public safety, taxes

Illinois’ Tax Freedom Day doesn’t come for another 2 weeks

By Bryce Hill

04/17/2018

Illinoisans will have to work for 119 days this year to pay their federal, state and local tax bills.

TAGS: income tax, tax freedom day, taxes

Report: Average collar county property tax bill reaches as high as $8,890

By Joe Kaiser

04/16/2018

Homeowners in Chicago’s collar counties faced some of the highest average property tax bills in the state in 2017.

TAGS: DuPage County, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, property taxes, taxes, Will County

Report: Rock Island County property tax rate more than double the national average

By Austin Berg

04/16/2018

Single-family homeowners in Rock Island County pay an average property tax bill above $2,800, according to a new report.

TAGS: outmigration, property taxes, taxes