Budget + Tax

Rosemont to build taxpayer-funded baseball stadium

The village of Rosemont is moving forward on a $60 million taxpayer-funded baseball stadium.

Fact-checking BGA’s claims on ‘low-spending’ Illinois

While the Better Government Association has claimed Illinois’ budget contains no fat to trim, a deeper analysis reveals the state has many areas of expensive inefficiency to reform in state and local government costs, the Medicaid program and K-12 education.

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

Illinois Senate Democrats pass $5.4B tax increase

Each Illinois household would pay an additional $1,125 in taxes each year, on average, under the Senate's tax-hike plan.

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

7 Illinois properties rank among nation’s top 100 property tax bills

Though most of the top 100 property tax bills came from New York, the state with the second most entries was Illinois. The 13th highest bill in the country belonged to Exelon’s nuclear generating station in Byron, Illinois, totaling $36.5 million in 2016.

By Brendan Bakala

Illinois owes $3.5M in past-due utility bills

The state government owes the City Water, Light and Power of Springfield $3.5 million on past-due utility bills for state offices. The past-due utility bills are just one part of Illinois’ more than $14.3 billion bill backlog.

By Brendan Bakala

Illinois House has spent less than 6 hours in session this month

House members have spent as much time playing softball and basketball as they have in session since the beginning of May.

By Austin Berg

State lawmakers don’t really care about the budget

The odds Illinois continues without a budget until 2018 increase sharply if nothing passes before the end of May

By Austin Berg

6 key reasons to say ‘no’ to Flynn Currie pension bill in the Illinois House

Illinois state Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie has introduced a pension bill that is unfair to new and current workers, is potentially unconstitutional, bails out Chicago Public Schools’ pensions, and perpetuates Illinois’ broken pension system.

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

Illinois’ unpaid bills jump to $14.3B

New numbers from the Illinois comptroller’s office show that Illinois’ unpaid bill backlog has climbed to more than $14 billion. In August 2016, Moody’s Investors Service predicted Illinois’ bill backlog would reach $14 billion by summer 2017.

By Brendan Bakala

Kennedy-led company used Madigan’s firm for property tax refunds

Gubernatorial hopeful Chris Kennedy is advocating for “a property tax system that can’t be abused by the wealthy and insiders.” But new documents suggest a Kennedy-led company enlisted the help of the city’s most politically connected property tax law firm to lower its bills.

By Austin Berg

Illinois lawmakers attempt to bail out Chicago Public Schools yet again

State lawmakers’ latest bill not only forces a failed “evidence-based” education funding program on Illinois, but also bails out Chicago Public Schools.

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

Rare interview shows Madigan rejecting term limits, downplaying power

House Speaker Mike Madigan ducks responsibility for Illinois' woes, spurns term limits, and minimizes his massive power in a new interview.

By Austin Berg

Bob Anderson

“This is an impossibility. But it’s here. The road to get here … it’s basically insurmountable. If I would have seen the end before the beginning, the beginning would have ended very quickly. “Today is a victory for the people. It’s truly a victory for the people. We got elected on two subjects: a tax...

Illinois Senate proposal would tax home repairs

Members of the home building industry say Senate Bill 9’s tax on home repairs would fall hardest on Illinois’ middle-class and senior residents.

By Brendan Bakala