Bad revenue forecasts drive reckless state spending
Bad revenue forecasts drive reckless state spending
Lawmakers too often decide what to spend without an accurate picture of what will come in.
Illinois drivers pay nation’s second-highest gas taxes ahead of Memorial Day
Illinois drivers pay nation’s second-highest gas taxes ahead of Memorial Day
Gas prices in Illinois are up 48% from last Memorial Day. Here’s what to know about the state’s gas tax.
Vallas: The Chicago City Council must empower itself for better budget oversight
Vallas: The Chicago City Council must empower itself for better budget oversight
Going into this budget cycle, there should be an added urgency for the City Council to build its capacity to play a co-equal role in the budget process and push to adopt more reforms and efficiencies to control spending.
2 ways to improve Illinois spending decisions
2 ways to improve Illinois spending decisions
Lawmakers make costly decisions without understanding the economic impact.
A Bears deal shouldn’t leave property taxpayers on the sidelines
A Bears deal shouldn’t leave property taxpayers on the sidelines
Any deal linked to a stadium should benefit everyone.
Illinoisans can read a budget before it passes for the first time in at least 10 years
Illinoisans can read a budget before it passes for the first time in at least 10 years
Bucking the practice of recent years, lawmakers introduced the proposed budget more than three weeks before the May 31 end of the session.
Ruling shows Illinois must address home equity theft
Ruling shows Illinois must address home equity theft
A federal judge found Cook County liable for damages to taxpayers who lost the equity in their homes because of an unconstitutional state law.
Pritzker’s social media fee could be costly legal disaster
Pritzker’s social media fee could be costly legal disaster
The governor’s proposal would face challenges.
Illinois combined state, local tax rate tops the country
Illinois combined state, local tax rate tops the country
The amount of state and local taxes paid here also is near the nation’s highest.
Illinois budget process needs reform
Illinois budget process needs reform
Revamping how the state decides on spending would improve responsibility and transparency.
How much is the new Illinois gas tax hike?
How much is the new Illinois gas tax hike?
On July 1 the state tax will hit almost 50 cents a gallon. Lawmakers made automatic annual hikes.
Pritzker’s 57 tax and fee hikes cost Illinoisans $77 billion
Pritzker’s 57 tax and fee hikes cost Illinoisans $77 billion
The governor has presided over $77 billion in increases while Illinois’ economic growth lags.
Massachusetts ‘millionaires tax’ cost the state $4 billion in departing income
Massachusetts ‘millionaires tax’ cost the state $4 billion in departing income
The vast majority of that loss came from high-income earners leaving the state.
‘Millionaires tax’ would hike rate 61% on 22K Illinois small businesses
‘Millionaires tax’ would hike rate 61% on 22K Illinois small businesses
Combined state and federal taxes would take more than 50% of the top-end income for 22,000 Illinois small businesses.