Property taxes turning American dreams into Illinois nightmares
Property taxes turning American dreams into Illinois nightmares
Visions of the community’s future no longer bring comfort. Instead, they inspire crippling fear.
Pritzker budget relies on $800M in legally questionable accounting gimmicks
Pritzker budget relies on $800M in legally questionable accounting gimmicks
Illinois law requires the governor to propose a budget balanced with existing revenues. To do so, Gov. J.B. Pritzker proposes cutting aid owed local governments, raiding the road fund, letting health insurance costs pile up and withholding taxpayers’ refunds.
Illinois property taxes rank No. 2 in the nation for third year running
Illinois property taxes rank No. 2 in the nation for third year running
Property taxes in Illinois are nearly double the national average. Until state lawmakers trim down thousands of local governments and pursue pension reform, those bills wills remain high.
Why the soda tax ‘worked’ and the progressive tax won’t
Why the soda tax ‘worked’ and the progressive tax won’t
There’s no doubt: the county taxed soda more, so people bought less of it. It’s a simple lesson. So why doesn’t Springfield get it?
Bill would curb Illinois state budget gimmicks allowing deficits since 2001
Bill would curb Illinois state budget gimmicks allowing deficits since 2001
Illinois has not truly balanced its budget since 2001 despite a constitutional requirement to do so. A new bill would help change that.
Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track
Local government spending could soon be easier for Illinois taxpayers to track
A bill to make more public records readily available would better show taxpayers how local governments spend money.
Mosquito abatement districts targeted by Illinois lawmakers
Mosquito abatement districts targeted by Illinois lawmakers
Consolidating Illinois’ nearly 7,000 units of local government could help provide local property tax relief. One bill aims to consolidate mosquito abatement districts.
Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief
Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief
The years 2010 through 2019 will go down in Illinois history as a decade of public policy failure and economic decline. High fixed costs for pensions and government worker health care have prevented the state from balancing its budget in any year since 2001. Since the Great Recession in 2008, the state’s fiscal imbalance has...
Illinoisans most likely to move out would see higher taxes under Pritzker plan
Illinoisans most likely to move out would see higher taxes under Pritzker plan
Other states show how a progressive income tax would likely make the Illinois exodus worse, pushing jobs and tax revenue out of Illinois.
Pritzker ‘fair tax’ would hit over 4 million Illinoisans with marriage penalty, potentially give wealthy couples a marriage bonus
Pritzker ‘fair tax’ would hit over 4 million Illinoisans with marriage penalty, potentially give wealthy couples a marriage bonus
A progressive income tax would force nearly all joint filers in Illinois to pay higher income taxes than they would as single filers. Meanwhile, some wealthy couples would save thousands in state income taxes.
Slowest-growing states have progressive income taxes
Slowest-growing states have progressive income taxes
Fewer people want to live in states with progressive income taxes. So after 6 straight years of population loss, why would Illinois want to join them?
Work one day, get paid for whole month could end for Illinois lawmakers
Work one day, get paid for whole month could end for Illinois lawmakers
Illinois lawmakers are currently paid for the entire month, even if they resign before the end of it. A new bill could change that.
State of Illinois previously owned helicopter in crash that killed Kobe Bryant
State of Illinois previously owned helicopter in crash that killed Kobe Bryant
The state sold the helicopter in 2015 to ease budgetary pressures.
Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change
Illinois Tollway overcharged drivers $152K last year by not giving change
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.