Illinois House speaker gets $40M sports complex for alma mater
Illinois House speaker gets $40M sports complex for alma mater
Backroom deals produced lots of pork in the state budget, including a $40-million sports complex at the Illinois House speaker’s alma mater.
By Lauren Zuar
Blacker Friday: Illinois shoppers face sales tax hit
Blacker Friday: Illinois shoppers face sales tax hit
Holiday shoppers are eager to spend this year. Illinois is overly eager to tax them.
By Jerry Barmore
Record Illinois Thanksgiving traffic paying record gas taxes
Record Illinois Thanksgiving traffic paying record gas taxes
Thanksgiving travel will set a record in Illinois and in the U.S. Illinois drivers will pay the nation’s second-highest gas taxes, thanks to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
By Jerry Barmore
Illinois lawmakers again push disguised ‘retirement tax’
Illinois lawmakers again push disguised ‘retirement tax’
Illinois voters soundly rejected a progressive state income tax because it was a path to tax retirees. That isn’t stopping state lawmakers from trying again.
By Ravi Mishra
Illinois halts federal tax credits intended to boost business
Illinois halts federal tax credits intended to boost business
Illinois state lawmakers are severing new federal business tax cuts. Their quest to keep more cash will cost the state in business competitiveness.
By Ravi Mishra
Transit fares frozen as Chicago drivers hit with 45-cent toll hikes
Transit fares frozen as Chicago drivers hit with 45-cent toll hikes
The transit rescue plan freezes fares, raises tolls, hikes sales taxes and diverts road funds – adding to taxpayers’ burdens.
By Ravi Mishra
Chicago’s high sales taxes about to increase to No. 1 in nation
Chicago’s high sales taxes about to increase to No. 1 in nation
Chicago-area sales taxes were already No. 2 in the U.S., but new taxing authority handed to the Regional Transportation Authority will raise them to No. 1.
By Ravi Mishra
Cook County property tax bills finally getting mailed, due Dec. 15
Cook County property tax bills finally getting mailed, due Dec. 15
Cook County leaders announced the second installment of property tax bills will be mailed by Nov. 14 with a Dec. 15 due date.
By Patrick Andriesen
Chicago budgets $210M for vacant jobs
Chicago budgets $210M for vacant jobs
Chicago has thousands of job vacancies that receive city funding, leaving taxpayers to pay for empty positions that spur massive overtime costs.
By Geoff Feinstein
Illinois drops 6 spots in 6 years for tax competitiveness
Illinois drops 6 spots in 6 years for tax competitiveness
Illinois’ state tax competitiveness ranking dropped six spots – from 32nd to 38th in the past six years. That’s the worst in the Midwest.
By Patrick Andriesen
Illinois, Chicago voters rank high taxes as No. 1 issue
Illinois, Chicago voters rank high taxes as No. 1 issue
More than half of Illinois voters and one-third of Chicago voters said high taxes were their No. 1 concern. Despite that, Springfield and Chicago politicians both are hiking taxes again to spend more.
By Patrick Andriesen
Illinois lawmakers hike toll roads and sales taxes to fund Chicago-area transit
Illinois lawmakers hike toll roads and sales taxes to fund Chicago-area transit
Illinois lawmakers passed a new plan to keep Chicago-area public transit running. The plan hikes sales taxes in the Chicago area but stops major service cuts for the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace.
By Dylan Sharkey, Ravi Mishra
Illinois facing lawsuits over property tax theft
Illinois facing lawsuits over property tax theft
Lawsuits are mounting from homeowners, investors and counties. Unless lawmakers act, taxpayers could pay millions in damages over Illinois' unconstitutional tax sale system.
By LyLena Estabine
An Illinois wealth tax would be a legal disaster
An Illinois wealth tax would be a legal disaster
Illinois’ latest tax scheme, a 4.95% “wealth tax” on unrealized gains for billionaires, risks violating the state constitution, likely resulting in a long and costly legal battle.
By Ravi Mishra