Judge says lawmakers shouldn’t be paid ahead of everyone else
Judge says lawmakers shouldn’t be paid ahead of everyone else
Judge Garcia points to the lack of a budget as reason enough to delay payments to legislators.
Illinois politicians vote to divert $300M from state coffers to fuel local spending
Illinois politicians vote to divert $300M from state coffers to fuel local spending
Despite Illinois’ billions in deficit spending and skyrocketing debt, the Illinois House of Representatives passed House Bill 278, which would transfer an additional $300 million per year of state income tax funds to local governments, continuing to prop up local overspending that fuels high property taxes.
Comptroller halts funding for state IT modernization program
Comptroller halts funding for state IT modernization program
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza is suspending funding for a technology initiative Gov. Bruce Rauner has said would save taxpayer money and promote efficiency, data security and transparency in state government.
Illinois has highest overall tax burden in the nation
Illinois has highest overall tax burden in the nation
A new report from WalletHub finds Illinois’ combined state and local tax burden is higher than that of every other state and the District of Columbia.
Unpaid sick leave will cost taxpayers $3.4 billion over the next three decades
Unpaid sick leave will cost taxpayers $3.4 billion over the next three decades
Top school district superintendents have used the sick-leave perk to boost their pensions by $350,000 or more over the course of their retirements.
Illinois Medicaid expansion costs are already double initial projections
Illinois Medicaid expansion costs are already double initial projections
Between 2014 and 2016, Illinois’ Medicaid expansion cost $4.6 billion more than its supporters had forecasted, crowding out services for Illinois’ most vulnerable residents.
Sugary drink tax would be a bitter pill to swallow
Sugary drink tax would be a bitter pill to swallow
Illinois holds more than $66 million worth of stocks and bonds in PepsiCo, Coca Cola and Dr. Pepper Snapple alone.
Illinois Senate’s spending “cap” doesn’t protect taxpayers, core services
Illinois Senate’s spending “cap” doesn’t protect taxpayers, core services
The Senate’s “grand bargain” contains a one-year spending “cap” that won’t improve fiscal responsibility. A real cap must come with structural spending reforms to return spending to a level that taxpayers can afford.
Rauner memo: Use TIF funds to save Chicago Public Schools
Rauner memo: Use TIF funds to save Chicago Public Schools
Gov. Bruce Rauner has suggested funding CPS with tax increment financing, or TIF, funds; this would temporarily bail out the district, but more needs to be done to address serious concerns about Chicago’s TIF program.
Interest on Illinois’ pension debt is $9.1B per year
Interest on Illinois’ pension debt is $9.1B per year
A golden rule of finance is this: Debt that can’t be paid won’t be paid.
Majority of Illinois voters support a ‘no-tax-hike budget’
Majority of Illinois voters support a ‘no-tax-hike budget’
More than half of Illinois voters want lawmakers to balance the budget by only cutting state spending.
Illinois pitches sales tax for Netflix, Spotify, other streaming services
Illinois pitches sales tax for Netflix, Spotify, other streaming services
A new proposal from state Sen. Toi Hutchinson, D-Chicago Heights, would tax internet streaming services in Illinois, much like the potentially illegal internet streaming tax implemented in Chicago.
Illinois senator pitches expanding sales tax to tattoos, manicures and pedicures, more
Illinois senator pitches expanding sales tax to tattoos, manicures and pedicures, more
In the wake of the “grand bargain” budget plan failure, an Illinois politician has proposed applying the 6.25 percent state sales tax to a broad range of services.
The truth about your property tax bill
The truth about your property tax bill
Taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for such costly promises as they struggle to find opportunities of their own.