Madigan’s ‘millionaire tax’ fails in House
Madigan’s ‘millionaire tax’ fails in House
The House speaker’s proposal to hike taxes on small businesses failed to garner the 71 necessary “yes” votes needed to pass out of the House on April 20.
Rahm plans to borrow $1.2 billion to construct Lucas museum
Rahm plans to borrow $1.2 billion to construct Lucas museum
The mayor’s plan to construct the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art includes more of the same bad policies that got Chicago into its fiscal crisis: a bid to borrow $1.2 billion and hike taxes on residents.
Comptroller announces paycheck delays for Illinois politicians, state officials
Comptroller announces paycheck delays for Illinois politicians, state officials
Total compensation for affected legislators and statewide officeholders equals about $1.3 million per month, according to the comptroller. On top of salaries, taxpayers also have to foot the bill for lawmaker pensions – in Illinois’ active legislators will each cost the state budget about $180,000 next year.
Illinois state income taxes: Who really pays?
Illinois state income taxes: Who really pays?
The top 18 percent of Illinois taxpayers cover more than 60 percent of the state’s income taxes, and the state’s millionaires pay 15 percent of Illinois’ income taxes.
Cullerton backs away from proposal to tax Illinois drivers by the mile
Cullerton backs away from proposal to tax Illinois drivers by the mile
SB 3267 would introduce electronic driver tracking, and create a behemoth bureaucracy to keep tabs on Illinois drivers and figure out how to process tax credits.
6 reforms to end Illinois’ perpetual budget crisis
6 reforms to end Illinois’ perpetual budget crisis
Illinois needs a combination of constitutional and statutory changes to put and keep the state on sound fiscal footing and allow it to pay its providers and better prepare for emergencies.
Will Lisa Madigan shut down Illinois state government?
Will Lisa Madigan shut down Illinois state government?
The Illinois attorney general – House Speaker Mike Madigan’s daughter – could play a major role in whether state lawmakers will pass a budget Illinoisans can afford.
Illinois will soon overtake New Jersey as the state with the highest property taxes
Illinois will soon overtake New Jersey as the state with the highest property taxes
Illinois' 859 local school districts consume nearly two-thirds of the $27 billion in local property taxes collected across the state each year.
Illinois House passes bill to suspend fines for late license-plate renewal
Illinois House passes bill to suspend fines for late license-plate renewal
The Illinois House has passed a bill to prohibit charging late fees to vehicle owners who renew their registration late due to the secretary of state’s suspension of mailed reminders.
Illinoisans work 119 days to pay for government
Illinoisans work 119 days to pay for government
Illinoisans must work from Jan. 1 until April 29 to pay the taxes they owe to federal, state and local governments.
Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student
Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has claimed that Chicago students are discriminated against under the state's education funding formula. But the numbers show the opposite: Chicago has received more than its fair share of education funding from the state.
New bill would make Illinois gas taxes highest in the nation
New bill would make Illinois gas taxes highest in the nation
A new 30-cent-per-gallon tax hike would make Illinois gas taxes the highest in the nation by far, and pour more money into a broken system.
Illinois gets $2.7M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Illinois gets $2.7M windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration
Budget gridlock in Springfield caused the Illinois secretary of state’s office to suspend mailing vehicle-registration-renewal reminders in October 2015; as a result, during the first three months of 2016, the state took in $2.7 million more in fees for late license-plate renewal than it did during the same period in 2015.
Chicago’s new TIF district would siphon millions of property-tax dollars into city slush fund
Chicago’s new TIF district would siphon millions of property-tax dollars into city slush fund
Creating a tax increment financing district around the Lathrop Homes redevelopment will ensure that 100 percent of property-tax revenue generated on the site will go to a city-run slush fund.