Budget + Tax

Chicago’s higher property taxes hit March 2

Cook County’s first property tax payments are due March 2. In Chicago, property taxes have grown more than 3 times faster than inflation for 20 years.

By Brad Weisenstein

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending Western Springs incomes

Illinois spent 43% faster than Western Springs incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending Germantown Hills incomes

Illinois spent 150% faster than Germantown Hills incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending St. Charles incomes

Illinois spent 46% faster than St. Charles incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending Harvey incomes

Illinois spent 57% faster than Harvey incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending Elgin incomes

Illinois spent 57% faster than Elgin incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Spending cap can stop Illinois from outspending Naperville incomes

Illinois spent 11% faster than Naperville incomes grew during the past decade. A bipartisan ‘spending cap’ bill would allow predictable, sustainable growth in state spending without tax hikes.

By Bryce Hill

Jerry R. McDonald

“People are voting with their feet, leaving Illinois every day and high property taxes are a big part of it."

Illinois House speaker unwilling to take voters’ ‘no’ on ‘fair tax’ for an answer

Just more than three months after voters soundly rejected a progressive state income tax, new Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch is trying to revive the idea as a fix for state pensions. There is a better solution than the failed ‘fair tax’ scheme.

By Adam Schuster

Pritzker’s budget pushes 9 new taxes worth nearly $1 billion

The budget proposal includes no reforms to pensions or other cost drivers, misleadingly labels various business tax increases as ‘closing corporate tax loopholes,’ and relies on gimmicks that conceal true deficits. And there’s a new gas tax.

By Adam Schuster

Weak accounting standards enable Illinois budget deficits

While the private sector is held to a higher standard, rules from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board have enabled Illinois to engage in reckless financial practices that harm taxpayers and the state’s economy.

By Justin Carlson

Full Text: Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s State of the State and Budget Address

Delivered virtually Feb. 17, 2021, from the Illinois State Fairgrounds

Expected $7.5 billion in federal aid won’t fix Illinois budget crisis without structural reforms

Illinois needed federal aid far more than other states because of pension crisis inaction, as well as an irresponsible pandemic budget. Bailouts won’t protect taxpayers or services for vulnerable Illinoisans, but reforms can.

By Adam Schuster

Megan Zentner

“If you try to go outside of your district here in the state of Illinois, you will pay tens of thousands of dollars per school year per student.”