General Assembly takes up trampoline safety bill, again
General Assembly takes up trampoline safety bill, again
State Rep. Robyn Gabel, D-Evanston, is sponsoring a trampoline court regulation bill that is identical to the one she sponsored in 2017.
Full month’s pay for a day’s work? New bill ends loophole for state lawmakers
Full month’s pay for a day’s work? New bill ends loophole for state lawmakers
House Bill 4273 would eliminate a loophole in state law that allows lawmakers to receive a month's pay for a day of work.
Thank you for smoking: Illinois’ cigarette taxes fourth-highest in the Midwest
Thank you for smoking: Illinois’ cigarette taxes fourth-highest in the Midwest
The Land of Lincoln's addiction to regressive "sin taxes" burns more and more of Illinoisans' incomes.
Why Illinois needs a spending cap
Why Illinois needs a spending cap
Spending has consistently outpaced state tax revenues in Illinois for more than a decade. To avoid future tax hikes, Illinois must impose real fiscal discipline on state lawmakers.
Springfield dine-in tax would be latest fee for Illinois restaurants
Springfield dine-in tax would be latest fee for Illinois restaurants
A potential 2 percent dine-in tax imposed on Springfield restaurants has yet to be introduced, but the idea - which other towns have tried - is not a welcome one.
6 ways Illinois lawmakers can ease the property tax pain
6 ways Illinois lawmakers can ease the property tax pain
Illinoisans shoulder some of the highest property taxes in the country. This burden is key to understanding the state's outmigration problem. Despite the failure of lawmakers to reverse this crisis, there remain a number of sound reforms waiting for consideration.
Madison County Board votes to have townships pay assessment costs
Madison County Board votes to have townships pay assessment costs
Some Madison County townships could see their costs go up, which could drive up property taxes.
‘Sinkhole city’: Accounting watchdog gives Chicago an F in fiscal health
‘Sinkhole city’: Accounting watchdog gives Chicago an F in fiscal health
A recent analysis ranked 75 of the most populated cities in terms of fiscal health - and placed the Windy City next to dead-last.
The audacity of broke
The audacity of broke
Illinois is broke. But leaders don’t act like it.
Proposed bill would prohibit unfunded mandates, require revenue for all discretionary spending
Proposed bill would prohibit unfunded mandates, require revenue for all discretionary spending
The Taxpayer Fiscal Charter Act would demand funding transparency before spending bills make their way out of Springfield.
Controversial assessments have history of appeals by Burke and Madigan
Controversial assessments have history of appeals by Burke and Madigan
An order currently under consideration by Chicago City Council challenges the assessments of seven properties, four of which have been the subject of property tax appeals by the law firms of Chicago Alderman Ed Burke or Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan.
Land of lagging: Illinois’ sluggish economy and lawmakers’ tax hike treachery
Land of lagging: Illinois’ sluggish economy and lawmakers’ tax hike treachery
Illinois will not diverge from its path of poor growth until lawmakers realize the failures of recent tax hikes.
Naperville aims to raise taxes on cellphones, Airbnb
Naperville aims to raise taxes on cellphones, Airbnb
Illinois' fifth-largest city is moving to raise taxes on telecommunications and hotels, and fold homesharing into the latter.
Chicago City Council approves $5.5 million TIF subsidy for private health provider
Chicago City Council approves $5.5 million TIF subsidy for private health provider
Under the guise of rehabilitating underserved communities, Chicago City Council approved another tax transfer to a private company.