Shopping small on Saturday? Good. Small businesses lead Illinois’ job growth.
Shopping small on Saturday? Good. Small businesses lead Illinois’ job growth.
Small Business Saturday offers a reason to be thankful: Illinois businesses with fewer than 20 employees were the ones creating the most new jobs.
By Dylan Sharkey
Voters oppose Chicago mayor’s tent city plan over 2 to 1
Voters oppose Chicago mayor’s tent city plan over 2 to 1
New polling shows Chicago voters mostly oppose Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan for using tent cities to house asylum-seekers in the city.
By Dylan Sharkey
What power do Illinois, Chicago have to fix migrant crisis?
What power do Illinois, Chicago have to fix migrant crisis?
The increase in asylum seekers arriving in Chicago is stressing communities and exhausting resources. What exactly can states and local governments do?
By Joe Tabor
Oak Lawn renews business license amnesty
Oak Lawn renews business license amnesty
Illinois Policy Institute research inspired Oak Lawn to waive licensing fees for hundreds of businesses in the village. The village board unanimously voted to extend the amnesty.
By Dylan Sharkey
Census: 97% of Illinoisans moving out head to lower-tax states
Census: 97% of Illinoisans moving out head to lower-tax states
State-to-state migration estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau showed Illinois lost residents to 36 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly all the former Illinoisans moved to lower-tax states.
By Bryce Hill
5 problems with report implying Illinois is growing. Problem No. 1: it’s not
5 problems with report implying Illinois is growing. Problem No. 1: it’s not
Authors left out key data that contradicted their findings to claim Illinois’ population is growing. Evidence Illinois is shrinking comes independently from the IRS, U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois Department of Revenue and multiple moving companies.
By Bryce Hill
Chicago eliminates subminimum wage for tipped workers
Chicago eliminates subminimum wage for tipped workers
Tipped workers in Chicago will be phased into the city’s $15.80 minimum wage. Proponents said higher wages will help staffing shortages, but opponents said it will lead to higher costs, fewer jobs and maybe backfire for tipped workers’ pay.
By Dylan Sharkey
Illinois recovered pandemic-era job losses in July – a year later than the rest of the country
Illinois recovered pandemic-era job losses in July – a year later than the rest of the country
The state finally surpassed January 2020 job levels after 37 states had already done so, including all of Illinois’ neighbors except Michigan.
By Bryce Hill, Justin Carlson
Most Illinois metro areas shed jobs in June, await pandemic recovery
Most Illinois metro areas shed jobs in June, await pandemic recovery
Despite statewide job gains in June, eight of Illinois’ metro areas lost jobs for the month. Most areas still haven’t recovered to pre-pandemic job levels.
By Justin Carlson
Illinois’ unemployment rate for June is 5th-worst in U.S.
Illinois’ unemployment rate for June is 5th-worst in U.S.
Illinois added 8,400 jobs in June, but unemployment remained high compared to the rest of the nation. The state still hasn’t recovered the jobs it had before the pandemic.
By Justin Carlson
TTX joins major companies leaving Chicago
TTX joins major companies leaving Chicago
Rail car company TTX is heading for North Carolina, adding to the list of corporations formerly headquartered in Chicago. Companies such as McDonald’s and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange could be next.
By Dylan Sharkey
Ameren monopoly over Illinois transmission lines up to Pritzker
Ameren monopoly over Illinois transmission lines up to Pritzker
The union-backed legislation would grant Illinois’ second-largest electric utility a temporary monopoly over the construction of new transmission lines across nearly three-quarters of the state. Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised to veto it.
By Patrick Andriesen