Here are data snapshots of Illinois communities, schools and government. See how well your tax dollars are performing in your city, county or school compared to others.
New business applications in Illinois are up 47% compared to pre-pandemic numbers in 2019, but what does growth in your county look like?
Lawmaker to lobbyist is a well-worn path at the Illinois Statehouse. But the new job of some former state lawmakers is to get their former colleagues to make it harder for their former constituents to work.
College degrees are just one potential path to prosperity. Apprenticeships are a viable alternative Illinois’ education system should embrace.
Despite some growth, high unemployment remains an issue in Illinois. All 15 metropolitan areas showed higher rates of unemployment than the national average.
This edition of The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research. When you treat people like piggy banks, some of them will get fed up and move. It is most likely the folks with the most money will be the ones to go. Illinois politicians seem to be ignoring those...
Declining demand has John Deere planning 600 layoffs, including 280 in Illinois, by the end of August. Illinois already had companies planning to cut 1,124 jobs in May, hitting janitorial services providers, collection agencies and packaging industries.
New data shows $9.9 billion flowed from Illinois to other states because people moved out in 2022. Most of those leaving earned $100,000 or more.
Thousands of vacant properties sit undeveloped in Chicago thanks to environmental review.
Illinois’ Hispanic population is growing the most while the Asian population growing the fastest.
Illinois' employment growth lags the nation and neighboring states in May.
Utah consolidated and integrated government job and social services into a one-stop shop. Illinois can follow that example and efficiently pull more people out of poverty and into the working world.
If Illinois used data-driven reviews before imposing job rules, more people could find work and escape poverty.
The jobs are there. The people to fill them are there. The only thing standing in the way is Illinois’ overreaching state regulations and job licensing.