Uber, Lyft threaten to leave Chicago
Uber, Lyft threaten to leave Chicago
Chicago City Council is one vote away from enacting punishing rules that could force the popular platforms out of the Windy City.
Amendment to exclude Facebook facial-recognition technology from Illinois’ privacy law put on hold
Amendment to exclude Facebook facial-recognition technology from Illinois’ privacy law put on hold
A proposed amendment to the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act that would exclude facial-recognition technology used by Facebook from the privacy protections of the act has been postponed after privacy advocates and the Illinois attorney general raised concerns.
May jobs report: Illinois loses 2,500 payroll jobs, workforce shrinks by 9,100
May jobs report: Illinois loses 2,500 payroll jobs, workforce shrinks by 9,100
Weak jobs numbers across the Midwest reflect the possibility of an oncoming economic slowdown. In fact, it would not be surprising to face a recession in the upcoming months, given that U.S. jobs growth has been weakening, and it has been seven years since the previous recession ended – a long period of expansion by historical norms.
Illinois lost 2,500 jobs in May, labor force drops for first time in 2016
Illinois lost 2,500 jobs in May, labor force drops for first time in 2016
Confidence in job opportunities declined in May, with a net loss of 9,100 people from the state’s workforce.
Victory: Evanston lifts food-truck ban
Victory: Evanston lifts food-truck ban
Food-truck freedom finally is coming to Evanston.
Illinois’ $2 million Skittles bribe a bad deal for taxpayers
Illinois’ $2 million Skittles bribe a bad deal for taxpayers
News that Wrigley has started producing Skittles in Illinois has many excited – until they learn just how much Illinois gave in tax incentives to lure 75 new jobs.
Bob Anderson
Bob Anderson
“I started my barbershop in 1962. I’ve been cutting some customers’ hair for over 50 years. “When I started there were a lot of German immigrants who were buying small summer homes here. And this is where they retired. Now those same people come into the shop and all they talk about is their property-tax...
Illinois employers announce 1,300 layoffs in May
Illinois employers announce 1,300 layoffs in May
The most recent Illinois WARN report shows 1,300 mass layoffs in May, including 513 layoffs in the manufacturing sector, up from 450 large-scale layoffs and six manufacturing layoffs in April.
New ordinance will reduce building downtown, raise rents in Chicago
New ordinance will reduce building downtown, raise rents in Chicago
If Chicago wants to alleviate poverty and economic inequality, the city needs to reform its zoning laws to allow more building – not institute a new tax on development.
Against Illinois’ tax breaks for Amazon? Fix the state’s broken workers’ compensation system
Against Illinois’ tax breaks for Amazon? Fix the state’s broken workers’ compensation system
There’s a reason new facilities aren’t being built in Illinois: In too many cases a business investment in Illinois doesn’t make financial sense unless Illinois taxpayers are paying for a chunk of the project. This system isn’t good for businesses, or for workers and unions that are losing jobs. Until Illinois makes the broad tax and regulatory reforms needed to compete for blue-collar jobs, businesses are going to keep expanding elsewhere or asking for tax breaks to come here.
Working on a dream: 3 Chicago women and the power of manufacturing
Working on a dream: 3 Chicago women and the power of manufacturing
Three women from Chicago’s West Side are beating the odds.
How zoning rules are helping Houston overtake Chicago as America’s 3rd-largest city
How zoning rules are helping Houston overtake Chicago as America’s 3rd-largest city
As Chicago’s population shrinks, Houston is set to overtake the Windy City as the third-largest city in America. Illinois’ slumping economy is a major reason for that, but the cities’ different zoning rules show how regulations can promote growth – or stifle it.
Illinois lags in easing entry regulations for professions
Illinois lags in easing entry regulations for professions
Nearly 25 percent of Illinois’ workforce requires government permission to work.
$2 million per year in tax breaks buys 2,000 new Amazon jobs for Illinois
$2 million per year in tax breaks buys 2,000 new Amazon jobs for Illinois
Amazon’s new Joliet, Ill., facilities will bring needed jobs to the state, but special tax deals are not the way to improve Illinois’ sluggish jobs climate.