Gov. Quinn should rethink his minimum wage position. Advocating for a higher minimum wage is a short-term political gimmick that does long-term detrimental harm to the people it pretends to help.
Is tax credits for new jobs good policy? Do credits work? Are there better options?
The Institute has outlined a series of reforms focused on bringing jobs, responsible spending, and accountable government back to Illinois. Our solutions address some of the root causes of Illinois
On March 3, Kristina Rasmussen testified before the Illinois House of Representatives Health Care Licenses Committee about hair braider licensing. She says the current licensing regulations are onerous and stand in the way job-creating entrepreneurs.
How free are we in Illinois?
Things don't look so rosy for job growth in the Prairie State.
How free are we in Illinois?
More lessons from Haiti for the American economy.
Things don't look so rosy for job growth in the Prairie State.
The Problem Cook County is the largest county in Illinois, with a population of 5,294,664 (41% of Illinois’s 12,901,563 residents). However, between April 2000 and July 2008, its population declined at a rate of -1.5%, while the rest of Illinois grew by 3.9%. Why is everyone leaving? Highest Taxes. Within Chicago and Cook County, the...
How economically healthy is Illinois compared to its neighboring states? The American Legislative Council has updated its eye-opening annual report, Rich States/Poor States, for 2009. The report evaluates the fiscal and economic policies of each of the 50 states- and in Illinois, things aren’t looking good.
The Problem Illinois desperately needs economic reform. We have a $9 billion budget hole, families are fleeing the state, and our job and income growth has stagnated. Meanwhile, spending is skyrocketing — up approximately 39% since 1998. In the same time period, population has grown only 6.8%. We don’t have a revenue problem. We have...
Executive Summary Every day, the state of Illinois is in a competition with 49 other states and the rest of the world. The rewards for succeeding? More businesses, more jobs, more resources, and a better place to live for all citizens. Unfortunately, the Illinois economy is lagging behind—and unless we turn away from the government-centered...