Jobs + Growth

Scary. Very Scary.

Scary. Very Scary.

Things don't look so rosy for job growth in the Prairie State.

Scary. Very Scary.

Scary. Very Scary.

Things don't look so rosy for job growth in the Prairie State.

Cook County Key Facts

Cook County Key Facts

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...

By Chris Andriesen

Illinois’s Economic Health: The Prognosis Isn’t Good

Illinois’s Economic Health: The Prognosis Isn’t Good

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.

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

An Economic Reform Agenda for Illinois

An Economic Reform Agenda for Illinois

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...

A Liberty Agenda for Illinois

A Liberty Agenda for Illinois

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...