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.
Legislation allowing Illinois residents to carry a digital driver’s license or ID on their smartphone will take effect in 2025.
Government in Illinois has a lot to do with why housing costs are so high. Zoning and land-use reforms can boost the supply of affordable housing without forcing taxpayers to subsidize it.
Chicago doesn’t have enough housing, in part because restrictive regulations and zoning drive up costs and headaches for developers. Mayor Brandon Johnson has recommended solid fixes, but the city must restrict aldermanic power.
Josh Bandoch, head of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, testimony about how accessory dwelling units can help fix Chicago’s affordable housing shortage. City regulations and mandates can derail this free-market solution, though.
As Chicago Public Schools spending per student continues to rise, test scores and proficiency levels among students continue to drop.
Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools buildings have a space-use problem – they’re too empty. Nearly 60% of schools are underutilized while 5% are overcrowded. Only 37% are at ideal capacity. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to add staff to the empty schools.
College degrees are just one potential path to prosperity. Apprenticeships are a viable alternative Illinois’ education system should embrace.
Cannabis tax revenue is stalling statewide in Illinois, but communities still see a tax benefit. See how much your town took in during the past 12 months.
The surge of migrants to Chicago and Illinois has made noncitizen voting rights an issue. Chicago and Evanston leaders wanted noncitizens to vote in local elections. Illinois Senators wanted to prevent them from voting. Neither side has secured any changes.
The influx of migrants to Chicago and Illinois presents a potential voting bloc ahead of the 2024 election. Some politicians have tried to get them the vote. Others have tried to prevent it.
Illinois students’ reading and math proficiency have yet to rebound from pandemic losses. Illinois parents have a right to know what their children are being taught so they can be part of the solution.