Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Cronyism runs deep in Illinois

Cronyism runs deep in Illinois

Imagine an Illinois economy so vibrant that companies felt they had to be in Illinois to reach their fullest potential.

Judges’ Retirement System posts negative returns

Judges’ Retirement System posts negative returns

Another one of the state’s five pension systems has posted negative investment returns for 2012, highlighting yet again the problems caused by Illinois’ politician-controlled defined-benefit plans using taxpayers as a backstop. For the third time in the last five years, the Judges’ Retirement System, or JRS, has posted a negative investment return. Although the pension...

By Jonathan Ingram

New municipal transparency laws for 2013

New municipal transparency laws for 2013

A number of the new municipal laws going into effect for 2013 are related to increasing government transparency. These new laws include: Meeting agendas must contain the “general subject matter” for action items. (PA 97-827) Notices and agendas must be available for public review for 48 hours before meeting. (PA 97-827) Reports concerning sales tax rebate agreements...

By Brian Costin

New municipal transparency laws for 2013

New municipal transparency laws for 2013

A number of the new municipal laws going into effect for 2013 are related to increasing government transparency. These new laws include:

Judges

Judges

Another one of the state

Local governments among worst offenders in wasteful spending

Local governments among worst offenders in wasteful spending

Illinois state government has 230 programs that provide state funds to nearly 7,000 units of local government in Illinois. The largest 11 programs alone provide more than $13 billion to local governments. The distribution of that money, across the entire state, makes it difficult to hold state and local governments accountable for their spending decisions....

By Benjamin VanMetre

Illinois local government headlines

Illinois local government headlines

Palos Hills Mayor: ‘Cities and villages will go bankrupt if this does not change’ Despite all of the media focus on the state’s troubled pension systems, a Southtown Star column byPhil Kander details the problems many suburbs face with the mounting debt of public employee pensions. Intense lobbying by labor unions to pass costly pension sweeteners have caused...

By Brian Costin

Illinois Policy Institute’s favorite Christmas movies

Illinois Policy Institute’s favorite Christmas movies

Our team compiled a list of our favorite Christmas movies. And here they are in no particular order. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)  Gremlins (1984) Die Hard (1988) A Christmas Story (1983) One Magic Christmas (1985) Home Alone (1990) It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Love Actually (2003) How the Grinch...

By Chris Andriesen

Local governments among worst offenders in wasteful spending

Local governments among worst offenders in wasteful spending

Illinois state government has 230 programs that provide state funds to nearly 7,000 units of local government in Illinois. The largest 11 programs alone provide more than $13 billion to local governments.

Budget and tax year-end review: a recap of the best and worst of 2012

Budget and tax year-end review: a recap of the best and worst of 2012

Unfortunately, 2012 was another dismal year for budget and tax policy in Illinois. It seems that the more things change the more they get worse in this state. But the Illinois Policy Institute is fighting to fix that. We believe that Illinois can once again become a beacon of economic freedom, individual liberty and prosperity....

By Benjamin VanMetre

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