Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Why the No Pension Bailout project matters

Why the No Pension Bailout project matters

The goal of No Pension Bailout is to prevent the federal government from bailing out Illinois or any other states that have mismanaged their funds. We oppose a bailout because not only would it destroy state sovereignty and the concept of fiscal federalism once and for all, it would also transfer trillions of dollars from...

Open letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Open letter to Mayor Rahm Emanuel

After nearly a year of collective bargaining and a seven day strike, you have reached a tentative agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union.

The blame game: Illinois’ unemployment rate jumps to 9.1 percent

The blame game: Illinois’ unemployment rate jumps to 9.1 percent

For the third straight month, Illinois' unemployment rate climbed. More than 9.1 percent of Illinoisans are now unemployed, a full percentage point higher than the national average of 8.1 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gov. Quinn should never seek a federal bailout of Illinois’ pension debt

Gov. Quinn should never seek a federal bailout of Illinois’ pension debt

All across the country, states are grappling with pension funds that are massively underfunded. Under new accounting rules, Illinois’ unfunded pension debt stands at a whopping $209 billion. And that’s not counting the debt for retiree health insurance, pension bonds or all local retirement debt. Recent calculations have put the total level of states’ unfunded pension...

By Jonathan Ingram

A meditation on the Chicago Way

A meditation on the Chicago Way

A few parting observations, lessons to be learned, and things to watch in the future: Any positives in the contract?  Yes, but…  It is hard to find positives in the contract, but for what it’s worth: Chicago had one of the shortest school days and years in the US.  The school day is a bit longer and...

By Paul Kersey