Gov. Pat Quinns Office of Management and Budget recently released its three-year budget projections for Illinois General Fund. According to the report, Illinois will end fiscal year 2013 with a $242 million budget surplus.
Illinois education financing system is rife with poorly designed policies.
We keep looking for leadership and we keep ending up with politics.
How confident do you feel that Illinois will be able to pay its bills in 2013 and beyond?
Learn more about the disadvantages of a progressive income tax.
Although the pension fund for state employees predicted it would earn $850 million in fiscal year 2012, it actually earned less than $6 million. The fund posted an investment return of just 0.05 percent, far below the 7.75 percent it expected.
This was the running theme during Illinois' recent lame duck session: Pass anything.
Two years ago, the average family started forking over an additional $1,500 from their annual pay due to higher taxes.
Illinois credit rating received a warning today from Fitch Ratings. What Fitch cited as the ongoing inability of the state to address its large and growing unfunded pension liability means a rating downgrade is likely unless reforms are passed within s
With the last procedural hurdles cleared, Senate Bill 1556, also known as the "management" bill, will be presented to Gov. Pat Quinn and is expected to receive his signature.
We often hear stories from Illinoisans who find comfort in knowing others are working to advance liberty in our state some are shocked to learn such a community exists and that it is ranked #1 among State Policy Network organizations.
For years annual pension costs have been crowding out spending on education, health care and public safety. Now, Illinois legislators are looking to lock that in.
Major problems: Creates a super-legislature by delegating lawmaking to an un-elected Commission. Creates a pathway for Commission-directed tax hikes without a vote of the legislature. If either the House Speaker or the Senate President does not call a disapproval vote, the bill becomes law. The chamber heads are required to certify it unless a joint...
None of the plans Illinois lawmakers are considering will go anywhere near solving the states long-term pension crisis.