Chicago gets $16.6B budget after mayor refuses to veto
Chicago gets $16.6B budget after mayor refuses to veto
Chicago avoided a city shutdown when Mayor Brandon Johnson accepted the alternative budget aldermen passed despite his wishes.
Watching ‘Elf’ or ‘Home Alone’ costs $300M more in Chicago
Watching ‘Elf’ or ‘Home Alone’ costs $300M more in Chicago
Chicagoans pay extra to stream holiday movies on Netflix or Hulu because of the city’s 10.25% streaming tax. The cost was nearly $300 million in 2025.
Soybeans, organ donors, flags, reading get new Illinois laws
Soybeans, organ donors, flags, reading get new Illinois laws
Illinois lawmakers ensure residents ring in the New Year with nearly 300 new laws. A state bean, reading and where to place U.S. flags addressed.
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How much did Illinois take from your town’s income taxes?
How much did Illinois take from your town’s income taxes?
Illinois local governments lost out on over $10.9 billion in income tax revenue since fiscal year 2012. Here’s what your city or county lost.
Illinois Supreme Court asked to hear constitutional challenge case
Illinois Supreme Court asked to hear constitutional challenge case
The Illinois Supreme Court has been asked to hear a lawsuit challenging where citizens can file constitutional challenges to state laws.
National Education Association spends on politics over teachers
National Education Association spends on politics over teachers
Just 10 cents of every dollar the National Education Association spent in 2025 was on representing teachers. Politics and contributions took nearly four times that amount.
Lawmaker gifts this holiday season? Illinois has rules.
Lawmaker gifts this holiday season? Illinois has rules.
There are limits on gift giving to Illinois state lawmakers, but there are exceptions. Here’s where the state draws the line between generosity and graft.
Chicago adopts $16.6B budget, adds $535M in taxes
Chicago adopts $16.6B budget, adds $535M in taxes
Chicago aldermen for the first time pushed through their own budget, rejecting the mayor’s effort to impose a job-killing head tax. There are other taxes.
Illinois Education Association spends little on teachers
Illinois Education Association spends little on teachers
Just 17% of the union’s spending in 2025 was on representing teachers. But it spent a record-breaking amount on politics and paid many staffers over $100K.
Property taxes rob ‘Home Alone’ house of nearly $52,000
Property taxes rob ‘Home Alone’ house of nearly $52,000
The owners of Kevin McCallister’s house from the “Home Alone” movie will pay nearly $52,000 in property taxes this year.
IFT vows to fight funding to help public school kids
IFT vows to fight funding to help public school kids
The Illinois Federation of Teachers told members it will “stay vigilant” to keep privately-donated money out of students’ pockets. Illinois kids need the help.
Gassing up in Illinois pricey during record holiday travel
Gassing up in Illinois pricey during record holiday travel
AAA estimates 5.7 million Illinoisans will travel this holiday season. Most will be driving, forced to pay the nation’s No. 2 gas taxes.
Illinois job growth less than half of Midwest’s in past year
Illinois job growth less than half of Midwest’s in past year
The information sector remains a bright spot in an otherwise challenging Illinois job market, but unemployment has pulled even with the national rate.