Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Know Your Income, Then Budget: The People of Illinois Deserve a Balanced State Budget They Can Afford

Know Your Income, Then Budget: The People of Illinois Deserve a Balanced State Budget They Can Afford

An honest budgeting process requires some idea of long-term revenue expectations. In the aftermath of record tax hikes passed earlier this year, one has to ask: will state lawmakers respect the sacrifices taxpayers are making and budget responsibly? Three separate state entities—the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, Office of the Comptroller and the legislative...

By Collin Hitt

Downers Grove, Willowbrook Take Top Scores in Transparency Audit

Downers Grove, Willowbrook Take Top Scores in Transparency Audit

Feb. 10, 2011 — The Downers Grove Park District and villages of Downers Grove and Willowbrook scored the highest of 16 public agencies recently evaluated in a government transparency audit. The audit was part of the Illinois Policy Institute’s Local Transparency Project and initiated by a local resident. Governments were graded on the availability of information to...

By Brian Costin

Off With the Red Tape: A Business-Friendly Idea Out of Kansas

Off With the Red Tape: A Business-Friendly Idea Out of Kansas

Excess red tape hurts business. Where superfluous laws and regulations prevail, businesses and individuals lose out. Kansas knows this, and has developed a plan to jump-start business activity in the Sunflower State: the Office of the Repealer. Last month Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback made good on a campaign promise by establishing the office (Appendix I, available...

By Collin Hitt

Cutting the Home Budget to Pay for Higher Taxes

Cutting the Home Budget to Pay for Higher Taxes

The tax increases signed into law this month by Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn will cost most Illinois households $1,000 – equivalent to one or more weeks’ pay. How many families can afford to miss a paycheck? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average family living in the Midwest earns just under $60,000 annually and consists...

By Collin Hitt

SB37: The Local Government Transparency Act

SB37: The Local Government Transparency Act

Taxpayers deserve to know information about the governments they fund. Illinois has thousands of units of local government, but key information about most of them is not readily available to average citizens.

HB1569: Opt-in Health Savings Account Plans for State Employees

HB1569: Opt-in Health Savings Account Plans for State Employees

HB1569 would modify the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971 to create an optional alternative health insurance program for state employees, a combination of a Health Savings Account and a qualifying, state-sponsored, High-Deductible Health Plan.

Anti-Union or Pro-Worker?

Anti-Union or Pro-Worker?

I was asked recently why union members are protesting in Wisconsin, but we did not see similar protests in Springfield when the lame duck tax hikes were passed in January. The answer is simple: Taxpayers can’t afford to take off from work.

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