Win more than $600 in the Illinois Lottery? You get an IOU
Win more than $600 in the Illinois Lottery? You get an IOU
The state budget impasse is having increasingly embarrassing consequences.
Job Varghese
Job Varghese
“Our family came to this country for opportunity, but I find myself discouraging my son from working at our business here. “Property taxes are killing us. Usually your mortgage is your biggest expense, but when your property tax is more than the mortgage, where are you standing? “We’re paying $220,000 a year in property taxes....
Marty Flaska
Marty Flaska
“I love this city. But if we can keep an extra $2 million [per year] in our family businesses by moving 15 miles away, why wouldn’t we? “If I didn’t have the workers’ compensation issue and the [property-tax] issue, I probably never would have even considered moving. Why would I?” Marty Flaska President and CEO...
Jesse Huerta
Jesse Huerta
“I feel bad for the working man because they’re the ones who are going to suffer. Those are families being ruined. You know … I look at everything as a family. When you go to work you’re not working for yourself, you’re working for your family. That’s why we work: to better ourselves, to better...
Company founded by political insiders received over $22 million from Illinois in vendor late fees
Company founded by political insiders received over $22 million from Illinois in vendor late fees
The state of Illinois has paid $611 million in late fees to vendors. Political insiders who have donated to some of the state’s most powerful elected officials are reaping the benefits.
Peter Brunk
Peter Brunk
“We’re paying 4% of our home’s value in property taxes. This is a $247,000 house with $9,800 in property taxes. “So we’ll have paid the entire value of our house in property taxes in 25 years, assuming there’s no increase. “I’ve done my research. There’s a home right on the ocean in beautiful Bokeelia, Florida,...
Dana Sanzeri
Dana Sanzeri
“I was paying $6,000 in property taxes on this house I bought for $52,500. Now it’s $6,000 on a hole in the ground. ”I have friends having kids and I always ask ‘How can you afford it?’ I can barely afford a dog and myself. I have friends in Michigan who are managers at Applebee’s,...
Dues and don’ts: SEIU spent caregivers’ money for ‘representation’ on advertising, Christmas party
Dues and don’ts: SEIU spent caregivers’ money for ‘representation’ on advertising, Christmas party
SEIU spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on things clearly unrelated to the representation of union members.
Joel and Michelle Schurtz
Joel and Michelle Schurtz
“We’ve lived in five states, but we’ve never had to leave because we couldn’t put down roots there. “Illinois is different. It’s like we have to work as hard as two couples to have the same lifestyle. The taxes are so high, and our schools are good but no better than where we’ve lived before. ...
Illinois’ outmigration crisis
Illinois’ outmigration crisis
Jobs and income growing much faster in Right-to-Work states
Jobs and income growing much faster in Right-to-Work states
Government data show freedom from forced unionization means better outcomes for workers.
Illinois state government takes in more tax dollars per person than every neighboring state
Illinois state government takes in more tax dollars per person than every neighboring state
The low-tax Land of Lincoln is a myth.
Illinois leads nation in overcrowded prisons
Illinois leads nation in overcrowded prisons
Illinois prisons held 150 percent of their maximum capacity in 2014, the highest rate of crowding of any prison system in the country, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Lisa Creason
Lisa Creason
“On the day I graduated nursing school – I might get a little teary-eyed – but I will never forget coming home from the school and calling my mom and telling her I passed the final. I’m done. I’m actually going to be able to buy my kids a home. I’m actually going to be...