Chicago Public Schools, or CPS, displayed plenty of bad judgment last year: in the way it managed its budget, the school closings fiasco and the adoption of a new promotion policy that pushes students to the next grade even when they’re not ready. More recently, CPS continued its poor decision-making by providing $20 million to...
Illinois has a dirty little secret buried in its tax history – the first income tax approved in Illinois was a progressive tax. Fortunately, the progressive tax was ruled unconstitutional and was never implemented. But now the threat of a progressive tax hike is back again. Originally, Illinois didn’t have an income tax. When the...
There is a virtual caravan of businesses leaving Illinois. Office Depot, which announced that it would be setting up its headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., rather than Naperville, Ill., is only the latest. A string of smaller companies, mainly manufacturers such as Modern Drop Forge or Food Warning Equipment Company have been relocating – sometimes...
With 2014 just around the corner, the Illinois Policy Institute’s government affairs department has much to look forward to, including a new legislative arm, an aggressive legislative agenda and even more talented staff. The Institute announces its launch of Illinois Policy Action. In December, Illinois Policy Institute CEO John Tillman released the following statement: “Illinois Policy Action...
With two court wins, no losses and many other activities to advance liberty in Illinois, the Liberty Justice Center, the Illinois Policy Institute’s public-interest litigation center, had a good year in 2013. In April, our client Steven Wailand, a Western Illinois University student, won his lawsuit against the city of Macomb, where officials tried to...
For decades, labor unions have used public demonstrations such as rallies, pickets or strikes to generate public support for their cause. But in 2013, unions learned the hard way that this strategy can backfire on them. A recent poll by the Field Research Corp. showed public support of government unions in California plummeted over the...
The Illinois Policy Institute’s overarching goal is to transform liberty principles into marketable policies that become law. Naturally, the ultimate sign of success is when free market ideas are turned into laws that change lives for the better. There’s a long way to go before our vision is fully realized, but this year, our government...
A new year brings new laws – good, bad and ugly – in Illinois. There’s a lot of them, but here are three in particular that stand out. The Good: Speed limit raised to 70 mph One piece of good news is that the state speed limit has been raised to a maximum of 70...
If passing legislation concerning specialty license plates in Illinois was high on your wish list, 2013 was a very good year. Eleven new laws will go into effect on Jan. 1 concerning specialty license plates in Illinois. House Bill 0198 provides for the issuance of Illinois Police K-9 Memorial Plates. Proceeds benefit the Illinois Police K-9...
Fighting the progressive tax in Illinois The battle to raise taxes again is underway in Illinois. Politicians and special interest groups across the state have put a plan in motion to implement yet another income tax hike in Illinois – one that targets the state’s working- and middle-class residents. Politicians already pushed through a record...
It is not uncommon for a president’s signature policy to unanimously make every news outlet’s top stories of the year list. But when that policy provides late-night talk show fodder and comedy sketch parody material for the same policy would be. Beating out the George Zimmerman trial, the birth of a royal baby and the...
Lawmakers failed to keep their promise to pay down the state’s bills despite the fact that they are still raking in billions in new money from the 2011 tax hike. In fact, Illinois’ unpaid bills are slated to reach $9 billion during the Christmas season this year. When the Illinois General Assembly passed a record...
Nice list Many local taxing bodies in Illinois took a giant leap forward in 2013 when it comes to improving online transparency. And many local officials worked with the Illinois Policy Institute to meet our online transparency standards, per the 10-Point Transparency Checklist. Our report “Obstructed views: Illinois’ 102 county online transparency audit” showed that...
Michael Jordan may have paid $178,900 in property taxes on his Highland Park home in 2012. But his property taxes aren’t even enough to cover the annual pension of Highland Park’s highest-compensated retired Teachers’ Retirement System member. Linda Hanson, 66, is a former Highland Park Township High School District 113 superintendent who has been retired...