Where there’s a government union, there’s bound to be big government debt
Where there’s a government union, there’s bound to be big government debt
by Paul Kersey So what exactly do government worker unions do? Along with negotiating contracts and lobbying politicians, they help create loads of debt. The Massachusetts-based Beacon Hill Institute has done some sophisticated analysis of state-level economic performance, and the results indicate that government unions tend to go hand in hand with high government debt....
Cullerton’s pension plan full of flawed logic
Cullerton’s pension plan full of flawed logic
A union coalition opposed to pension reform is arguing that a plan advanced by Senate President John Cullerton would save $26 billion more in retiree health care coverage costs than a plan backed by House Speaker Michael Madigan. From the Associated Press: A study by the We Are One Illinois coalition shows that if half of...
By Jonathan Ingram
Clock is ticking in Springfield
Clock is ticking in Springfield
There are four days of legislative session remaining, during which time state lawmakers will debate many important issues that affect taxpayers in the state of Illinois. Here is what you need to know going into the last week of session. No budget … yet At this point in session, a state budget proposal is usually...
By Matt Paprocki
Illinois had a lower veteran unemployment rate than the nation last year
Illinois had a lower veteran unemployment rate than the nation last year
by Paul Schumacher The Illinois Department of Employment Security issues a monthly report on unemployment for veterans. In April 2013, the unemployment rate for all veterans older than 18 was 6.2 percent, down from 7.1 percent in April 2012. Monthly numbers for veteran unemployment are not available, but for 2012 Illinois had a lower veteran unemployment rate...
Unions supported skipping pension payments
Unions supported skipping pension payments
Union officials backed the very pension "holidays" they blame for Illinois' pension crisis.
Illinois’ economic outlook will worsen under a progressive tax
Illinois’ economic outlook will worsen under a progressive tax
by Ben VanMetre The American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC, released its sixth annual Rich States, Poor Statespublication earlier this week. This report showed that Illinois maintained its near dead-last ranking – with the third-worst state economic outlook in the nation. This news is further confirmation that state lawmakers’ poor policy decisions continue to sap economic activity and...
Chicago — the future hub of ed-tech
Chicago — the future hub of ed-tech
by Josh Dwyer In an article on EdReach – a website that provides a platform for education innovators – Christopher Nyren, founder of Educated Ventures, listed a number of reasons why Chicago should be one of the “most prolific ed-tech hotspots on the planet.” Here are some of the facts Nyren shared: The Midwest boasts two of the...
City of Evanston denies food-truck application it forced owners to file
City of Evanston denies food-truck application it forced owners to file
by Jacob Huebert Jim Nuccio and Gabriel Wiesen are two young entrepreneurs who want to operate their Beavers Coffee & Donuts food truck in Evanston. But one thing stands in their way: a city ordinance that allows only food trucks run by “licensed food establishments,” such as brick-and-mortar restaurants, to operate there. Jim and Gabriel...
Census: Chicago slowest growing big city in U.S.
Census: Chicago slowest growing big city in U.S.
The state of Illinois has been experiencing net out-migration for the last decade. That is, the number of people choosing to leave the state is outpacing the number of people moving to Illinois. Illinois had the eighth-lowest population growth in the nation between 2002 and 2012. And compared with its neighbors, Illinois’ population growth is...
By Hilary Gowins
Open bargaining essential to avoid government corruption
Open bargaining essential to avoid government corruption
by Paul Kersey In governments all across the country, there’s a need to open up collective bargaining to more public scrutiny. Union contracts in particular need to be released to the public before they are ratified. But even when you have the contract in hand, you don’t necessarily know everything you need to know. The dirty little...
Motorists in Illinois are paying $4.06 per gallon of gas — $0.40 more than the national average.
Motorists in Illinois are paying $4.06 per gallon of gas — $0.40 more than the national average.
For the last several years, gas prices have remained stubbornly high at $3 or more a gallon nationwide — and customers have felt the pinch. Though prices remain high throughout the nation, they’ve mostly held steady since last year. The national average price per gallon decreased by $0.02 from this time last year, and now...
By Hilary Gowins
CPS school closings: teachers union demands added pressure to an already-buckling district
CPS school closings: teachers union demands added pressure to an already-buckling district
by Paul Kersey Sometimes decline is a reality that must be dealt with before it can be reversed – and that’s the situation that the Chicago Public Schools board faces. With shrinking enrollment in traditional public schools the CPS board had little choice but to close down some school buildings and redistribute students to new...
New study finds that Medicaid doesn’t improve health outcomes
New study finds that Medicaid doesn’t improve health outcomes
by Jonathan Ingram Illinois lawmakers set to decide whether or not to adopt ObamaCare’s voluntary expansion of Medicaid may want to read a new study published in the Journal of New England Medicine. In 2008, Oregon officials wanted to expand eligibility for their Medicaid program, but only had enough funding for 10,000 of the 90,000 eligible...
CPS school closings: district spares some schools, but problems still persist
CPS school closings: district spares some schools, but problems still persist
by Josh Dwyer The big news from the Chicago Public Schools school board meeting is that Ericson, Garvey, Jackson and Manierre schools will remain open. Still, 50 other schools are on the chopping block. Forty-eight schools will close in June. Canter Elementary will get a one-year reprieve and Attucks Elementary will close at the end of...