Policy Research

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Government unions claim Amendment 1 will ‘protect nurses’ after killing pro-nursing bill

By Hannah Max

08/17/2022

The government unions pushing Amendment 1 on the Nov. 8 ballot in Illinois halted a popular, bipartisan bill that would have helped ease the nursing shortage made worse by the pandemic.

TAGS: Amendment 1, nurses

Chicago pension funds still among nation’s worst funded

By Seton O'Scannlain

08/16/2022

Over-promised benefits continue to sink Chicago’s finances as the recent bear market eats into 2021 stock market gains. Investments gaining 25% last year plus federal aid didn’t offer much help to city pension systems, which have more debt than 45 states.

TAGS: Chicago, pensions

Pritzker administration failed to report unemployment fraud data

By Dylan Sharkey

08/16/2022

A U.S. Department of Labor report stated Illinois failed to report theft of pandemic relief money as required. Illinois lost over half of pandemic unemployment funds to fraud.

TAGS: fraud, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker

First-year Illinois housing costs up more than $12,717 since 2019

By Bryce Hill

08/14/2022

Rising prices and mortgage rates are making housing unaffordable for a growing number of Illinoisans. A property tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot could make it worse.

TAGS: homeownership, property taxes

Illinois retiree: Amendment 1 could cost me my home

By Ann Miller

08/12/2022

Voters decide Nov. 8 whether to pass Amendment 1 – a hidden tax hike that could cost Illinois taxpayers, including fixed-income retirees, their homes and put homeownership farther out of reach for young families.

TAGS: Amendment 1

Lightfoot’s $42.7M property tax hike goes just to pensions

By Dylan Sharkey

08/12/2022

Chicago property tax bills are on the rise again, thanks to the city’s massive pension debt. Mayor Lori Lightfoot compared the latest property tax hike to additional toppings at lunch.

TAGS: Lori Lightfoot, pensions, property taxes

Lawmakers should let Illinoisans vote on tax hikes

By Joe Tabor, Seton O'Scannlain

08/12/2022

Amendment 1 has many more negatives than voters will ever realize, but one of those is a $2,100 property tax hike. Illinoisans should vote on all taxing and spending hikes, not just those presented to them as vague constitutional amendments.

TAGS: Amendment 1, taxes

Fact check: Unions backing Amendment 1 killed bill to help nurses

By Dylan Sharkey

08/12/2022

A new ad falsely claims Amendment 1 will protect nurses’ rights at private children’s hospitals. The same government unions who paid for the ad ended legislation that truly would have helped nurses.

TAGS: Amendment 1, nurses, unions

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

By Joe Tabor, Aimee Morrissey

08/11/2022

Illinois can draw from other states’ experiences to solve its own gerrymandering problem. One solid solution is as close as Michigan.

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, Illinois

‘Workers’ Rights Amendment’ website ignores tax hike

By Patrick Andriesen

08/11/2022

The government union-backed website claims Amendment 1 would put more money in the pockets of working Illinoisans, but the change could only benefit the 7% who are government employees. All families would pay $2,149 more in property taxes.

TAGS: Amendment 1, property tax, unions, workers rights

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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