Policy Research

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Pritzker mandates day care center workers get COVID-19 vaccine or get tested

By Brad Weisenstein

10/22/2021

The list of workers Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is demanding get vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 has grown to include licensed day care centers. Pritzker’s mandate affects 55,000 workers.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, vaccine mandate

Amendment 1 would give Illinois government union bosses nation’s most extreme powers

By Mailee Smith

10/22/2021

No other state constitutions guarantee unmitigated powers to government unions, and 28 state constitutions don’t even find a need to mention labor.

TAGS: Amendment 1, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois, strike, unions

2 ways to fix Illinois’ too-high property taxes, teacher shortage

By Ann Miller

10/21/2021

Redirecting some of Illinois’ school district administrative overhead could attract top talent to the more than 4,100 teacher openings. The savings could be $1,317 per taxpayer in one veteran teacher’s hometown. Reform pensions, and that amount grows.

TAGS: Classrooms First Act, education spending, ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education, taxes, teacher shortage

Amendment 1 will cement teacher strikes in Illinois Constitution

By Mailee Smith

10/21/2021

Voters will decide in November 2022 whether teachers’ unions will have a permanent right to walk out on students.

TAGS: Amendment 1, Illinois Constitution, strike, teachers union

Pritzker toughens his COVID-19 restrictions

By Dylan Sharkey

10/19/2021

COVID-19 cases are on the decline in Illinois, but Gov. J.B. Pritzker is resisting calls to remove his mask mandate and other restrictions.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Chicago Sky standout’s rise started with scholarship to private school

By Brad Weisenstein

10/19/2021

Allie Quigley’s team just brought Chicago the WNBA championship, but her success story started with someone donating a scholarship that let her and her siblings attend private school. The result: lessons that built a champion.

TAGS: Chicago Sky, Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

Making Illinois’ tax credit scholarships permanent will let more students excel

By Ann Miller

10/18/2021

Illinois state lawmakers can give low-income students the security of an education that best fits their needs by making the Tax Credit Scholarship a permanent fixture.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice, tax credits

Pritzker backs off COVID-19 vax deadline amid union opposition

By Dylan Sharkey

10/18/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker couldn’t reach an agreement with the public employee unions representing workers in group settings, so he delayed the COVID-19 vaccination deadline until Nov. 30. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s vaccination fight with the police union escalates.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot, unions, vaccine mandate

Pritzker wants to end health conscience law’s use to avoid COVID-19 vax

By Dylan Sharkey

10/16/2021

As Illinois politicians continue trying to force vaccinations on more residents, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is trying to end use of a state law designed to stop people from being forced into health care decisions.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, vaccine mandate

Illinois’ ‘extreme’ risk of gerrymandering becomes reality through congressional map

By Robert Brutvan

10/16/2021

The Illinois congressional map proposal released by Democrats has districts that are far from compact, snaking to catch and avoid populations. Republicans label it the ‘Nancy Pelosi Protection Plan.’

TAGS: gerrymandering, Illinois, legislative map, redistricting

3 problems with Lightfoot’s Chicago budget, starting with an unnecessary property tax hike

The mayor’s Chicago budget plan includes a $76.5 million property tax hike despite $3.5 billion in federal aid and funds permanent programs with temporary revenues but includes no push to fix pensions.

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