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Analysis: Illinois lawmakers rarely know how much bills cost before voting for them

CHICAGO (April 25, 2017) – A new analysis by the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute finds that Illinois lawmakers have been “shopping without looking at the price tag” by voting for bills without knowing how much they will cost. The 99th General Assembly was in session from January 2015 to January 2017. The Institute’s analysis found...

Use TIF funds to close CPS budget gap and keep schools open, then eliminate TIFs altogether

Chris Lentino, specialist on Chicago issues, says, “The city is crying poor, but is sitting on over $1 billion in TIF money that could be used to cover pension costs, keep schools open.”

Not much for Illinois taxpayers to celebrate on Tax Day

Illinoisans already pay some of the nation’s steepest tax bills, yet lawmakers continually talk about raising taxes even higher.

Illinois Supreme Court says it will not expedite decision on state worker contract

Labor and legal experts available to explain what this means, why it matters and what happens next

Illinois pension, other retirement-related debt climbs to $267 billion

Every Illinois household on the hook for $56,000 in retirement-related debt

District court ruling declares Illinois ban on medical marijuana campaign donations unconstitutional

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois struck down an Illinois law that banned licensed medical marijuana businesses from making contributions to candidates, PACs and other political committees.

Cook County shrinks by more people than any other county in the U.S.

CHICAGO (March 23, 2017) – This morning the U.S. Census Bureau released new data that show Cook County’s population shrank more than any other county in the nation between July 2015 and July 2016. Cook County’s population dropped by 21,324 – a loss nearly three times greater than the second highest population-loss county in the...

Workers’ compensation is a budget issue, costs taxpayers nearly $1 billion a year

New report finds structural reforms can save taxpayers $300 million, bring in new businesses, bolster economy

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