Press Room

Chicago City Council reduces food cart startup fees

Illinois Policy Institute: Lower fees open doors for food cart entrepreneurs, many of whom are low-income minorities.

Illinois Policy Institute report offers solutions to state’s education funding problems without increasing spending

The Institute proposes making Illinois’ system fairer through pension reform, consolidation and accountability to parents and students.

Chicago alderman to discuss reducing barriers to starting a food cart business

CHICAGO (Feb. 8, 2017) – Chicago aldermen will discuss lowering business startup costs for food cart vendors at a joint Chicago City Council committee meeting Wednesday. These changes are part of a business license reform package proposed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The mayor is proposing the following for food cart vendors: Reducing the cost of...

BREAKING NEWS: Missouri governor signs Right-to-Work law

Illinois is now surrounded by states that have enacted Right to Work; the Land of Lincoln is one of only 22 states that have not embraced worker freedom laws.

Illinois Policy Institute proposes a fix to the state budget impasse: Proposal offers property tax relief, pension reform and a balanced state budget that does not raise taxes

The Institute’s solution to the budget impasse features comprehensive property tax reform, constitutional pension reform, spending reform and reduced government waste.

Feb. 2: Liberty Justice Center and Vugo to announce lawsuit challenging Chicago’s ordinance against advertising in ridesharing vehicles

CHICAGO (Jan. 27, 2016) – At a press conference scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 2, the Liberty Justice Center will announce a new lawsuit challenging an ordinance prohibiting advertising in ridesharing vehicles in Chicago. In 2014, the city of Chicago passed the ordinance at issue to regulate ridesharing vehicles. Among the regulations was a prohibition on...

State of the State reaction

Statement from John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute:

Report: Legislative rules in Illinois give more power to its House speaker than virtually every other state in the nation

The Institute analyzed legislative rules in all 50 states, and found that Illinois is an outlier; report reveals the extent of House Speaker Mike Madigan’s power in Springfield CHICAGO (Jan. 5, 2017) – A new Illinois General Assembly will be sworn in next week, but when it comes to legislative business in Springfield the same old...