Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Charter schools rival top state graduation rates; offer chance to fix Chicago Public Schools

Charter schools rival top state graduation rates; offer chance to fix Chicago Public Schools

Thousands of children in Chicago are not given a chance to “try out” for better schools. They are locked into continually failing schools with low graduation rates, largely because Illinois lawmakers will not remove the arbitrary cap placed on the number of charter schools in the state. However, urban charter school graduation rate rival the...

By Collin Hitt

Doing Well By Doing Good: Cost-cutting reforms for Illinois

Doing Well By Doing Good: Cost-cutting reforms for Illinois

The Problem Budgeting and ethics problems continue to compound in Illinois. The state’s budget deficit tops $9 billion, spending continues to surge, and there is little to no transparency as to where—and to whom—tax dollars are going. This must be checked and stopped. Our Solution Implementing statewide transparency and creating a Council on Efficient Government...

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

Government Goes On A Diet: Designing a sensible expenditure limit for Illinois

Government Goes On A Diet: Designing a sensible expenditure limit for Illinois

Government has become a glutton. In Illinois, a voracious appetite for more spending has led the state budget to balloon from $24.7 billion in 2004 to $32.2 billion in 2009 – an increase of nearly 30 percent over just five years. It’s time to put government on a diet. A sensible expenditure limit would ensure...

By Chris Andriesen

You Spent My Tax Dollars on What??

You Spent My Tax Dollars on What??

While families and private businesses balance their budget in tight economic times, the government continues with its extravagant spending. Deficits don’t appear out of nowhere, especially not with our state’s irresponsible spending habits. When it comes to balancing the budget in hard times, every little bit counts.  This report presents some silly spending and wasteful programs funded...

By Chris Andriesen

Unsung Heroes: Charter Schools

Unsung Heroes: Charter Schools

The Issue Throughout Illinois, a new kind of public school has emerged: charter schools. The “charter school movement,” as it has been called, has been a success in Illinois.  Studies have consistently shown that charter schools routinely perform above the norm at comparable district schools.  To date, however, most of these studies of school performance...

By Collin Hitt

A Stress Test for Government

A Stress Test for Government

Over the past few weeks, the U.S. government has been busy issuing “stress tests” to determine whether the nation’s largest banks are solvent. Today, the Illinois Policy Institute decided to join in by releasing it’s very own “stress test.” There’s one catch: It’s not for troubled banks. It’s for the government itself. You can check...

By Chris Andriesen

You Better Shop Around!: Council on efficient government would bring common-sense budgeting to state

You Better Shop Around!: Council on efficient government would bring common-sense budgeting to state

Joe and Kathy Ray are trying to stretch the value of their dollars in these tight times. They have four kids in grade school, and saving for college sits at the top of their priority list. As two frugal parents, they routinely shop around for the best deal–clipping coupons, bidding on new and used products...

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

Illinois’s Economic Health: The Prognosis Isn’t Good

Illinois’s Economic Health: The Prognosis Isn’t Good

How economically healthy is Illinois compared to its neighboring states? The American Legislative Council has updated its eye-opening annual report, Rich States/Poor States, for 2009.  The report evaluates the fiscal and economic policies of each of the 50 states- and in Illinois, things aren’t looking good.

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

An Economic Reform Agenda for Illinois

An Economic Reform Agenda for Illinois

The Problem Illinois desperately needs economic reform.  We have a $9 billion budget hole, families are fleeing the state, and our job and income growth has stagnated.  Meanwhile, spending is skyrocketing — up approximately 39% since 1998.  In the same time period, population has grown only 6.8%. We don’t have a revenue problem.  We have...

Private Sector Educators, Public School Students

Private Sector Educators, Public School Students

There are more than two million students enrolled in Illinois’ public schools.  Private providers — firms and individual contractors — play a pivotal role in helping schools to educate those children. No district can perfectly predict the future needs of their students.  Nor can every district maintain a permanent staff capable of meeting the specific...

By Collin Hitt

Time To Throw A TIF: Invisible, unaccountable taxes you’ve never heard of

Time To Throw A TIF: Invisible, unaccountable taxes you’ve never heard of

The Problem Bob and Rita Smith* are generous people. Every year, they give about $2,000 to wealthy, politically connected real estate developers doing business in their Wilson Yard neighborhood. Bob and Rita live frugally, work hard to save for retirement, and struggle to make ends meet each month—and yet, they keep on giving to the...

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

Local Government Efforts and State Neighbors Shine While IL State Government Stalls in the Shadows

Local Government Efforts and State Neighbors Shine While IL State Government Stalls in the Shadows

The Problem Imagine you’re about to have heart surgery. Would you want your doctor operating on your heart in the dark? Or without looking at your x-ray first? Without an x-ray, he wouldn’t know where to operate, the severity of your sickness or understand exactly what he needs to do in order to save your...

By Kate Campaigne Piercy

Making Patients Wait for Cancer Treatment: The Certificate of Need Program

Making Patients Wait for Cancer Treatment: The Certificate of Need Program

The Problem Imagine for a moment that your father, brother or husband had prostate cancer.  That is bad enough, of course, but now imagine that they had to unnecessarily wait in long lines to get the most advanced and least invasive treatment possible, or perhaps, not receive this better treatment at all.  Or imagine it...

By Chris Andriesen

A Liberty Agenda for Illinois

A Liberty Agenda for Illinois

Executive Summary Every day, the state of Illinois is in a competition with 49 other states and the rest of the world.  The rewards for succeeding?  More businesses, more jobs, more resources, and a better place to live for all citizens.  Unfortunately, the Illinois economy is lagging behind—and unless we turn away from the government-centered...

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