Illinois boosts scholarships for private colleges, but not for low-income kids

By Dylan Sharkey

05/30/2023

The Illinois General Assembly approved $100 million in grants so students can choose a private or public university. But when it comes to giving that private or public choice to low-income students, there soon may be no choice at all.

TAGS: budget, education, school choice

Pensions put Illinois’ 2024 budget in red by over $4B

By Bryce Hill

05/27/2023

Illinois state lawmakers shorted pensions by $4.1 billion and killed scholarships for low-income students, but gave themselves pay raises and a new office building. Their budget leaves no room for error as revenue projections drop.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, pensions

How Chicago’s pension crisis drives high taxes, fiscal turmoil

By Bryce Hill, Justin Carlson

02/10/2023

Before deciding who best can lead Chicago through its financial problems, it helps to understand what those problems are. Here’s a primer.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, pensions

Lightfoot cancels property tax hike in announcing new budget

By Dylan Sharkey

10/03/2022

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled her 2023 budget proposal and deleted a $42.7 million property tax hike originally tied to inflation.

TAGS: budget, Lori Lightfoot

Illinois lawmakers should read laws before they pass them

By Joe Tabor, Jon Josko

04/11/2022

Politicians use a loophole to bypass the Illinois Constitution’s requirement that bills be read on three separate days before they are passed. Instead, they often gut minor bills and put significant legislation in the bills within a day of the vote.

TAGS: budget, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, transparency

Pritzker ad fact check: Illinois only paid bills on time because of federal aid

By Dylan Sharkey

02/17/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s newest campaign ad credits him for paying the state’s bills on time. The commercial fails to mention the influx of federal stimulus for the COVID-19 pandemic that kept Illinois’ finances afloat.

TAGS: budget, federal aid, JB Pritzker

Pritzker ad fact check: No, the governor has never balanced a state budget

By Dylan Sharkey

02/11/2022

In one of his first re-election political TV ads, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker takes credit for passing a balanced budget. Budget documents tell a different story, showing a deficit instead of the reported surplus.

TAGS: budget, COVID-19, federal aid, JB Pritzker

$14B in federal COVID-19 stimulus propped up Illinois’ budget

By Dylan Sharkey

02/09/2022

Despite claims Illinois’ budget was “balanced,” a closer look shows federal stimulus money propped it up. Only long-term reform on pensions, taxes, health care and school district consolidation can balance state finances and end 21 years of deficits.

TAGS: budget, COVID-19, federal aid, JB Pritzker

Pritzker claims $1.7B surplus while his budget shows $1.5B deficit

By Adam Schuster

02/02/2022

Despite claims during Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s speech, his budget documents show a flood of federal COVID-19 aid temporarily shrank Illinois’ deficit but failed to balance its budget. His next budget will not end well.

TAGS: budget, deficit, JB Pritzker

Pritzker pitches $1B in temporary tax cuts after $5.4B in permanent tax hikes

By Patrick Andriesen

02/01/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is expected to unveil $1 billion in temporary tax cuts on groceries, property taxes and gas bills in his new budget. It all goes away just months after he seeks reelection Nov. 8, changing little.

TAGS: budget, JB Pritzker, State of the State, taxes