Pritzker warns Illinois state agencies to brace for ‘significant’ budget cuts

By Vincent Caruso

09/16/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker advised state agencies to prepare for budget cuts next fiscal year, despite approving $4.7 billion in tax and fee hikes in his first year alone.

TAGS: budget, JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Audit finds Illinois spent $4.6M on Medicaid coverage for dead people

By Ben Szalinski

09/09/2019

A federal health department audit found Illinois spent $4.6 million in Medicaid payments on behalf of deceased beneficiaries.

TAGS: budget, Medicaid, taxes

Taxpayer support for southwestern Illinois airport hits $104.3 million

By Brad Weisenstein

08/30/2019

Each year St. Clair County, Illinois, taxpayers must add money to keep MidAmerica St. Louis Airport open. While passenger traffic is increasing, so are expenses.

TAGS: budget, MidAmerica Airport, St. Clair County

Pritzker promises over $10B in new spending on $3.4B progressive tax hike

By Adam Schuster

08/07/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “fair tax” plan falls far short of the revenue needed to pay for his spending promises – feeding fears of future tax hikes on middle-class families.

TAGS: budget, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, Spending, taxes

Gas tax hike moves Illinois’ pain at the pump to No. 3 in U.S.

By Adam Schuster

07/26/2019

New data from the American Petroleum Institute confirms doubling Illinois’ motor fuel tax will bring total taxes paid at the pump to third highest in the nation, up from 10th highest a year earlier.

TAGS: budget, capital project, gas tax, JB Pritzker, taxes

Illinois state lawmakers 4th-highest paid in nation

By Bryce Hill

07/23/2019

The budget signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker included a $1,600 pay raise for the Illinois General Assembly – which already collects the nation’s 4th-highest base salary for state lawmakers.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Illinois state lawmakers among highest paid in nation

By Ben Szalinski

07/16/2019

The Illinois General Assembly passed budget that included a $1,600 pay raise for state lawmakers, who already rank among the nation’s highest paid.

TAGS: budget, lawmaker pay, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, taxes

Lightfoot must pursue pension reform, reasonable labor contracts to fix Chicago’s budget

By Bill Reveille

06/17/2019

Persistent budget deficits, enormous and growing pension obligations, a high debt burden and labor contract negotiations all await Lori Lightfoot as she settles into office.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Chicago City Council, Lori Lightfoot, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Despite tax hikes, Illinois fails to balance budget for 19th year in a row

By Austin Berg

06/13/2019

Band-Aid fixes and spending-heavy compromises were rampant. And now it’s all coming home to roost.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker signs Illinois budget out of balance by up to $1.3 billion

By Adam Schuster

06/11/2019

Contrary to claims from both Republicans and Democrats, and despite raising nearly $1.1 billion in new taxes and fees for operations, the fiscal year 2020 budget is out of balance by between $574 million and $1.3 billion.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, deficit, fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

Illinoisans pay large sums for public education, yet a large portion of the money goes to Illinois’ bloated school district bureaucracy that diverts resources away from the classroom. Through smart, strategic reforms, Illinoisans can better prepare their youth for the future as well as provide property tax relief.

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Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

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Al Lashbrook

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students