See what your Illinois school district superintendent made in 2024

By Lilly Rossi

10/01/2025

Illinois school district superintendent pay topped out at $537,197 in 2024. See your local superintendent's salary here.

TAGS: education, Illinois, property taxes

Illinois ranked No. 1 for cell phone taxes – before latest hike

By Charlotte Rotkis

07/11/2025

Illinoisans paid the highest state and local taxes for wireless cell phone services in the nation in 2024 – $136 per family more than the average. An increase in Illinois’ telecommunication tax July 1 just made them even higher.

TAGS: cell phone tax, Illinois, taxes

Pritzker pushes $13B pension benefit hike in his budget

By Bryce Hill

03/06/2025

Newer state employees would get a $13 billion pension benefit boost if Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s fiscal year 2026 budget proposal passes. What should be a minor fix is being used to create an even bigger Illinois pension mess.

TAGS: budget, Illinois, JB Pritzker

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

By Patrick Andriesen

01/15/2025

State reports show 14,723 Illinoisans lost their jobs because of mass layoffs during 2024, with two-thirds resulting from business closures.

TAGS: Illinois, unemployment

VIDEO: What will keep Chicago’s 2024 Democratic National Convention from looking like 1968?

By Jess Plowman

08/07/2024

In an election year reminiscent of 1968, Chicagoans hope to avoid a repeat of history when the Democratic National Convention comes to town Aug. 19-22.

TAGS: Chicago, DNC: Democratic National Convention, Illinois

How much were property taxes in your Illinois county?

By Brad Weisenstein

08/01/2024

See how much the median property tax bill was in your county. See how it compared with other Illinois counties.

TAGS: Illinois, pensions, property taxes

How’s my community? Measures of how your piece of Illinois is doing

07/22/2024

Here are data snapshots of Illinois communities, schools and government. See how well your tax dollars are performing in your city, county or school compared to others.

TAGS: education, Illinois, taxes

Call it Independence Day – the meaning matters

By John Tillman

07/04/2024

Fourth of July? No. We should always call it Independence Day to remember what we celebrate and what it means.

TAGS: freedom, Illinois, Independence Day

Illinois population drops for 10th year in a row during 2023

By Bryce Hill

12/19/2023

People moving out of Illinois led to the 10th consecutive year of population decline, new Census Bureau data shows.

TAGS: Illinois, population, taxes

Call it Independence Day – the meaning matters

By John Tillman

07/04/2023

We too often call it the “Fourth of July” and lose sight of its true meaning – independence. Independence from tyranny and the freedom to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

TAGS: freedom, Illinois, Independence Day

Illinois

See what your Illinois school district superintendent made in 2024

Illinois ranked No. 1 for cell phone taxes – before latest hike

Pritzker pushes $13B pension benefit hike in his budget

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

VIDEO: What will keep Chicago’s 2024 Democratic National Convention from looking like 1968?

How much were property taxes in your Illinois county?

How’s my community? Measures of how your piece of Illinois is doing

Call it Independence Day – the meaning matters

Illinois population drops for 10th year in a row during 2023

Call it Independence Day – the meaning matters

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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