Amendment 1 would give Illinois government union bosses nation’s most extreme powers

By Mailee Smith

10/22/2021

No other state constitutions guarantee unmitigated powers to government unions, and 28 state constitutions don’t even find a need to mention labor.

TAGS: Amendment 1, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, Illinois, strike, unions

Chicago Sky standout’s rise started with scholarship to private school

By Brad Weisenstein

10/19/2021

Allie Quigley’s team just brought Chicago the WNBA championship, but her success story started with someone donating a scholarship that let her and her siblings attend private school. The result: lessons that built a champion.

TAGS: Chicago Sky, Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice

Making Illinois’ tax credit scholarships permanent will let more students excel

By Ann Miller

10/18/2021

Illinois state lawmakers can give low-income students the security of an education that best fits their needs by making the Tax Credit Scholarship a permanent fixture.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, school choice, tax credits

Illinois’ ‘extreme’ risk of gerrymandering becomes reality through congressional map

By Robert Brutvan

10/16/2021

The Illinois congressional map proposal released by Democrats has districts that are far from compact, snaking to catch and avoid populations. Republicans label it the ‘Nancy Pelosi Protection Plan.’

TAGS: gerrymandering, Illinois, legislative map, redistricting

What you need to know about giving unions special treatment in Illinois’ constitution

By Mailee Smith

10/13/2021

If passed by voters in November 2022, an amendment to the Illinois Constitution would allow collective bargaining agreements to override state law forever. That gives more power to union bosses than to state lawmakers – and voters.

TAGS: Amendment 1, collective bargaining, government unions, Illinois

Illinois’ racial employment gap is double U.S. average

By Orphe Divounguy

10/05/2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced his reelection bid on July 19 with the key pillar of his campaign being his record on “protecting the lives and livelihoods of the people of Illinois.” Look at the “livelihoods” in Illinois, and that quickly looks like a poor campaign decision.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois, unemployment

Amendment 1 would take away taxpayers’ voice in state government

By Joe Tabor

10/04/2021

The proposed constitutional amendment would put union contracts above the interests of future taxpayers and voters

TAGS: Amendment 1, ballot referendums, government unions, Illinois

Illinois schools outspend, underperform neighbors

By Adam Schuster

10/04/2021

Illinois test scores lag nearby states as administrative bloat keeps money from classrooms

TAGS: education spending, Illinois

Illinois aims to put 1 million electric vehicles on the road by 2030

By Patrick Andriesen

10/01/2021

The state’s newly adopted clean energy policy adds new incentives for electric vehicles and charging stations for buyers and manufacturers.

TAGS: clean energy, electric vehicles, Illinois, The Climate and Equitable Jobs

Illinois’ financial condition worsens despite receiving billions in federal aid

By Justin Carlson

10/01/2021

A new report from watchdog Truth in Accounting shows each taxpayer’s share of state debt has nearly doubled since 2009 to $57,000 as total debt increased by $10 billion—mostly due to pension obligations.

TAGS: budget, debt, Illinois, Truth in Accounting