Pritzker, Madigan pledge progressive income tax hike by May

By Vincent Caruso

02/22/2019

Pritzker’s first budget address exalted the graduated income tax as a solution to the state’s fiscal problems. Despite evidence to the contrary, the governor is urging state lawmakers to speedily advance the measure.

TAGS: income tax, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, outmigration, pensions, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker budget slashes school choice scholarships for low-income students

By Vincent Caruso

02/21/2019

The Pritzker administration’s first budget proposes phasing out a school choice program for disadvantaged families. Low-income families loved the program. Public teachers’ unions decried it.

TAGS: budget, education, Invest in Kids, JB Pritzker, school choice

Pritzker budget doubles down on failure

By Austin Berg

02/21/2019

Getting behind bipartisan budget reform is the kind of bravery Illinoisans deserve from the executive branch. Instead, they’re getting more of the same.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, borrowing, budget, debt, JB Pritzker, pensions

Pritzker budget would impose statewide tax on plastic bags

By Austin Berg

02/20/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed state budget includes an estimated $19 million to $23 million in new revenue from a statewide tax on plastic bags. Illinois would be the only state in the nation to levy such a tax.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, plastic bags, taxes

Pritzker progressive income tax model would hike taxes on typical Illinois family

By Bryce Hill

02/20/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has pointed admiringly to other Midwestern states’ progressive income tax structures, but taxes on the median Illinois family would go up under all of them.

TAGS: income tax, Indiana, Iowa, JB Pritzker, missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

Pritzker signs statewide $15 minimum wage into law

By Vincent Caruso

02/19/2019

Estimates from the governor’s office suggest the minimum wage increase will add $1.1 billion to the state payroll, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Pritzker’s first year deficit $440 million larger than expected because he plans to spend $440 million more

By Adam Schuster

02/19/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said his first year deficit is $3.2 billion, but he intends to spend hundreds of millions more than planned under previous baseline budgeting.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, deficit, GOMB, JB Pritzker, minimum wage, Spending, spending cap

Repeating past mistakes: Pritzker proposes borrowing, stretching out payment ramp as pension solution

By Adam Schuster, Brad Weisenstein

02/15/2019

Trying to fix a massive pension deficit with more tax increases, deferring payments and gambling with taxpayer money is a recipe for failure.

TAGS: bonds, borrowing, credit rating, Dan Hynes, JB Pritzker, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax

Per-mile driving tax proposal introduced in Illinois House

By Joe Barnas

02/15/2019

New House bill would create a pilot program to test the feasibility of a per-mile driving tax.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, taxes, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

Statewide $15 minimum wage passes Illinois House, ready for Pritzker

By Vincent Caruso

02/14/2019

The Illinois House voted for a statewide $15 minimum wage – adding $1.1 billion to the state payroll, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, Mike Madigan, minimum wage, outmigration, unemployment

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inherited a $2.8 billion budget deficit the moment he stepped into office. Next year, that deficit is projected to be $3.4 billion1. It’s the same story every budget season. But Illinois’ budget crises could be a thing of the past if the state would adopt pension reform, right-size its union contracts and...

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Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

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Tracy Ross

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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