Plan for over 640 police, fire pensions barely touches Illinois’ $200B problem

By Adam Schuster

10/15/2019

Consolidating downstate and suburban police and fire pension systems is a start, but both fixes and Illinois’ pension problems go much deeper.

TAGS: IMRF: Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Architect of Illinois gas tax hike resigns committee chairmanship amid federal probe

By Vincent Caruso

10/11/2019

State Sen. Martin Sandoval has resigned as chairman of the powerful Illinois Senate Transportation Committee, weeks after federal authorities raided Sandoval’s home and offices as part of an ongoing corruption probe.

TAGS: capital bill, FBI, gas tax, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Lyons, Martin Sandoval, McCook, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Summit, trasportation

Springfield response to capital bill corruption: A new coat of paint

By Austin Berg

10/10/2019

As the Sandoval scandal develops, Illinoisans should be careful not to confuse personnel changes for reform.

TAGS: capital bill, FBI, gas tax, investigation, JB Pritzker, Martin Sandoval, transportation

Progressive income tax uncertainty likely to put brakes on Illinois’ weak housing recovery

By Bryce Hill, Karlee Hinrichsen, John Josko

10/09/2019

Illinois’ housing price growth remains well below the national average because of lagging demand, caused in large part by tax policies that make people hesitant to spend.

TAGS: fair tax, housing, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, property taxes, taxes

Peotone airport gains in new state budget, but history shows taxpayers lose

By Ben Szalinski

09/27/2019

Funding for a third Chicagoland airport was included in the latest state budget. The controversial plan brings a risk for more corruption and overspending that will cost taxpayers millions.

TAGS: airport, budget, JB Pritzker, peotone, south suburban airport, taxes

Was corruption at the heart of Illinois’ gas tax hike?

By Austin Berg

09/26/2019

The target, state Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-Chicago, is as clouted as they come.

TAGS: corruption, FBI, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Lori Lightfoot, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan

Illinois House bills would reverse Pritzker’s car trade-in tax

By Vincent Caruso, Joe Barnas

09/26/2019

A pair of proposals recently filed by state lawmakers would kill the vehicle trade-in sales tax before it kicks into gear at the start of 2020.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, Ryan Spain, sales tax, taxes, Tom Bennett

Illinois’ $241B pension debt still worst in nation despite record income tax hike

By Adam Schuster

09/24/2019

A new report shows Illinois’ unfunded pension debt liability remained highest in the nation despite the 2017 income tax hike.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, property taxes, taxes

Pritzker wants statewide ban on flavored e-cigarettes

By Vincent Caruso

09/23/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker voiced support of some state and local leaders’ efforts to outlaw use of flavored vaping juice amid nationwide alarm over teen e-cigarette use. Outlawing flavored vapes may not be the answer.

TAGS: e-cig ban, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, JB Pritzker

Illinoisans to pay highest gas prices in Midwest, following attacks in Saudi Arabia

By Vincent Caruso

09/17/2019

Turmoil overseas for the world’s leading exporter of crude oil will mean more pain at the pump for Illinoisans, after enduring a doubled state gas tax in July.

TAGS: capital project, fair tax, gas tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes