Can Pritzker keep promise to stop Illinois gerrymandering?

By Austin Berg

01/24/2019

In the end, redistricting reform could come under the dome in Springfield or by clipboards and signatures on street corners. Either way, those efforts are only helped by the governor holding on to his campaign promise.

TAGS: fair maps, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

Pritzker gives $100 million in pay raises to some of the nation’s highest paid state workers

By Adam Schuster

01/15/2019

On his first full day in office, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he will grant costly automatic pay raises to Illinois’ state workers despite a current budget deficit of more than $1 billion.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, budget, JB Pritzker, state worker pay, step and lane

Inauguration day: 5 pro-taxpayer reforms Pritzker should push in 2019

By Vincent Caruso

01/14/2019

The Land of Lincoln has a new governor, but the state’s deep-seated problems remain. Here are five reforms that newly inaugurated Gov. J.B. Pritzker could pursue to begin setting the state on the right fiscal path.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, Bruce Rauner, JB Pritzker, local government consolidation, pensions, school district consolidation, spending cap

Lame-duck Illinois Senate passes pay hikes for state department leaders

01/09/2019

The outgoing Illinois Senate voted with the House in approving large pay increases for state department heads. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk, though likely not until J.B. Pritzker is sworn in.

TAGS: Illinois Senate, JB Pritzker, lame duck session, salaries

Fixing Illinois? Pritzker needs a New Chicago Way

By Austin Berg

01/03/2019

Fixing Chicago’s outdated governance would benefit the entire state. Pritzker should use his new job – and the megaphone that comes with it – to help make that a reality.

TAGS: Chicago, JB Pritzker

Madigan-Pritzker progressive tax: 2019’s worst policy idea for Illinois’ middle class

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

12/19/2018

Other states’ experiences show progressive taxes creep beyond the rich and into the pockets of the middle class.

TAGS: graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, progressive income tax, taxes

Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double

By Vincent Caruso

12/11/2018

Departing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel accelerated calls to boost Illinois’ gas tax to pay for local transportation projects.

TAGS: Chicago, gas tax, JB Pritzker, Rahm Emanuel, taxes, transportation, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

CTBA pension plan: Unsound, unfair and unaffordable

By Adam Schuster

11/26/2018

A pension plan pushed by one Illinois think tank fails to reform the state’s broken pension system and risks repeating costly mistakes. Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker shouldn’t be fooled and should instead endorse meaningful, lasting reform.

TAGS: CTBA: Center for Budget and Tax Accountability, debt, Edgar Ramp, JB Pritzker, Jim Edgar, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Illinois looks for leadership, but familiar faces remain

By Austin Berg

11/15/2018

It’s understandable that Illinoisans complain about longstanding “Democrat rule” in the state legislature. But the real problem might be more about personnel than partisanship.

TAGS: house rules, House Speaker, JB Pritzker, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan

Illinois’ richest governor, meet the nation’s most powerful state lawmaker

By Austin Berg

11/08/2018

Pritzker’s money could offer Madigan’s House members cover should they dare to go against the speaker.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan

JB Pritzker

Can Pritzker keep promise to stop Illinois gerrymandering?

Pritzker gives $100 million in pay raises to some of the nation’s highest paid state workers

Inauguration day: 5 pro-taxpayer reforms Pritzker should push in 2019

Lame-duck Illinois Senate passes pay hikes for state department leaders

Fixing Illinois? Pritzker needs a New Chicago Way

Madigan-Pritzker progressive tax: 2019’s worst policy idea for Illinois’ middle class

Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double

CTBA pension plan: Unsound, unfair and unaffordable

Illinois looks for leadership, but familiar faces remain

Illinois’ richest governor, meet the nation’s most powerful state lawmaker

Illinois Forward 2027: How to fix Illinois’ state finances

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