Illinois sees fourth straight month of jobs growth in May

By Bryce Hill

06/19/2018

Illinois’ jobs situation improved in May, but the state needs long-term solutions such as a spending cap to get on a path to fiscal health and assure investors more tax hikes are not on the horizon.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, unemployment

Belleville has seen sharpest population decline among top Illinois cities since 2010

By Vincent Caruso

06/08/2018

As Illinois struggles to address its people problem, population loss has plagued communities across the Land of Lincoln. But the shrinkage in some areas has been more severe than others.

TAGS: Belleville, jobs, Metro East, missouri, outmigration, population

Coca-Cola distributor relocating facility, 143 jobs to Iowa from Rock Island

By Eddie Damstra

06/08/2018

Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Co. plans to move its Rock Island facility to Walcott, Iowa, where the company is expected to receive substantial tax incentives.

TAGS: jobs, quad cities, rock island county, workers compensation

Illinois metro areas add 3,300 jobs in April

By Bryce Hill

05/30/2018

New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show eight of Illinois’ 13 metro areas gained jobs over the month.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment, jobs, unemployment

In a shrinking state, Census sheds light on struggling cities

By Austin Berg

05/24/2018

When people can’t find good job opportunities in Illinois, they are too often forced to leave. And to take their place, too few have enough confidence in the state to move in from elsewhere and build a future.

TAGS: Belleville, decatur, jobs, outmigration, progressive income tax, property taxes, Robert Martwick, rockford, taxes, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment

Chicago was the only major U.S. city to lose population from 2016 to 2017

By Austin Berg

05/23/2018

In a shrinking state, half of Illinois’ largest cities have shed population since 2010.

TAGS: Belleville, Chicago, decatur, jobs, Metro East, outmigration, peoria, population, rockford, Spending, spending cap, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois added 4,700 jobs in April, but workforce continues to shrink

By Bryce Hill

05/21/2018

The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate over the month, fueled by employment gains and labor force decline.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, jobs, labor force participation rate, outmigration, Spending, unemployment

Carbondale could lead on easing food truck regulations

By Joe Kaiser

05/11/2018

Though some of Illinois’ larger municipalities such as Chicago and Evanston have been overly restrictive in regulating food trucks, the Carbondale City Council has debated loosening them for its city, soliciting mixed opinions.

TAGS: carbondale, food trucks, jobs, regulations

How to mislead Illinoisans into accepting higher taxes

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

05/03/2018

A new report would have Illinoisans believe that a progressive income tax means tax cuts and economic growth. Illinois lawmakers’ tax-and-spend tendencies and evidence from all 50 states say otherwise.

TAGS: CTBA: Center for Budget and Tax Accountability, deficit, GDP, graduated income tax, income tax, inequality, jobs, progressive income tax, ralph martire, Spending, spending cap, taxes

Illinois’ metro areas shed 3,600 jobs in March

By Bryce Hill

04/30/2018

Seven metro areas across the state lost jobs over the month.

TAGS: Bloomington, Champaign, decatur, Elgin, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, labor force participation rate, peoria, quad cities, rockford, Springfield, unemployment