A proposal in the Illinois General Assembly would prohibit right-to-work laws in Illinois, making Illinois the only state in the nation to ban the policy in a state constitution.
Just Cook County food stamp recipients were facing work requirements Jan. 1 if they were under age 50, able-bodied and had no dependents. Now the rules will apply throughout Illinois starting April 1.
Illinois’ unemployment rate hit 3.9% in September – the first time in decades that the jobless rate went under 4%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Illinois has a higher percentage of its residents on food stamps than its neighboring states, and has seen a much slower decline in food stamp recipients following the recession.
Youthful wealth, energy and talent that could help Illinois recover is leaving the state at the nation’s second-highest rate. State leaders’ thirst for new taxes will make the problem worse.
An Illinois-based energy company will halt construction on a planned $500 million plant, a casualty of the Land of Lincoln’s hostile business environment.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.