With voters set to decide on progressive income tax, Illinois wealth flight among worst in the nation

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill
01/07/2020
New data shows Illinois since 2010 lost up to $32 billion in income from people moving out. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax plan would hike rates on residents most likely to leave the state, on net.

TAGS: graduated income tax, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Illinois General Assembly, income, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, outmigration, pension reform, population, population loss, progressive income tax, progressive tax, spending cap, Springfield, tax rates, U.S. Census Bureau, wealth, wealthy

Illinois saw nation’s worst population loss during the decade

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill
12/30/2019
Illinois suffered its sixth consecutive year of population decline in 2019, driven entirely by residents leaving for other states.

TAGS: 401(k), debt, fiscal, flat tax, general revenue fund, Great Recession, high taxes, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, job creation, jobs growth, labor force, Mike Madigan, outmigration, pension debt, pension reform, population, population loss, revenue, shrink, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, U.S. Census Bureau, working-age

Progressive income tax study guide

By Orphe Divounguy, Adam Schuster, Bryce Hill
12/10/2019
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls it the “fair tax.” Opponents say it’s a “blank check” for irresponsible spending. Here’s what you need to know.

TAGS: ballot referendums, California, Connecticut, corporate income tax, fair tax, general election, graduated income tax, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, income tax, JB Pritzker, middle class, outmigration, pension reform, population loss, progressive tax, Springfield

A decade after recession, Illinois’ construction industry is ice cold

By Austin Berg
12/05/2019
Why is Illinois construction so weak? As it turns out, big government programs can’t paper over weak fundamentals.

TAGS: Bureau of Economic Analysis, construction, Erin Guthrie, gas tax, Great Recession, Illinois General Assembly, JB Pritzker, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, minimum wage, outmigration, Pat Quinn, pension crisis, progressive income tax, property taxes, Springfield, U.S. Census Bureau

Load More

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

Each year, tens of billions of dollars flow through Illinois state government.1 These flows all depend on methods of payment. In deciding on those payment methods, policymakers must consider a number of important factors, including security controls, cost effectiveness, accessibility, speed and allowance for choice. This report shows that by adopting best practices across all...

View Report

Report Archive

Ifeoma Nkemdi

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

By J. Scott Moody, Wendy Warcholik
07/07/2014

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

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016