Every Illinois metro area loses population for second year in a row

By Bryce Hill

03/27/2020

New census data reveals that for a second year, all 10 metro areas based primarily in Illinois experienced population decline.

TAGS: outmigration, population, tax burden, tax hikes, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois house value growth nation’s 2nd worst in 2019

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

03/09/2020

States with the slowest housing appreciation tend to have worse labor markets, higher taxes and more pension debt.

TAGS: home price index, home values, homeownership, housing market, outmigration, population

Why the soda tax ‘worked’ and the progressive tax won’t

By Austin Berg

02/28/2020

There’s no doubt: the county taxed soda more, so people bought less of it. It’s a simple lesson. So why doesn’t Springfield get it?

TAGS: Cook County, home price index, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, outmigration, progressive income tax, property taxes, soda tax, tax burden, Toni Preckwinkle

Illinoisans most likely to move out would see higher taxes under Pritzker plan

By Bryce Hill

02/14/2020

Other states show how a progressive income tax would likely make the Illinois exodus worse, pushing jobs and tax revenue out of Illinois.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, outmigration

Slowest-growing states have progressive income taxes

By Bryce Hill

02/07/2020

Fewer people want to live in states with progressive income taxes. So after 6 straight years of population loss, why would Illinois want to join them?

TAGS: ballot, ballot referendums, corporate income tax, fair tax, flat tax, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income tax, JB Pritzker, outmigration, pensions, population, progressive income tax, recession, spending cap, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia, working-age

State of the state: Pritzker saw worst first-year jobs numbers since Blagojevich

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

01/27/2020

Illinois job creation lagged the national median in nearly every sector.

TAGS: 401(k), BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Chicago, constitutional amendment, economic competitiveness, economic growth, fair tax, government spending, graduated income tax, housing, housing market, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income, income growth, JB Pritzker, job creation, jobs, labor, labor force participation rate, outmigration, pensions, personal income, population, private sector, progressive income tax, public sector, retirement age, spending, spending cap, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment

Chicago area up 241K jobs, rest of Illinois down 41K jobs from before recession

By Austin Berg

01/21/2020

Illinois’ uneven recovery reflects national trends, but also raises important questions about the state’s economic future ahead of a key tax hike vote.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, capital gains, Chicago, corporate income tax, economic competitiveness, economy, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, investment, JB Pritzker, labor, minimum wage, outmigration, population, progressive income tax, real estate, recession, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase

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, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, JB Pritzker, outmigration, population, progressive income tax, spending cap, Springfield, tax rates, U.S. Census Bureau

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, flat tax, general revenue fund, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, job creation, Mike Madigan, outmigration, population, revenue, 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, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, income tax, JB Pritzker, middle class, outmigration, Springfield