Pension costs force suburban Illinois village to weigh new property tax

By Ben Szalinski

09/16/2019

Rising pension costs could force suburban Carol Stream to impose a property tax for the first time in five decades.

TAGS: Carol Stream, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Property tax relief task force votes against ending costly conflicts of interest

By Vincent Caruso

09/12/2019

Some Illinois lawmakers supplement their income doing property tax appeals work at private law firms. A property tax relief task force that includes some of those lawmakers killed a proposal to end that conflict of interest.

TAGS: Deanne Mazzochi, Ed Burke, Klafter & Burke, Madigan & Getzendanner, Mike Madigan, property taxes

Will County home values down 28%, property taxes up 4% since recession

By Vincent Caruso

09/12/2019

Without true pension reform, property taxes are only bound to continue eating at Will County homeowners.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes, Will County

Kane County home values down 29%, property tax up 4% since recession

By Vincent Caruso

09/11/2019

Without true pension reform, property taxes are only bound to continue hurting Kane County homeowners.

TAGS: Kane County, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

DuPage County home values down 24%, property tax up 7% since recession

By Vincent Caruso

09/09/2019

Without true pension reform, property taxes are only bound to continue swamping DuPage County homeowners.

TAGS: DuPage County, home values, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Chicago Teachers Union sets strike vote over $452M in demands

By Brad Weisenstein, Bill Reveille

09/06/2019

Chicago students could be out of school as early as Oct. 7 if union members vote for a third strike in seven years. CTU members already earn salaries that top most of their big-city peers.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Lake County property taxes up 2%, despite home values down 31% since recession

By Vincent Caruso

09/06/2019

Without true pension reform, property taxes are only bound to continue eating at Lake County homeowners.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

McHenry County home values down 33%, property taxes up 0.4% since recession

By Vincent Caruso

09/05/2019

Without true pension reform, McHenry County homeowners will only continue to see the gap between their property taxes and home values grow.

TAGS: McHenry County, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Cook County commission exploring property tax hike despite depressed home values

By Bryce Hill

09/04/2019

Average home prices in Cook County are 31% lower today than in 2007. Meanwhile, property tax bills have increased by 22%.

TAGS: Cook County, property taxes, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

What Illinoisans need to know about the progressive income tax

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/27/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls his $3.4 billion income tax hike a “fair tax.” But opponents have criticized the constitutional amendment as a blank check for House Speaker Mike Madigan and other state lawmakers, courtesy of Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, Illinois Constitution, income tax, JB Pritzker, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, property taxes, taxes

Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

Illinoisans pay large sums for public education, yet a large portion of the money goes to Illinois’ bloated school district bureaucracy that diverts resources away from the classroom. Through smart, strategic reforms, Illinoisans can better prepare their youth for the future as well as provide property tax relief.

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Bureaucrats over classrooms: Illinois wastes millions of education dollars on unnecessary layers of administration

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Al Lashbrook

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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