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

Bad Santa: Sobering ‘sin taxes’ in Illinois among nation’s highest

By Vincent Caruso

12/12/2019

Excise taxes have failed to rehabilitate Illinois’ failing fiscal health. But lawmakers have yet to kick the habit.

TAGS: alcohol tax, amusement tax, cigarette tax, excise tax, soda tax, taxes

New car trade-in tax will hit Illinois drivers New Year’s Day

By Austin Berg

12/12/2019

Illinois will impose a new sales tax on vehicle trade-ins beginning New Year’s Day. That’s why car dealerships have been running radio ads for weeks telling Illinoisans to come on down before the ball drops.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, registration fee, soda tax, Springfield, Toni Preckwinkle, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

Repeal Day: Prohibition ended 86 years ago, but Illinois’ alcohol taxes, regulations remain sobering

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2019

With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, 1933 marked the end of Prohibition in the United States. Illinois, however, has continued to serve a cocktail of prohibitive regulations on alcoholic beverages.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, capital plan, Chicago, craft beer, distillery, Hospitality Business Association of Chicago, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Liquor Control Act, liquor laws, Midwest, prohibition, Sara Feigenholtz, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle, vape ban, vaping, Wine & Spirits Distributors of Illinois

Repeal Day: Illinois’ sobering alcohol taxes, regulations a reminder of Prohibition

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2018

With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, 1933 marked the end of Prohibition in the United States. The Land of Lincoln, however, has continued to serve a cocktail of prohibitive regulations on alcoholic beverages.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Liquor Control Act, liquor laws, soda tax, taxes

Coke County: Townships overwhelmingly reject bringing back soda tax

11/07/2018

Voters across seven Cook County townships strongly oppose a return of the sweetened beverage tax.

TAGS: Cook County, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Candy crush: Illinois slaps sales tax on Snickers, but not Twix

By Travis Nix

06/25/2018

State lawmakers should reform Illinois’ overly complicated sales taxes and other anti-business taxes, which violate guiding principles of sound tax policy.

TAGS: Chicago, franchise tax, plastic bags, sales tax, soda tax, taxes

Cook County’s notorious soda tax ends today

By Chris Lentino

12/01/2017

With the repeal of the Cook County sweetened beverage tax, taxpayers remind elected officials who they represent.

TAGS: Cook County, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Cook County’s budget problems stem from massive growth in payrolls

By Chris Lentino

10/16/2017

The average salary for Cook County workers has far outpaced that of the typical Cook County household since 2001, and that’s contributed to the county’s fiscal ills.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, property taxes, soda tax, Toni Preckwinkle

Taxpayers should flex their muscle, pick their punches

By Austin Berg

10/12/2017

If aggrieved taxpayers don’t also demand fixes to underlying spending problems, calls for additional tax hikes will return. And they’ll be stronger than ever.

TAGS: Cook County, income tax, sales tax, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

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Cathy Stuehmeier

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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