Illinois lawmakers offer voters a tax hike, let deadline pass for constitutional reforms

By Ben Szalinski

05/05/2020

Only Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive income tax amendment will appear on the ballot in November. Voters were denied a chance to make critical reforms to state government.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, debt, fair maps, pensions, progressive income tax, spending cap, term limits

Bill proposes to tie Illinois state spending to what taxpayers can afford

By Ben Szalinski

03/06/2020

Lawmakers routinely spend faster than taxpayers’ incomes grow. A new bill would put Illinois with the majority of states that limit taxes or spending.

TAGS: borrowing, budget, constitutional amendment, deficit, government spending, pensions, spending cap, tax increase

Pritzker claims statewide economic growth, but these Illinois metro areas are shedding jobs

By Bryce Hill

02/10/2020

Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker touting growth in “every major region,” Illinois shed jobs in three metropolitan areas and lagged the national average in seven more.

TAGS: Bloomington, BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, budget, Carbondale, Champaign, Chicago, constitutional amendment, economic competitiveness, economic growth, economics, economy, employment, fair tax, flat tax, government spending, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income growth, JB Pritzker, job creation, jobs, labor, Madison County, metro areas, Metro East, Moline, pensions, Peoria, population, progressive income tax, recession, Rockford, spending, spending cap, Springfield, St. Clair County, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, unemployment, Urbana, working-age

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

Illinois government spending growth among nation’s highest, personal income growth among lowest

By Bryce Hill

02/04/2020

Robust growth in government spending has failed to yield similar results for Illinoisans’ incomes

TAGS: economic competitiveness, economic growth, government spending, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income growth, JB Pritzker, job creation, jobs, private sector, public sector, spending, spending cap, Springfield

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

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

9 new Illinois taxes totaling $1.7B take effect Jan. 1

By Adam Schuster

12/15/2019

Nearly half of the 20 tax and fee hikes passed to support a record $40 billion state budget and $45 billion infrastructure plan hit on New Year’s Day.

TAGS: cannabis, cigarette tax, economy, electric car, electric vehicle, gas tax, graduated income tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, marijuana, motor fuel tax, New Year's Day, online sales tax, parking garages, parking tax, progressive income tax, registration fee, spending, spending cap, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, taxes, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

As nation celebrates small businesses, Illinois considers taxing them more

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

11/27/2019

Most new jobs in Illinois are created by small businesses, yet state leaders are asking voters to hurt them by raising taxes on these employment dynamos.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, entrepreneurs, Great Recession, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, investment, JB Pritzker, job creation, progressive income tax, s-corp, small business, spending cap, taxes, Tennessee, Texas

Cullerton spending cap would avert future Illinois tax hikes

By Vincent Caruso

02/20/2019

State spending has grown nearly 50 percent faster than Illinoisans’ incomes during the past decade. State Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, has proposed a constitutional spending cap that offers a long-term solution to the state’s budgetary problems.

TAGS: income tax, spending, spending cap, taxes, Tom Cullerton