Doubled gas tax creates losers in Illinois, winners across state lines

By Brad Weisenstein, Ben Szalinski

08/21/2019

Station owners said Illinois businesses were damaged July 1 when the gasoline tax doubled. Tax increases are keeping Illinois pumps quiet and cooling cigarette sales.

TAGS: gas tax, minimum wage, taxes

Chicago defends title of highest sales tax rate in the nation

By Ben Szalinski

08/14/2019

Chicago is tied with two other cities for the highest sales tax rates for a major U.S. city, adding another superlative for taxation of residents and visitors.

TAGS: Chicago, sales tax, tax foundation, taxes

Lake in the Hills approves over 9% hike to police pension levy

By Ben Szalinski

08/09/2019

The village will dedicate an estimated $1.5 million dollars to its police pension fund in 2019 – 9.17% more than it paid last year.

TAGS: Lake in the Hills, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, taxes

Pritzker promises over $10B in new spending on $3.4B progressive tax hike

By Tivas Gupta, Adam Schuster

08/07/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “fair tax” plan falls far short of the revenue needed to pay for his spending promises – feeding fears of future tax hikes on middle-class families.

TAGS: budget, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, Spending, taxes

Cook County home values down 31%, property taxes up 22% since 2007

By Bryce Hill

08/06/2019

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

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

Will County weighs new 4- to 8-cent countywide gas tax atop doubled Illinois tax

By Vincent Caruso

08/03/2019

County leaders may exercise new taxing authority from Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan. Illinois already doubled its portion of the gas tax, pushing the total burden to No. 3 in nation.

TAGS: gas tax, JB Pritzker, taxes, Will County

Illinois’ film tax credit program is theatrically bad

By Austin Berg

08/02/2019

Illinois’ film tax credit program is a slap in the face to the state’s small business community outside the spotlight, does little to grow good jobs and is rife with corruption.

TAGS: Cinespace, film subsidies, JB Pritzker, small business, tax credits, taxes

Illinois pension buyout program delivers just 3% of projected savings

By Vincent Caruso

07/29/2019

A plan that allowed some pension enrollees to cash in early on their earned retirement benefits in exchange for curbing future benefits has so far generated only 3% of its expected savings.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Gas tax hike moves Illinois’ pain at the pump to No. 3 in U.S.

By Adam Schuster

07/26/2019

New data from the American Petroleum Institute confirms doubling Illinois’ motor fuel tax will bring total taxes paid at the pump to third highest in the nation, up from 10th highest a year earlier.

TAGS: budget, capital project, gas tax, JB Pritzker, taxes

Progressive tax uncertainty could trip Illinois’ already-stumbling economy

By Orphe Divounguy, Chena Underhill

07/25/2019

The elections scheduled for November 2020 are already injecting uncertainty into the economy, and the progressive income tax ballot question will make matters worse.

TAGS: economy, fair tax, graduated income tax, income growth, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes