Illinois state and local governments spend most in nation on pensions

By Adam Schuster

02/22/2019

According to recent data, Illinois spends nearly double the national average on pensions, measured as a percentage of all state and local government spending.

TAGS: GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Pritzker, Madigan pledge progressive income tax hike by May

By Vincent Caruso

02/22/2019

Pritzker’s first budget address exalted the graduated income tax as a solution to the state’s fiscal problems. Despite evidence to the contrary, the governor is urging state lawmakers to speedily advance the measure.

TAGS: income tax, JB Pritzker, Mike Madigan, outmigration, pensions, progressive income tax, taxes

Per-mile driving tax screeches to halt in Illinois General Assembly

By Vincent Caruso

02/21/2019

An Illinois House lawmaker has pulled a proposed per-mile tax from consideration less than a week after introducing it.

TAGS: Marcus Evans, taxes, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

Pritzker budget would impose statewide tax on plastic bags

By Austin Berg

02/20/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed state budget includes an estimated $19 million to $23 million in new revenue from a statewide tax on plastic bags. Illinois would be the only state in the nation to levy such a tax.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, plastic bags, taxes

Pritzker progressive income tax model would hike taxes on typical Illinois family

By Bryce Hill

02/20/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has pointed admiringly to other Midwestern states’ progressive income tax structures, but taxes on the median Illinois family would go up under all of them.

TAGS: income tax, Indiana, Iowa, JB Pritzker, missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

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

Costello stands with Illinois taxpayers, against progressive income tax

By Vincent Caruso

02/19/2019

A progressive income tax structure in Illinois would mean tax hikes on the middle class. State Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Smithton, has joined the fight against a progressive tax hike in Illinois.

TAGS: budget, Jerry Costello, progressive income tax, Spending, taxes

1,179 bills became law last session – just 5% had a price tag

By Joe Barnas

02/19/2019

Fiscal notes serve as price tags on bills in the General Assembly. Lawmakers’ habit of omitting them limits their ability to make well-informed decisions.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, COGFA: Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, Dale Righter, Fiscal Notes, Illinois General Assembly, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois state spending has grown nearly 50% faster than taxpayer incomes

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

02/18/2019

A spending cap proposal filed by state Sen. Tom Cullerton, D-Villa Park, would ensure growth in government spending doesn’t exceed taxpayers’ ability to pay for it.

TAGS: budget, debt, deficit, income tax, personal income, Spending, spending cap, taxes, Tom Cullerton

Per-mile driving tax proposal introduced in Illinois House

By Joe Barnas

02/15/2019

New House bill would create a pilot program to test the feasibility of a per-mile driving tax.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, taxes, VMT: vehicle miles traveled

Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inherited a $2.8 billion budget deficit the moment he stepped into office. Next year, that deficit is projected to be $3.4 billion1. It’s the same story every budget season. But Illinois’ budget crises could be a thing of the past if the state would adopt pension reform, right-size its union contracts and...

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Budget Solutions 2020: A 5-year plan to balance Illinois’ budget, pay off debt and cut taxes

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Tracy Ross

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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