Madigan dupes another governor

By Austin Berg

06/22/2017

Madigan has stared down Gov. Bruce Rauner for more than 700 days and Rauner just blinked.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, income tax, Mike Madigan, taxes

Republican plan perpetuates Illinois’ financial crisis

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

06/21/2017

The Illinois Republicans’ budget proposal includes billions in tax hikes and has an ineffective spending “cap” that will likely result in deficit spending by 2020. The plan’s lack of reforms sets taxpayers up for a permanent tax hike in 2022.

TAGS: budget, Capitol Compromise, taxes

Progressive income taxes in Illinois’ neighboring states target middle-class workers

By Ted Dabrowski, Evelyn Hussey

06/17/2017

Progressive tax proposals by Illinois Democrats would punish those in Illinois’ middle class who earn $50,000 or more and make the state even less competitive with its neighbors.

TAGS: income tax, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

House Republicans’ 4-year property tax freeze fails homeowners

By John Klingner, Craig Lesner

06/15/2017

Local spending drivers need to be reformed to truly relieve taxpayers of Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

TAGS: budget, collective bargaining, Illinois House of Representatives, local government, local government consolidation, prevailing wage, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes

Illinois’ pension debt grew by $25B during 2011 income tax hike

By Michael Lucci

06/07/2017

Despite $30 billion in extra tax revenue, the politicians who passed Illinois’ 2011 income tax hike failed to solve Illinois’ pension crisis or pay off the state’s bill backlog.

TAGS: income tax, pensions, taxes

Bill to impose ‘privilege tax’ on investment managers fails to move in Illinois House

By Amy Korte

06/06/2017

Senate Bill 1719 would impose a 20 percent surcharge on fees earned by investment managers, but the spring legislative session ended with the Illinois House failing to call the measure for a vote.

TAGS: Chris Welch, daniel biss, privilege tax, taxes

Illinois income tax hike to 5% opens door for a progressive tax hike

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/29/2017

An income tax hike to 5 percent makes a call for a progressive tax system during the 2018 gubernatorial race a much easier sell.

TAGS: budget, graduated income tax, income tax, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois has higher gas prices than national average, all neighboring states, heading into Memorial Day weekend

By Brendan Bakala

05/26/2017

Motorists in Chicago face higher gas prices than the national and state average, due in part to the multiple layers of taxes heaped upon by state, county and local government.

TAGS: gas tax, taxes

Fact-checking BGA’s claims on ‘low-spending’ Illinois

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/23/2017

While the Better Government Association has claimed Illinois’ budget contains no fat to trim, a deeper analysis reveals the state has many areas of expensive inefficiency to reform in state and local government costs, the Medicaid program and K-12 education.

TAGS: BGA: Better Government Association, budget, education, local government, Medicaid, municipal government, state worker pay, taxes

Illinois Senate Democrats pass $5.4B tax increase

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/23/2017

Each Illinois household would pay an additional $1,125 in taxes each year, on average, under the Senate's tax-hike plan.

TAGS: budget, grand bargain, Illinois Senate, income tax, sales tax, taxes, Toi Hutchinson