Up to 140,000 able-bodied Illinoisans may need jobs to get food stamps in 2020

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2019

Just Cook County food stamp recipients were facing work requirements Jan. 1 if they were under age 50, able-bodied and had no dependents. Now the rules will apply throughout Illinois starting April 1.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, Donald Trump, food stamps, Foundation for Government Accountability, Illinois, Illinois General Assembly, job creation, jobs, jobs growth, labor force participation rate, Michigan, National Conference of State Legislatures, over-regulation, regulation, regulations, small business, SNAP, Springfield, tax burden, unemployment, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Illinois unemployment rate hits low despite tepid jobs growth

By illinoispolicy

10/28/2019

Illinois’ unemployment rate hit 3.9% in September – the first time in decades that the jobless rate went under 4%, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

TAGS: employment, jobs, unemployment

Illinois is more dependent on food stamps than any other neighboring state

By Tivas Gupta

08/23/2019

Illinois has a higher percentage of its residents on food stamps than its neighboring states, and has seen a much slower decline in food stamp recipients following the recession.

TAGS: employment, food stamps, jobs, SNAP, unemployment, welfare

Illinois ‘license to landscape’ bill is a pure protection racket

By Austin Berg

05/03/2019

Licensing should be the last resort. Instead, in the case of the landscape architects, it appears to be a grab for a different kind of green.

TAGS: employment, jobs, licensing, occupational licensing, unemployment

Energy company shelves $500M Illinois expansion, cites ‘anti-business’ climate

By Vincent Caruso

05/02/2019

An Illinois-based energy company will halt construction on a planned $500 million plant, a casualty of the Land of Lincoln’s hostile business environment.

TAGS: corporate income tax, fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, jobs, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment

Illinois employment growth continues to lag the nation through the first quarter of 2019

By Bryce Hill

04/22/2019

Illinois’ total employment growth ranks 31st from December 2018 to March 2019. Continued population loss likely to follow poor job growth.

TAGS: employment, fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, jobs, outmigration, progressive income tax, taxes, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment

7 reasons to reject a progressive income tax in Illinois

By Bryce Hill

04/11/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pushing a progressive state income tax without delivering the numbers to prove his promises. The numbers available from other states make it clear a progressive tax will hurt Illinois’ economy.

TAGS: fair tax, income growth, income inequality, income tax, JB Pritzker, labor force participation rate, outmigration, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment, wages

Progressively worse: Pritzker’s tax push has a dangerous precedent

By Austin Berg

03/07/2019

The last state to take Pritzker’s path should serve as a bright red flag to Illinoisans weighing whether to back him.

TAGS: Connecticut, fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, jobs, poverty, progressive income tax, taxes, unemployment

Chrysler to cut nearly 1,400 Illinois jobs, add 6,500 in Michigan

By Vincent Caruso

03/01/2019

The Jeep Cherokee manufacturer plans to lay off nearly 1,400 workers at its Belvidere, Illinois, facility and invest $4.5 billion in a 6,500-job expansion in Michigan.

TAGS: employment, Fiat Chrysler, jobs, outmigration, progressive income tax, property taxes, regulations, taxes, unemployment

Illinois small business cuts 6 jobs immediately after $15 minimum wage hike

By Brad Weisenstein

02/19/2019

A vinyl graphics business in southwestern Illinois wasn’t planning to downsize. But the state’s $15 minimum wage hike has forced the owners to cut six jobs.

TAGS: employment, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

Each year, tens of billions of dollars flow through Illinois state government.1 These flows all depend on methods of payment. In deciding on those payment methods, policymakers must consider a number of important factors, including security controls, cost effectiveness, accessibility, speed and allowance for choice. This report shows that by adopting best practices across all...

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Power in payments: Illinois can help unbanked residents, save money by adopting best practices in payment methods

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Ifeoma Nkemdi

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

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