Pritzker failing to help out-of-work Illinoisans as other states adapt

By Austin Berg

04/21/2020

Illinoisans shoulder among the highest tax burdens of any state, and that should come with robust services. But soaring debt and pension costs have left too little room for the things residents need most from government.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, unemployment

Illinois unemployment requests top 200K as state tells independent contractors, freelancers not to apply

By Brad Weisenstein

04/09/2020

Unemployment is hitting record levels in Illinois with weeks to go until the COVID-19 stay-at-home order expires. Federal action made self-employed workers eligible, but Illinois could be months away from handling their claims.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, unemployment

Nearly 1.5M Illinois workers risk layoffs or reduced hours from COVID-19 economic fallout

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

04/03/2020

A quarter of Illinois’ workers are staring down the economic impacts of a global pandemic.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, GDP: gross domestic product, jobs, labor force participation rate, unemployment

Stunning data show Illinois economy stalled out before COVID-19 pandemic

By Austin Berg

04/02/2020

The last thing Illinois needs is more bad news for the sake of it. But ignoring this reality threatens to make this crisis worse.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, economy, unemployment

Before COVID-19 downturn, Illinois saw shrinking payrolls and nation’s worst loss of manufacturing jobs

By Bryce Hill

03/31/2020

New data show Illinois lost private sector jobs amid a national economic expansion for the first year on record in 2019, a sign of the state’s deep structural problems in the run-up to the current market downturn.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, coronavirus, COVID-19, economic growth, employment, jobs, labor force participation rate, unemployment

For Illinois, COVID-19 cuts much deeper than public health

By Austin Berg

03/20/2020

Springfield needs to pull policy levers to mitigate harm. And they should do so as quickly as possible.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, economy, JB Pritzker, occupational licensing, progressive income tax, small business, unemployment

Illinois unemployment claims jump by 64K as COVID-19 closes businesses

By Brad Weisenstein

03/20/2020

Unemployment claims spiked this week as Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered bars and restaurants to halt dine-in service, the service industry took major hits and large gatherings were banned to curb the COVID-19 pandemic.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, unemployment

‘Fair tax’ would cost Illinois 56K jobs

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

02/26/2020

Progressive income tax would essentially wipe out all 2019 employment gains in Illinois, and then some.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor force participation rate, metro areas, pensions, population, progressive income tax, tax hikes, unemployment

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

02/24/2020

Amazon bought the old commercial property, but Bolingbrook’s mayor opposes putting 1,500 jobs on it. Illinois’ job growth was below the national average in 2019.

TAGS: Amazon, Bolingbrook, economic growth, employment, JB Pritzker, jobs, labor force participation rate, Roger Claar, unemployment, zoning

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

unemployment

Pritzker failing to help out-of-work Illinoisans as other states adapt

Illinois unemployment requests top 200K as state tells independent contractors, freelancers not to apply

Nearly 1.5M Illinois workers risk layoffs or reduced hours from COVID-19 economic fallout

Stunning data show Illinois economy stalled out before COVID-19 pandemic

Before COVID-19 downturn, Illinois saw shrinking payrolls and nation’s worst loss of manufacturing jobs

For Illinois, COVID-19 cuts much deeper than public health

Illinois unemployment claims jump by 64K as COVID-19 closes businesses

‘Fair tax’ would cost Illinois 56K jobs

Suburban mayor opposes adding 1,500 jobs as Illinois struggles with employment

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

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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