Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

By Adam Schuster, Alec Mena, Travis Nix

10/08/2018

Illinois taxpayers are fed up and overtaxed. Residents have little faith that their governments are spending their tax dollars well – and for good reason. The state’s most recent spending plan is out of balance by as much as $1.5 billion, and includes $54.2 million in wasteful spending and $27 million in pork-barrel spending. The...

Is this the most toxic tax in Illinois politics?

By Austin Berg

09/13/2018

One wonders how many times an unpopular idea must be knocked down before it rises back from the dead. Especially when it means more money for the state. And especially in Illinois.

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

53 representatives sign on to letter opposing progressive tax

By Chris Lentino

09/06/2018

Taxpayers across Illinois oppose a progressive tax but many state lawmakers still refuse to stand up against House Speaker Mike Madigan’s progressive tax push.

TAGS: graduated income tax, income tax, Mike Madigan, progressive income tax, taxes

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

By Brendan Bakala

02/08/2018

A District 211 board member is sitting in on negotiations with the same teachers union that bought her campaign signs during the 2017 District 211 school board election. But much more than yard signs, Illinois' collective bargaining laws for government worker unions stack the deck against local taxpayers.

TAGS: collective bargaining, labor, Palatine, strike

More than a third of Illinois’ largest cities shrinking in population

10/03/2017

Twelve of the 29 Illinois cities with over 50,000 in population are losing residents.

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

80% of Cook County municipalities have opted out of minimum wage, sick leave ordinances

By Amy Korte, Marianna Schmiesing

07/31/2017

The number of Cook County municipalities that have opted out of both ordinances has climbed to 107.

TAGS: Cook County, jobs, minimum wage

More than 50 municipalities have opted out of Cook County’s minimum wage hike, sick days mandate

By Amy Korte

06/26/2017

Municipal leaders have expressed concerns about the anti-competitive, job-killing effects of Cook County’s minimum wage increases and new sick leave law and are using home rule authority to exempt their communities from the requirements.

TAGS: Cook County, jobs, minimum wage, unemployment

Illinois employers announce more than 2,500 mass layoffs

By Brendan Bakala

04/06/2017

Numbers from the March WARN report show that employers in Illinois across various industries laid off 2,573 workers; 267 of the layoffs were in manufacturing.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, unemployment, WARN

Our regrettable shrinking state

By Austin Berg

12/30/2016

The U.S. Census Bureau released new migration data Dec. 20, and it’s frightening. Illinois has a massive people problem. From July 2015 to July 2016, the state’s population declined by more than 37,000 people. That’s the worst population loss in the nation, and will likely mean the loss of a seat in the U.S. House...

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois losing 1 resident every 4.6 minutes, could fall behind Pennsylvania in population

By Michael Lucci

12/20/2016

Illinois has record loss of 114,000 residents to other states in 2016 as population shrinks by 37,500.

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Arlington Heights

Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

Is this the most toxic tax in Illinois politics?

53 representatives sign on to letter opposing progressive tax

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

More than a third of Illinois’ largest cities shrinking in population

80% of Cook County municipalities have opted out of minimum wage, sick leave ordinances

More than 50 municipalities have opted out of Cook County’s minimum wage hike, sick days mandate

Illinois employers announce more than 2,500 mass layoffs

Our regrettable shrinking state

Illinois losing 1 resident every 4.6 minutes, could fall behind Pennsylvania in population

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Report Archive

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