Bloomington

Illinois Senate proposes income tax hike in the face of record out-migration and wealth flight

By Michael Lucci
01/20/2017
The Illinois Senate’s proposed budget plan would raise the personal income tax rate to at least 4.95 percent with no real reforms to address the state’s skyrocketing debt and unsustainable spending. This proposal comes despite Illinois’ loss of $14 billion in annual income and hundreds of thousands of people in the wake of the 2011 income tax hike.

TAGS: budget, Christine Radogno, income tax, John Cullerton, outmigration, taxes

Corruption Watch: April 2015

By Shawn Tonge
05/08/2015
April saw two major players in Illinois education ensnared in charges of cronyism, among more than 60 other corruption-related stories.

TAGS: good government

7 of 10 Illinois metro areas are not recovering at all

By Michael Lucci
11/03/2014
Unemployment rates fell for most of Illinois’ metropolitan statistical areas in September, according to a press release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, seven out of 10 Illinois metro areas are not showing any signs of an economic recovery when it comes to putting people back to work. Champaign, Chicago and Springfield are showing...

TAGS: Chicago, jobs

Illinois Corruption Watch, October 2014

By Brian Costin
11/01/2014
In October, we found 52 different stories of potential public corruption in Illinois, including a trio of stories related to the election. An Illinois Policy investigation into emails from a group of Kankakee County superintendents revealed potentially illegal activities to pass a countywide sales-tax hike for school facilities. Documents obtained suggest illegal actions by superintendents...

TAGS: good government, waste

Outside money pours into communities to pass sales-tax hikes

By illinoispolicy
10/29/2014
The public school district in Jacksonville, Illinois, is criticizing fellow Illinoisans for educating residents about a significant sales-tax increase proposal on the ballot – a tax increase that would drive up the cost of gas, clothes, prepared food, electronics and more. School district officials called the Illinois Policy Institute a “Chicago based” group, when we’re...