Illinois No. 2 in the nation for gas taxes

By Dylan Sharkey

02/06/2024

Illinoisans pay the nation’s second-highest gas taxes behind only Californians, thanks to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s automatic gas tax hikes. The next gas tax hike is scheduled for July 1.

Common-ground solutions to empower Chicago’s poor: A model for America’s cities

By Josh Bandoch

01/25/2024

Published Jan. 25, 2024

Dry January savings: Illinois wine taxes 4x higher than New York, California

By Dylan Sharkey

01/15/2024

Illinois’ excise tax on wine is more than 4 times higher than the same bottle in New York or California. Buying in Chicago adds extra tax layers, hitting 6 times the taxes of other big cities.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Chicago, sin taxes

Illinois population drop, departures among worst in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

12/29/2023

Illinois lost 83,839 residents who moved to other states, one of the highest rates in the U.S. and driving a 10th consecutive year of population decline. It ranks near the bottom on multiple other population measures, too.

Holiday travel expected to be second-busiest ever

By Dylan Sharkey

12/18/2023

Holiday travel this year is expected to be the second-busiest since AAA started tracking it in 2000. For Illinoisans, it means driving across a state line could avoid the nation’s second-highest gas taxes.

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

By Joe Tabor

12/04/2023

Employment is the clearest path out of poverty, but these five low-income professions face more occupational licensing burdens than others in Illinois.

Illinois cannabis buyers pay 89% more than U.S. average

By Patrick Andriesen

08/29/2023

The new report published by Headset found Illinoisans are paying 89% more for the average cannabis item than the rest of the nation. Researchers attribute the high prices to stifled competition.

TAGS: marijuana

Illinois lawmakers get $4,250 raise just months after $12,000 raise

By Justin Carlson

06/29/2023

Illinois state lawmakers had tried to bump their pay by 5.5%, but that violated the state constitution. The must settle for 5%, meaning they will make nearly $90,000 a year.

5 years after Janus v. AFSCME, unions are smaller but more militant

By Mailee Smith, Patrick Andriesen

06/26/2023

The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Illinois state worker Mark Janus in 2018 gave government workers the ability to stop funding government union politics. Chastened unions could have reformed. Instead, they got extreme.

Illinois unemployment 4th worst in U.S., job growth slows in May

By Justin Carlson

06/16/2023

While government jobs outpaced the overall growth for the month, manufacturing and construction took the biggest losses as the unemployment rate remains among the worst in the nation.

California

Illinois No. 2 in the nation for gas taxes

Common-ground solutions to empower Chicago’s poor: A model for America’s cities

Dry January savings: Illinois wine taxes 4x higher than New York, California

Illinois population drop, departures among worst in U.S.

Holiday travel expected to be second-busiest ever

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

Illinois cannabis buyers pay 89% more than U.S. average

Illinois lawmakers get $4,250 raise just months after $12,000 raise

5 years after Janus v. AFSCME, unions are smaller but more militant

Illinois unemployment 4th worst in U.S., job growth slows in May

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

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