The federal rules provide the clearest roadmap yet for how the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, also known as the Education Freedom Tax Credit, will operate.
Chicago Transit Authority violent crime hit its second-highest level since 2015, while the arrest rate dropped. CTA crime is threatening federal funding.
The Illinois Senate attempted to pass a “rescue package” for Chicago area mass transit that would punish suburban homeowners with a new real estate transfer tax. State leaders must instead focus on reforms to boost housing and economic growth.
Since 2020, 84% of Illinois communities have lost population. Small towns were hit hardest by population declines in 2024, while Chicago’s migrant crisis helped offset people choosing to leave.
Illinois companies announced 2,342 mass layoffs in January 2025, according to state reports. More than 9-in-10 job cuts impacted Cook and the collar counties.
Illinois’ tax code stands in the way of the state’s economic competitiveness. The combination of high tax burdens and a poor tax structure contributes to the loss of jobs and investment to other states. From a place of former economic dominance, Illinois now ranks 45th in gross state product (GSP) growth over the past decade...