Chicago leaders have been unable to finish developing valuable land after 23 years and $331 million in taxes, but convinced state leaders more time and money were needed.

Due to its poor financial health and lagging economy, Illinois carries unique economic and fiscal risks from a prolonged market downturn or recession. The state must act now to mitigate harm from COVID-19.

Visions of the community’s future no longer bring comfort. Instead, they inspire crippling fear.

The years 2010 through 2019 will go down in Illinois history as a decade of public policy failure and economic decline. High fixed costs for pensions and government worker health care have prevented the state from balancing its budget in any year since 2001. Since the Great Recession in 2008, the state’s fiscal imbalance has...