Out of ideas: Political insiders push for a $30 billion tax hike

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/17/2016

The Civic Federation is pushing a $30 billion tax hike in Illinois, following the same mistaken path that got Illinois in today’s fiscal crisis.

TAGS: Civic Federation, taxes

42% of Illinoisans would like to move to another state, Gallup poll shows

By Amy Korte

02/17/2016

A recent Gallup poll found residents in states with higher tax burdens are more likely to want to move. Illinoisans are the third-most-likely to say they would prefer to move permanently to another state.

TAGS: Gallup, outmigration

Illinois corruption watch: January 2016

02/12/2016

In January several instances of corruption, influence peddling and mismanagement across Illinois were brought to light, from the College of DuPage’s expense-account mismanagement, to Chicago’s red-light-camera bribery case.

Chicagoans paying 50% tax rate on raw price of gas

By Hilary Gowins

02/11/2016

While gas prices have dropped to a 12-year low in Illinois, Chicagoans pay $0.32 more per gallon than the state average due to multiple layers of city, county and state taxation.

TAGS: Chicago, gas tax, taxes, transportation

Chicago City Council passes weakened oversight ordinance at Burke’s bidding

By Austin Berg

02/11/2016

Chicago aldermen voted in favor of an ordinance that was changed to shield City Council from the auditing powers of Inspector General Joe Ferguson.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption

Chicago’s new cigarette tax will lead to more black-market sales and violence, alderman say

By Chris Lentino

02/09/2016

South and West Side aldermen believe that an increase in the tobacco tax will lead to an increase in black-market sales and violence. They're right.

TAGS: Chicago, cigarette tax, taxes

New congestion-alleviating proposal from Springfield would add extra lanes, accessible via toll

By Mark Adams

02/09/2016

Under one proposal for I-55, tolls in new lanes would increase at peak congestion times, giving drivers an incentive to stay off the road, and allowing the highway to operate at higher capacity and traffic to move faster.

TAGS: tollway, transportation

Gov. Bruce Rauner: Illinois can save $500M on purchases

By Mark Fitton

02/05/2016

Streamlining the way Illinois buys goods and services could save the state $500 million annually.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner

Chicago aldermen look to kneecap oversight in City Council vote

By Austin Berg

02/05/2016

Aldermen say they want oversight, but they don’t want anyone to be able to audit them. What do they have to hide?

TAGS: Chicago, Ed Burke

Springfield couldn’t bail out Chicago Public Schools even if it wanted to

By Ted Dabrowski

02/05/2016

State-run teacher pensions have a shortfall of $37,000 per student, while Chicago's shortfall totals $24,000.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, pensions

Chicago

Out of ideas: Political insiders push for a $30 billion tax hike

42% of Illinoisans would like to move to another state, Gallup poll shows

Illinois corruption watch: January 2016

Chicagoans paying 50% tax rate on raw price of gas

Chicago City Council passes weakened oversight ordinance at Burke’s bidding

Chicago’s new cigarette tax will lead to more black-market sales and violence, alderman say

New congestion-alleviating proposal from Springfield would add extra lanes, accessible via toll

Gov. Bruce Rauner: Illinois can save $500M on purchases

Chicago aldermen look to kneecap oversight in City Council vote

Springfield couldn’t bail out Chicago Public Schools even if it wanted to

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