Illinois mandates off-year municipal elections, but they result in lower voter turnout that gives powerful special interest groups more influence and diminishes local voters’ concerns.
Only $134 of each Chicago Teachers Union member’s dues is actually spent on representing Chicago Public Schools teachers. The rest is spent on other CTU leadership priorities and on the union hierarchy.
Published Aug. 17, 2022 Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension...
Over-promised benefits continue to sink Chicago’s finances as the recent bear market eats into 2021 stock market gains. Investments gaining 25% last year plus federal aid didn’t offer much help to city pension systems, which have more debt than 45 states.
Rising prices and mortgage rates are making housing unaffordable for a growing number of Illinoisans. A property tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot could make it worse.
Voters decide Nov. 8 whether to pass Amendment 1 – a hidden tax hike that could cost Illinois taxpayers, including fixed-income retirees, their homes and put homeownership farther out of reach for young families.