What you need to know about welfare work requirements in Illinois

By Jack Knorr

07/15/2025

Congress just put work requirements in place for some receiving federal health care and food assistance benefits. What does that mean for the 1-in-4 Illinois residents currently on Medicaid?

TAGS: welfare

Chicago households making $100K targeted by Brandon Johnson allies

By Bryce Hill, Justin Carlson

06/06/2023

An ominously titled document by close confidants of new Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson states the new administration’s top priority is to take more money from households making $100,000 or more to fund what they claim is a “just Chicago.”

TAGS: Brandon Johnson

Reality check on 5 false claims used to boost Pritzker’s ‘fair tax’

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/27/2020

Voters can expect to be bombarded by claims about the ‘fair tax’ until Nov. 3 – but what are the facts? Proponents have made misleading claims in hopes of convincing Illinoisans to do away with the flat tax.

TAGS: fair tax, flat tax, income inequality, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker ‘fair tax’ would hit over 4 million Illinoisans with marriage penalty, potentially give wealthy couples a marriage bonus

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

02/12/2020

A progressive income tax would force nearly all joint filers in Illinois to pay higher income taxes than they would as single filers. Meanwhile, some wealthy couples would save thousands in state income taxes.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, marriage penalty, progressive income tax

The fiscal nail in the single-payer coffin

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

12/26/2014

Health-care access and affordability are important goals. But they will never be achieved with a single-payer system – and that isn’t bad news.

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act, health care, health insurance

Ruling against ObamaCare IRS subsidies would save Illinoisans billions in penalty costs

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

12/02/2014

There is a silver lining should the Supreme Court rule against the ACA: Illinoisans would no longer be subject to an estimated $6.5 billion in IRS penalties.

TAGS: IRS: Internal Revenue Service

What Illinois lawmakers need to know about a minimum-wage increase

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

11/19/2014

The Illinois General Assembly is currently considering a dramatic increase in the state’s minimum wage.

TAGS: jobs, minimum wage

ObamaCare to add $131 billion to federal deficit

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

10/15/2014

President Barack Obama promised that he would “not sign a [health-care] plan that adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period.” But according to a new analysis by Republican members of the Senate Budget Committee, or SBC, ObamaCare is now estimated to increase the federal budget deficit by $131 billion over...

‘Fight for $15’ puts workers at risk

By Paul Kersey

06/11/2014

The Chicago Tribune recently reported on the links between the Service Employees International Union, or SEIU, and various community organizing groups behind the campaign to increase Chicago’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. In her story, reporter Alejandro Cancino found that SEIU and its affiliates had spent at least $2 million on a campaign to organize...

TAGS: Chicago, Fight for 15, minimum wage, SEIU: Service Employees International Union, unions

Tweet debunk of the week: 28 million Americans would see higher wages if Congress votes to #RaiseTheWage

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

05/02/2014

Not only does the White House overstate the potential benefits of increasing the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour – but it also fails to mention that there would be fewer people working. According to a recent report from the Congressional Budget Office, 16 million Americans – not the White House’s reported 28 million...

Congressional Budget Office

What you need to know about welfare work requirements in Illinois

Chicago households making $100K targeted by Brandon Johnson allies

Reality check on 5 false claims used to boost Pritzker’s ‘fair tax’

Pritzker ‘fair tax’ would hit over 4 million Illinoisans with marriage penalty, potentially give wealthy couples a marriage bonus

The fiscal nail in the single-payer coffin

Ruling against ObamaCare IRS subsidies would save Illinoisans billions in penalty costs

What Illinois lawmakers need to know about a minimum-wage increase

ObamaCare to add $131 billion to federal deficit

‘Fight for $15’ puts workers at risk

Tweet debunk of the week: 28 million Americans would see higher wages if Congress votes to #RaiseTheWage

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