Connecticut

Illinois is unprepared for the next recession

By Ted Dabrowski

01/15/2016

Sky-high debt and a meager rainy day fund make Illinois the second-least prepared state in the U.S. for its capacity to weather a recession.

TAGS: food stamps, jobs, manufacturing, pensions

Illinois lost more population than any other state last year

By Mark Fitton

12/23/2015

Of the 50 states, Illinois was the top population loser.

TAGS: outmigration

Rauner’s 4 reforms to keep child care subsidy afloat for low-income families

08/07/2015

Despite lacking a budget, Gov. Bruce Rauner is continuing CCAP for families currently receiving its services.

Making Illinois smart on crime: First steps to reduce spending, ease offender re-entry and enhance public safety

By Bryant Jackson-Green, Dianna Muldrow, Derek Cohen

08/06/2015

First steps to reduce spending, ease offender re-entry and enhance public safety

Crowded house: Illinois’ costly prison problem

By Bryant Jackson-Green

07/23/2015

Illinois spends $1.4 billion a year on overcrowded state prisons. Can the state get more for less?

TAGS: population, prison

3 lessons on criminal-justice reform from the author of ‘Orange is the New Black’

By Bryant Jackson-Green

06/27/2015

Piper Kerman draws on personal experience to show how public safety hinges on criminal-justice reform.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, Piper Kerman

Suspending state energy assistance opens door for reform in Illinois

06/09/2015

With the right reforms, Illinois can provide energy assistance to people who need it without using scarce state dollars.

TAGS: State Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Crony chronicles: Certificates of need

By Austin Berg

05/14/2015

How an Illinois state board known mainly for corruption operates a Soviet-style system proven to fail.

Moody’s: Illinois an outlier in pension debt

By Benjamin VanMetre

11/26/2014

Illinois ranks worst in the nation on ability to pay for its pension debt.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Illinois Constitution, pensions, Senate Bill 1, taxes

Citizens auditing committees could yield big savings for taxpayers

By Brian Costin

08/30/2014

With improved state transparency laws and communities all over Illinois voluntarily becoming more transparent online, there’s never been a better time for citizens to get involved and hold local government accountable. But simply advocating for transparent government isn’t enough to identify waste, fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars. Ultimately, government watchdogs must make use of...

TAGS: audit, good government, transparency, waste

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Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

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...

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