Automatic state worker pay hikes, gas tax hike coming to Illinois July 1

By Brad Weisenstein

06/25/2020

How fair is it that some of the highest-paid state employees in the nation are getting a raise that must be funded by an economically wounded bunch of taxpayers?

TAGS: COVID-19, gas tax, government unions, lawmaker pay, unemployment

Illinois treasurer says ‘fair tax’ makes retirement tax more likely

By Adam Schuster

06/24/2020

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said a progressive state income tax will open the door to taxing retirement income.

TAGS: pensions, progressive income tax, retirement tax

Illinois gas tax set for automatic increase July 1

06/15/2020

State lawmakers last summer doubled Illinois’ gas tax to help pay for capital projects. Each year the gas tax automatically rises, shielding lawmakers from responsibility for hikes.

TAGS: capital plan, gas tax, JB Pritzker, Martin Sandoval

Despite business, lawmaker suits, Pritzker grants himself emergency powers for 4th time

By Joe Tabor

06/09/2020

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker for the fourth time extended by 30 days his emergency powers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses and lawmakers are amending lawsuits in response.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency, executive order

62 former state lawmakers receiving more than $100K pensions

06/05/2020

Illinois’ broken pension system puts $100,000 a year or more into the hands of 62 former state lawmakers. It has paid more than $1 million to 94 of them.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, Barbara Flynn Currie, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, Lou Lang, Pat Quinn, pensions

5 reasons why Illinois’ latest spending plan insults taxpayers

By Adam Schuster

05/29/2020

Lawmakers made no serious attempt to balance the new budget, instead counting on a federal bailout. They accepted an $1,800 raise for themselves, while only making significant cuts to education.

TAGS: budget, government spending, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, special session

Unemployment mess leads lawmaker to push for Pritzker’s recall

05/27/2020

Citing the lack of action on the state unemployment claims system overwhelmed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a state lawmaker begins the process to remove Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker from office.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker

State legal memo: Illinois governor needs lawmakers’ approval before extending emergency powers

By Joe Tabor

05/18/2020

Amid a recent series of lawsuits, the 2001 informal opinion by the Illinois Attorney General’s office concludes the emergency powers granted a governor during a disaster cannot be extended beyond 30 days without legislative approval.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, emergency, executive order

Pritzker wrongly claims an Illinois budget surplus ‘if not for coronavirus’

By Adam Schuster

04/30/2020

The budget was not balanced, and Illinois has not balanced a budget for nearly two decades. Pretending Illinois had no issues before COVID-19 won’t help it recover.

TAGS: budget, coronavirus, COVID-19, deficit, Donald Trump, JB Pritzker

‘Fair tax’ paves the way to taxing retirement income in Illinois

By Adam Schuster

04/15/2020

By granting broad new taxing authority to Springfield, the progressive income tax amendment makes a retirement income tax much more likely – a fact some supporters have acknowledged publicly.

TAGS: fair tax, outmigration, progressive income tax, retirement tax

Constitution of Illinois

Automatic state worker pay hikes, gas tax hike coming to Illinois July 1

Illinois treasurer says ‘fair tax’ makes retirement tax more likely

Illinois gas tax set for automatic increase July 1

Despite business, lawmaker suits, Pritzker grants himself emergency powers for 4th time

62 former state lawmakers receiving more than $100K pensions

5 reasons why Illinois’ latest spending plan insults taxpayers

Unemployment mess leads lawmaker to push for Pritzker’s recall

State legal memo: Illinois governor needs lawmakers’ approval before extending emergency powers

Pritzker wrongly claims an Illinois budget surplus ‘if not for coronavirus’

‘Fair tax’ paves the way to taxing retirement income in Illinois

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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