Transportation “lockbox” amendment is a bad idea

By Ted Dabrowski

10/27/2016

The Illinois Constitution shouldn't be trivialized by a convoluted mess of budget restrictions.

TAGS: budget, taxes, transportation, unions

Poll shows high taxes encouraging Illinoisans to leave the state

10/11/2016

Nearly half of respondents said they would like to leave the state, including almost two-thirds of millennials.

TAGS: outmigration, property taxes, taxes

“Lockbox” amendment will decide how transportation funds can be spent

By Heather Weiner

10/06/2016

Voters will have the opportunity in November to decide, by way of a constitutional amendment, whether lawmakers should be able to divert transportation funds toward other priorities.

TAGS: Illinois Constitution

Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships

09/21/2016

Some steps have been taken to dissolve unnecessary units of governments, but taxpayers need an easier path to eliminate wasteful governmental bodies.

TAGS: budget, local government consolidation, property taxes

Government jobs surpass manufacturing jobs by 175,000 in Illinois

By Michael Lucci

09/16/2016

Illinois stands out in the industrial Midwest for its skewed government-to-manufacturing-jobs ratio.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, unemployment, workers compensation

California court rules that pensions can be reformed going forward

By John Klingner

09/01/2016

Unlike the Illinois Supreme Court’s protection of the status quo, a California appeals court is allowing a pension reform law to move forward and potentially reduce that state’s pension burden.

TAGS: pensions

Illinois taxpayers on the hook for pension failures

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/25/2016

More realistic investment return assumptions by the Teachers’ Retirement System mean Illinois taxpayer contributions to the fund could rise by hundreds of millions of dollars. Ending teacher pension pickups would alleviate the burden on Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: education, pensions, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Illinois has a spending problem, not a revenue problem

By Ted Dabrowski, Craig Lesner, John Klingner

06/27/2016

Tax-hike proponents claim there’s no way to fix Illinois’ chronic budget problems without more money. They want Illinoisans to believe the state’s tax revenues simply aren’t enough to cover the cost of government. But tax revenues aren’t the real problem. Illinois’ perennial budget crises stem from the state’s persistent overspending and misplaced spending priorities. The...

Illinois needs a taxpayer bill of rights

06/23/2016

Illinoisans need a taxpayer bill of rights so that politicians must ask permission from voters if they want to raise taxes.

Victory: Evanston lifts food-truck ban

06/15/2016

Food-truck freedom finally is coming to Evanston.

TAGS: food trucks, regulations

Constitution of Illinois

Transportation “lockbox” amendment is a bad idea

Poll shows high taxes encouraging Illinoisans to leave the state

“Lockbox” amendment will decide how transportation funds can be spent

Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships

Government jobs surpass manufacturing jobs by 175,000 in Illinois

California court rules that pensions can be reformed going forward

Illinois taxpayers on the hook for pension failures

Illinois has a spending problem, not a revenue problem

Illinois needs a taxpayer bill of rights

Victory: Evanston lifts food-truck ban

Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

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