Constitution of Illinois

Illinois GOP leaders introduce executive term limits proposal, Quinn flips opposition

By Brian Costin
04/25/2014
Illinois is one of only 14 states that doesn’t have some form of gubernatorial term-limits. A proposal introduced by Illinois State Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) and Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) would give Illinois voters an opportunity to change that this coming November by enacting eight-year term limits on executive...

Millions that migrate

By Michael Lucci
03/26/2014
House Speaker Mike Madigan has proposed an extra tax on million-dollar incomes. His proposed legislation, HJRCA51, would amend the Illinois Constitution to impose an additional tax of 3 percent on income over $1 million. This tax won’t touch any millionaires who don’t want to pay it. They’ll simply leave, and they are well-equipped to do so. The middle...

TAGS: millionaire tax, progressive income tax

Court rules Evanston food truck case can move forward

03/12/2014
The Liberty Justice Center’s legal challenge to Evanston’s anti-competitive food-truck law took an important step forward this week, as Cook County Circuit Court Judge Jean Prendergast Rooney denied the city government’s motion to dismiss our lawsuit’s claims that the city’s law violates the due process and equal protection guarantees of the Illinois Constitution. The Liberty...

TAGS: Beavers Coffee + Donuts, food trucks

Taxpayers to foot big bill for pointless legislator pay stunt

01/13/2014
In July, Gov. Pat Quinn used his line-item veto power to suspend Illinois legislators’ salaries, pledging to withhold their paychecks until they solved the state’s pension crisis. This predictably provoked a lawsuit by House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and other legislators. A Cook County Circuit Court judge then ruled in September that...

TAGS: lawmaker pay, Pat Quinn

Pension ‘fix’ has many problems, but the Pension Clause isn’t one

01/13/2014
In December 2013, Gov. Pat Quinn signed a pension “reform” bill with many serious flaws. For example, it: barely makes a dent in the state’s unfunded pension liability; guarantees pension funding at the expense of taxpayers and all other government services; creates a fake 401(k) plan; doesn’t means test cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs; still allows state workers to retire much earlier...

TAGS: pension guarantee, pensions

Illinois has a dirty little secret buried in its tax history

By Benjamin VanMetre
01/02/2014
Illinois has a dirty little secret buried in its tax history – the first income tax approved in Illinois was a progressive tax. Fortunately, the progressive tax was ruled unconstitutional and was never implemented. But now the threat of a progressive tax hike is back again. Originally, Illinois didn’t have an income tax. When the...

TAGS: fair tax, flat tax, graduated income tax, income tax, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois General Assembly ignores citizens on term limits

By Brian Costin
10/26/2013
“It is a safe bet that the General Assembly will never pass a bill limiting its own members’ ability to seek re-election.” – Christopher Mooney, University of Illinois Springfield professor, term-limits expert Overwhelmingly, Illinoisans support term limits. A recent poll showed 78.7 percent of Illinois voters support term limits. But good luck convincing Illinois legislators...

TAGS: term limits

As usual, politicians win, taxpayers lose in legislator pay lawsuit

09/28/2013
In July, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn used his line-item veto power to suspend legislators’ salaries, pledging to withhold legislators’ paychecks until they solved the state’s pension problem. But just Thursday, Cook County Circuit Court Judge Neil H. Cohen ruled that Quinn’s move was unconstitutional. Article IV, Section 11, of the Illinois Constitution prohibits any “changes” to...

TAGS: John Cullerton, lawmaker pay, Mike Madigan, Pat Quinn

Term-limits referendums are overwhelmingly successful

By Brian Costin
09/23/2013
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner is championing a term-limits referendum proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution. If the measure is successful, it would limit terms in the Illinois General Assembly to eight years. The proposal has three major hurdles to pass to become law. It must: Gather more than 300,000 signatures to appear on the ballot Survive...
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Pathway to a Profession: How Apprenticeships Could Reshape Illinois’ Beauty Service Industry

Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016