Illinois lawmakers push through record-high $55.9 billion budget at 4:13 a.m.

By Lilly Rossi

06/05/2026

The spending plan passed in a familiar scramble in the final hours of the 104th Illinois General Assembly.

Illinois county updates property tax sale rules after court warnings

By LyLena Estabine

01/12/2026

Rock Island County required tax buyers at its Dec. 30 sale to attest they would protect homeowners’ equity as judges warn Illinois counties may be liable.

5 news outlets say voters should reject Amendment 1

By Patrick Andriesen

11/03/2022

The Wall Street Journal, Crain’s Chicago Business, Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and News-Gazette all said voters should say ‘no’ to Amendment 1. They see it as giving government unions power to force higher taxes and weaker laws.

TAGS: Amendment 1

Crain’s becomes 5th major newspaper to say vote ‘no’ on Amendment 1

By Dylan Sharkey

11/02/2022

Crain’s Chicago Business’ editorial board is endorsing a ‘no’ vote on Amendment 1. Two Crain’s columnists did so, also, because of the unchecked power it would grant government unions.

TAGS: workers rights amendment

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

By Joe Tabor

08/17/2022

Published Aug. 17, 2022 Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension...

New study gives Illinois an ‘F’ for civics and history education standards

By Noah Shaar

07/01/2021

A recent study by the Fordham Institute critiqued Illinois’ education standards for U.S. history and civics education. Illinois’ standards lacked mention of historical concepts and did not offer goals for what each grade should learn in civics and U.S. History.

TAGS: education, Illinois, public schools

9 Democrats demand Madigan’s resignation as Illinois House speaker

08/06/2020

America’s longest-serving House speaker is facing mounting pressure from within his own party over corruption implications in the federal case against ComEd.

TAGS: ComEd, corruption, Democratic Party, Mike Madigan

To reform policing, Illinois must rehabilitate its errant labor laws

By Vincent Caruso

07/28/2020

A police union contract that protects deviant officers while muzzling those who wish to serve honorably is one set up to fail the public.

TAGS: government unions, Lori Lightfoot, police brutality, police misconduct

How Illinois’ collective bargaining rules protect police misconduct

By Mailee Smith

07/14/2020

Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief

By Adam Schuster

02/15/2020

The years 2010 through 2019 will go down in Illinois history as a decade of public policy failure and economic decline. High fixed costs for pensions and government worker health care have prevented the state from balancing its budget in any year since 2001. Since the Great Recession in 2008, the state’s fiscal imbalance has...

Constitution

Illinois lawmakers push through record-high $55.9 billion budget at 4:13 a.m.

Illinois county updates property tax sale rules after court warnings

5 news outlets say voters should reject Amendment 1

Crain’s becomes 5th major newspaper to say vote ‘no’ on Amendment 1

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

New study gives Illinois an ‘F’ for civics and history education standards

9 Democrats demand Madigan’s resignation as Illinois House speaker

To reform policing, Illinois must rehabilitate its errant labor laws

How Illinois’ collective bargaining rules protect police misconduct

Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief

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