Township supervisor gets $224K, but salary drops to $25K if voters pick someone else

By Jess Plowman

01/23/2024

An embattled Chicago-area township supervisor is being accused of discouraging competition ahead of her campaign by cutting the position’s pay if she loses. It may be illegal, but someone would need to sue.

TAGS: townships

Dry January savings: Illinois wine taxes 4x higher than New York, California

By Dylan Sharkey

01/15/2024

Illinois’ excise tax on wine is more than 4 times higher than the same bottle in New York or California. Buying in Chicago adds extra tax layers, hitting 6 times the taxes of other big cities.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Chicago, sin taxes

Chicago can fix pensions but needs taxpayer voices – not just their money

By Josh Bandoch

01/10/2024

Chicago's public pension crisis is the target of a new group called the Taxpayer Pension Alliance, which includes the Illinois Policy Institute. The alliance's launch included this statement by the institute's head of policy.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago, pensions

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

By Hannah Schmid

12/26/2023

Research shows income and adult literacy are strongly related. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show 20% of Illinois adults are “functionally illiterate.” Cook County’s rate is 25%.

TAGS: Cook County

Former Harvey mayor accused of bribery from strip club in prostitution operation

By Patrick Andriesen

12/22/2023

The former mayor of Harvey, Illinois, has been accused of allowing a local strip club to covertly provide illegal prostitution services in return for monthly bribes to the city leader and family members.

TAGS: harvey

Illinois holiday shoppers pay sales taxes as high as 11.5%

By Patrick Andriesen

12/22/2023

Sales taxes up to 11.5% will greet some Cook County shoppers this holiday season. Illinois averages 8.82% in sales taxes statewide, slightly more than last year and the seventh highest nationwide.

Property taxes on ‘Home Alone’ house jump 57% in 1 year

By Dylan Sharkey

12/19/2023

The current owners Kevin McCallister’s house from “Home Alone” will pay more than $50,000 in property taxes this year. Illinoisans pay the second-highest property taxes in the nation on average.

Holiday travel expected to be second-busiest ever

By Dylan Sharkey

12/18/2023

Holiday travel this year is expected to be the second-busiest since AAA started tracking it in 2000. For Illinoisans, it means driving across a state line could avoid the nation’s second-highest gas taxes.

Vallas: Chicago needs better protection for witnesses

By Paul Vallas

11/14/2023

Mass shootings are rampant in Chicago. Arrests for those shootings are almost nonexistent. Witness protection is the key to changing that.

Oak Lawn renews business license amnesty

By Dylan Sharkey

11/02/2023

Illinois Policy Institute research inspired Oak Lawn to waive licensing fees for hundreds of businesses in the village. The village board unanimously voted to extend the amnesty.

Cook County

Township supervisor gets $224K, but salary drops to $25K if voters pick someone else

Dry January savings: Illinois wine taxes 4x higher than New York, California

Chicago can fix pensions but needs taxpayer voices – not just their money

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

Former Harvey mayor accused of bribery from strip club in prostitution operation

Illinois holiday shoppers pay sales taxes as high as 11.5%

Property taxes on ‘Home Alone’ house jump 57% in 1 year

Holiday travel expected to be second-busiest ever

Vallas: Chicago needs better protection for witnesses

Oak Lawn renews business license amnesty

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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