More than 80 percent of Illinois counties saw population loss in 2017

By Bryce Hill, Austin Berg

03/22/2018

As outmigration fuels population decline throughout the state, Cook County saw the largest numeric population loss of any county in the nation.

TAGS: collar counties, Cook County, outmigration, U.S. Census Bureau

Report: $800M of property tax burden in Chicago shifted onto poorer homeowners from 2011-2015

By Amy Korte

03/16/2018

University of Chicago researchers have found inaccurate and unfair assessments by the Cook County Assessor’s Office led to $800 million of the property tax burden shifting from owners of Chicago homes in the top 10 percent (by sale price) to owners of homes in the bottom 70 percent.

TAGS: Cook County, Joseph Berrios, property taxes

TIFs: A mythical pot of gold for local governments

By Vincent Caruso

03/15/2018

Tax increment financing creates elusive troves of property tax “gold” – by depleting funds from local governments the mechanism intends to serve.

TAGS: property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Wheeling approves $7M handout to developer

03/09/2018

Despite residents seeing some of the highest property tax bills in the state, the Wheeling Board of Trustees approved a preliminary agreement giving a developer nearly $7 million to build apartments and retail space in the village.

TAGS: property taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing, Wheeling

Bill would bar Cook County elected officials from working as lobbyists, owning lobbying firms

By Austin Berg

03/07/2018

Countywide elected officials would be barred from working as registered lobbyists or owning a lobbying firm under a new bill in the General Assembly.

TAGS: Cook County, Joseph Berrios, lobbying

Despite high tax bills, Des Plaines City Council buys theater for $1.3M

By Austin Berg

02/26/2018

Local leaders are putting taxpayers on the hook for a development gamble.

TAGS: property taxes

Report: Cook County property tax assessment process unfair to poorer homeowners

By Amy Korte

02/16/2018

A new study confirms Cook County's broken property tax assessment system causes owners of lower-value homes to bear a disproportionate share of the tax burden.

TAGS: Joseph Berrios, property taxes

Tax Olympics: Chicago tops the table on taxes and fees

By Chris Lentino

02/14/2018

In a comparative analysis of taxes and fees in the nation's top 15 cities, Chicago won first place more times than any other city.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, outmigration, population, property taxes, Rahm Emanuel, sales tax, taxes, wireless tax

When Illinois home values fall, but property taxes don’t

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

02/12/2018

If an Illinois worker takes a pay cut during a recession, she knows the state isn’t going to take an even bigger chunk out of her paycheck. That’s because the state income tax rate stays the same. But if her home loses value, too, she could still see her property tax bill go up. Government...

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

By Brendan Bakala

02/08/2018

A District 211 board member is sitting in on negotiations with the same teachers union that bought her campaign signs during the 2017 District 211 school board election. But much more than yard signs, Illinois' collective bargaining laws for government worker unions stack the deck against local taxpayers.

TAGS: collective bargaining, labor, Palatine, strike

Cook County

More than 80 percent of Illinois counties saw population loss in 2017

Report: $800M of property tax burden in Chicago shifted onto poorer homeowners from 2011-2015

TIFs: A mythical pot of gold for local governments

Wheeling approves $7M handout to developer

Bill would bar Cook County elected officials from working as lobbyists, owning lobbying firms

Despite high tax bills, Des Plaines City Council buys theater for $1.3M

Report: Cook County property tax assessment process unfair to poorer homeowners

Tax Olympics: Chicago tops the table on taxes and fees

When Illinois home values fall, but property taxes don’t

Palatine-Schaumburg school board member raises conflict-of-interest concerns

Solutions for vacant lots would reduce crime and poverty in Chicago

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