With more than 1.1 million Illinoisans out of work, some of the highest-paid state lawmakers in the nation are in line for a raise – though some are fighting back.

What to watch for as the Illinois General Assembly convenes for the first time in more than two months.

Removing the progressive tax question from the Nov. 3 ballot would give over 100,000 small businesses some certainty as they struggle to recover from the COVID-19 shutdown.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, House Speaker Mike Madigan and other Illinois leaders were banking on a federal bailout long before COVID-19. How else can one explain their recklessness?

The budget was not balanced, and Illinois has not balanced a budget for nearly two decades. Pretending Illinois had no issues before COVID-19 won’t help it recover.

Two decades of fiscal mismanagement have left state finances ill-prepared for the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress should condition any additional aid for troubled states on taxpayer protections that ensure pensions are solvent, accounting is realistic and budgets are balanced.

As Illinois teeters on the edge of a junk credit rating, one key policymaker is floating bankruptcy as a solution.