Illinois Senate budget plan includes $5 billion in tax hikes, $7 billion in borrowing

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

01/10/2017

The new budget plan coming out of the Illinois Senate does little to nothing to reform the state’s reckless spending and financial mismanagement, but does plenty to hurt state taxpayers.

TAGS: budget, Christine Radogno, John Cullerton

Why all Illinoisans need action on workers’ comp

By Austin Berg

12/08/2016

The cost of workers’ compensation for municipalities, counties and state government in Illinois is more than $400 million per year.

TAGS: workers compensation

Property taxes mount on ‘Home Alone’ house

By Brendan Bakala

12/05/2016

Real reform to help overtaxed Illinoisans – such as a property-tax cap and aggressive government consolidation – would be the gift that keeps giving the whole year round.

TAGS: property taxes

Asset forfeiture in Illinois: What it is, where it happens, and reforms the state needs

By Ben Ruddell, Bryant Jackson-Green

11/16/2016

Most people expect Illinois law enforcement to defend the private property of Illinois residents. As long as you obey the law, your life, liberty and property should be secure from the law – or so common sense would suggest. Yet, every year, Illinois law enforcement agencies take tens of millions of dollars in cash, vehicles,...

DuPage residents vote to consolidate local units of government

By Brendan Bakala

11/11/2016

Voters in Naperville and surrounding townships voted in favor of government consolidation in nonbinding ballot questions.

TAGS: local government, local government consolidation, property taxes

Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships

09/21/2016

Some steps have been taken to dissolve unnecessary units of governments, but taxpayers need an easier path to eliminate wasteful governmental bodies.

TAGS: budget, local government consolidation, property taxes

Rauner signs bill to allow McHenry, Lake counties to consolidate units of local government

08/25/2016

A new law signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on Aug. 5 gives McHenry and Lake counties the authority to consolidate and dissolve units of local government within their boundaries, a power granted to DuPage County in 2013.

TAGS: consolidation, local government, local government consolidation

Illinois House passes local-government consolidation bill

By Hilary Gowins

04/19/2016

DuPage County is projected to save millions of dollars through government-consolidation authority it has enjoyed for years. Now, the Illinois House of Representatives has voted in favor of a bill that would expand these capabilities to all counties statewide.

TAGS: consolidation, local government

Illinois will soon overtake New Jersey as the state with the highest property taxes

By Austin Berg

04/14/2016

Illinois' 859 local school districts consume nearly two-thirds of the $27 billion in local property taxes collected across the state each year.

TAGS: consolidation, property taxes

3 Illinois Policy Action bills advance out of committee before April deadline

By Heather Weiner

04/08/2016

Local government transparency, local government consolidation and criminal justice reform gain traction despite politicized legislature.

TAGS: consolidation

DuPage County

Illinois Senate budget plan includes $5 billion in tax hikes, $7 billion in borrowing

Why all Illinoisans need action on workers’ comp

Property taxes mount on ‘Home Alone’ house

Asset forfeiture in Illinois: What it is, where it happens, and reforms the state needs

DuPage residents vote to consolidate local units of government

Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships

Rauner signs bill to allow McHenry, Lake counties to consolidate units of local government

Illinois House passes local-government consolidation bill

Illinois will soon overtake New Jersey as the state with the highest property taxes

3 Illinois Policy Action bills advance out of committee before April deadline

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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