Emanuel Chris Welch

Illinois lawmakers vote against bill to protect state workers from having their Social Security number shared with unions

By Mailee Smith
03/17/2017
Through collective bargaining agreements with the state, government-worker unions require access to workers’ social security numbers – even if those workers are not members of the union. A bill protecting worker privacy recently failed to get enough votes to pass out of committee.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Anna Moeller, labor, Stephanie Kifowit, unions

Illinois politicians vote to divert $300M from state coffers to fuel local spending

By Amy Korte
03/16/2017
Despite Illinois’ billions in deficit spending and skyrocketing debt, the Illinois House of Representatives passed House Bill 278, which would transfer an additional $300 million per year of state income tax funds to local governments, continuing to prop up local overspending that fuels high property taxes.

TAGS: Illinois House of Representatives, LGDF: Local Government Distributive Fund, property taxes

Illinois ranks first in number of local taxing bodies

By Brian Costin
03/02/2014
When it comes to local taxing bodies and local property taxes, Illinois is an extreme outlier in comparison to the rest of the nation. We rank first in number of local taxing bodies, with 6,963, and have the second-highest property tax rate in the nation. But this isn’t news for Illinois residents who have looked...

TAGS: local government, property taxes