Pritzker signs AFSCME deal costing taxpayers $3.6 billion more than it needed to

By Adam Schuster

08/29/2019

By continuing practices such as automatic raises and taxpayer-subsidized platinum health insurance, along with a new $2,500 bonus, the AFSCME contract will transfer more than $3.6 billion in extra compensation from taxpayers to state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, contract, health insurance, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Doubling Illinois’ gas tax, other tax hikes will go to fund more than $1.4 billion of waste and pork

By Adam Schuster, Bill Reveille, Brian Butler

07/08/2019

Lawmakers sold 20 new taxes and fees as necessary to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges and balance the budget. Instead, taxpayers will be funding dog parks, swimming pools, snowmobile paths, a vacant theater and pickleball courts.

TAGS: gas tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, taxes, waste

Pritzker’s AFSCME deal gives 12% automatic raises, $2,500 bonus to state workers

By Adam Schuster

06/26/2019

By continuing practices such as automatic raises and taxpayer-subsidized platinum health insurance, along with a new $2,500 bonus, the AFSCME contract will transfer more than $3.6 billion in additional compensation from taxpayers to state workers.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, JB Pritzker, labor, pension guarantee, pensions, state worker pay, taxes

Illinois’ teachers pay for representation, but union priorities rarely focus on members

By Mailee Smith

06/21/2019

A detailed review of teachers union spending, 2013-2018

Illinois Supreme Court: Union lobbyist can double pension for one day of teaching

By Vincent Caruso

04/05/2019

Illinois’ high court ruled a former union employee who worked a single day in the classroom is eligible to receive a decade’s worth of teacher pension benefits.

TAGS: Illinois Supreme Court, income tax, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, progressive income tax, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, taxes, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

How local government spends your taxes soon may be a click away

By Vincent Caruso

04/02/2019

Local governments must maintain certain financial records, but not all make it easy for taxpayers to obtain it. A bill headed to the Illinois House floor would put local government financial records online.

TAGS: Anna Moeller, Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal, spending, taxes, transparency

Pritzker releases contradicting numbers on $3.4B tax hike

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Suman Chattopadhyay

03/27/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's inconsistent progressive income tax numbers don't add up, which means he will have to pass middle-class tax hikes to raise what he wants to spend.

TAGS: Civic Federation, fair tax, Illinois Department of Revenue, income growth, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker ad walks back promise of tax relief for Illinoisans

By Vincent Caruso

03/22/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised tax relief for 97 percent of Illinoisans as a selling point for his proposed “fair tax.” But a new ad campaign abandons that claim.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, progressive income tax, taxes, Think Big Illinois

Pritzker’s tax promises rely on fantasy

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Suman Chattopadhyay

03/19/2019

While key details behind Pritzker’s tax plan are still under wraps, new information reveals it relies on outlandish assumptions about Illinois’ economic growth.

TAGS: fair tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Pritzker’s office says they can’t find the math behind his tax plan

By Austin Berg

03/15/2019

The governor’s office issued a concerning response to a simple request for the numbers backing up his “fair tax” proposal.

TAGS: fair tax, FOIA: Freedom of Information Act, GOMB: Governor's Office of Management and Budget, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Freedom of Information Act

Pritzker signs AFSCME deal costing taxpayers $3.6 billion more than it needed to

Doubling Illinois’ gas tax, other tax hikes will go to fund more than $1.4 billion of waste and pork

Pritzker’s AFSCME deal gives 12% automatic raises, $2,500 bonus to state workers

Illinois’ teachers pay for representation, but union priorities rarely focus on members

Illinois Supreme Court: Union lobbyist can double pension for one day of teaching

How local government spends your taxes soon may be a click away

Pritzker releases contradicting numbers on $3.4B tax hike

Pritzker ad walks back promise of tax relief for Illinoisans

Pritzker’s tax promises rely on fantasy

Pritzker’s office says they can’t find the math behind his tax plan

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