5 ways Amendment 1 is a property tax hike

By Bryce Hill

09/07/2022

Amendment 1 would likely result in a $2,100 tax hike for the typical Illinois homeowner, thanks to increased government union power to demand more.

TAGS: Amendment 1, workers rights

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

By Joe Tabor

08/17/2022

Published Aug. 17, 2022 Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension...

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

By Joe Tabor, Aimee Morrissey

08/11/2022

Illinois can draw from other states’ experiences to solve its own gerrymandering problem. One solid solution is as close as Michigan.

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, Illinois

Illinois voters got just 1 proposed constitutional amendment on ballot in 52 years

By Joe Tabor

05/19/2022

During the past decade, state lawmakers have asked to change the Illinois Constitution six times while voters have failed to get any changes on the ballot. In 52 years, Illinoisans have only gotten one amendment question before voters. That needs to change.

TAGS: constitutional amendment, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois Constitution

8 reasons Illinois voters should reject Amendment 1

By Hannah Schmid

05/09/2022

Illinois voters will decide Nov. 8 whether to adopt a radical amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would hike taxes and empower special interests. Those are just two of eight reasons why Amendment 1 is bad for Illinoisans.

TAGS: Amendment 1, government unions, Illinois

Illinois House to probe Pritzker failure to stop 36 veterans’ home deaths

By Dylan Sharkey

05/09/2022

The Pritzker Administration failed to respond despite 11 days of reports about a COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans’ Home, resulting in 36 deaths, according to a state audit. Now Illinois House members plan to probe the failings.

TAGS: COVID-19, Illinois Auditor General, Illinois Veterans' Home at LaSalle, JB Pritzker

Illinois schools push district consolidation to fix teacher shortage

By Dylan Sharkey

04/27/2022

School board members in rural Illinois said district consolidation will ease staff shortages made worse by the pandemic. A statewide look at district consolidation could cut administrative overhead and put $732 million more into classrooms.

TAGS: Illinois, school district consolidation, teacher shortage

Illinois House passes bill to scan license plates on highways

By Dylan Sharkey

04/12/2022

The Illinois House approved a law calling for the installation of license plate reading cameras. Big Brother just wants to solve crime.

TAGS: Illinois, interstate highway, license plate recognition camera

Above the law: Amendment 1 would let government unions void over 350 Illinois laws

By Mailee Smith, Perry Zhao

04/05/2022

Amendment 1 would allow government unions to nullify hundreds of Illinois statutes – including laws aimed at protecting school children – simply by contradicting them in union contracts.

House unanimously passes bill to let Illinois parents leave teens home alone

By Dylan Sharkey

03/03/2022

The Illinois House unanimously passed a bill to eliminate the nation’s strictest standard for how old children must be to be left home alone, now set at age 14. The bill lets parents decide when children are responsible enough to briefly be on their own.

TAGS: child abandonment, criminal justice reform, parenting

Illinois House of Representatives

5 ways Amendment 1 is a property tax hike

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

Illinois voters got just 1 proposed constitutional amendment on ballot in 52 years

8 reasons Illinois voters should reject Amendment 1

Illinois House to probe Pritzker failure to stop 36 veterans’ home deaths

Illinois schools push district consolidation to fix teacher shortage

Illinois House passes bill to scan license plates on highways

Above the law: Amendment 1 would let government unions void over 350 Illinois laws

House unanimously passes bill to let Illinois parents leave teens home alone

Illinois Forward 2027: How to fix Illinois’ state finances

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