Workers’ compensation estimated to cost Illinois taxpayers nearly $1 billion per year

By Michael Lucci

04/05/2017

Workers’ compensation is a significant cost to Illinois taxpayers and drains scarce tax dollars from government coffers. A previous report in this series estimated the direct cost of workers’ compensation to state, county and municipal governments is $402 million in worker payouts per year.1 Building upon those findings, this report estimates that the total cost of workers’ compensation to...

Unpaid sick leave spikes Illinois teachers’ pension benefits

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

03/08/2017

While sick leave is necessary for working teachers, letting unpaid sick leave accumulate for the purpose of boosting pensions is an expensive perk that taxpayers cannot afford.

Education finance solutions

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

02/09/2017

Making Illinois’ system fairer through pension reform, consolidation and accountability to parents and students.

Full text: Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2017 State of the State Address

By illinoispolicy

01/25/2017

Delivered on Jan. 25, 2017.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, State of the State

Calumet City aldermen and state representative Thaddeus Jones accused of exploiting campaign funds

By Brendan Bakala

01/13/2017

The Illinois State Board of Elections is accusing state Rep. Thaddeus Jones, who is now running for mayor of Calumet City, of misusing thousands of dollars of campaign funds.

TAGS: campaign finance, corruption, Thaddeus Jones

Illinois taxpayers on the hook for pension failures

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

08/25/2016

More realistic investment return assumptions by the Teachers’ Retirement System mean Illinois taxpayer contributions to the fund could rise by hundreds of millions of dollars. Ending teacher pension pickups would alleviate the burden on Illinois taxpayers.

TAGS: education, pensions, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

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

Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

04/07/2016

Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has claimed that Chicago students are discriminated against under the state's education funding formula. But the numbers show the opposite: Chicago has received more than its fair share of education funding from the state.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Illinois corruption watch: March 2016

04/04/2016

Several instances of corruption and mismanagement of public property and trust came to light in March and included new developments in cases involving Chicago Public Schools’ former CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

TAGS: corruption

Landmark state report lights path toward lowering Illinois property taxes

By Austin Berg

01/05/2016

Absurdly high property taxes demand bold reforms from Illinois lawmakers. New recommendations from a state task force show exactly what kind.

TAGS: local government, property taxes, taxes

Illinois State Board of Education

Workers’ compensation estimated to cost Illinois taxpayers nearly $1 billion per year

Unpaid sick leave spikes Illinois teachers’ pension benefits

Education finance solutions

Full text: Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2017 State of the State Address

Calumet City aldermen and state representative Thaddeus Jones accused of exploiting campaign funds

Illinois taxpayers on the hook for pension failures

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

Chicago students receive more state funding than the average Illinois student

Illinois corruption watch: March 2016

Landmark state report lights path toward lowering Illinois property taxes

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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