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

By illinoispolicy

01/25/2017

Delivered on Jan. 25, 2017.

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

Task force to consolidate Illinois’ glut of local governments

By Mark Fitton

11/21/2015

Illinois has more units of local government than any other state in the nation. With 6,963 units of local government, Illinois beats its nearest competitor by more than 1,800.

Oportunidad: Student success, Hispanic achievement gaps and the future of Illinois

By Ted Dabrowski

08/30/2015

The achievement gaps between white and Hispanic students in Illinois’ public schools, and the need to fundamentally reform the education system.

High black imprisonment risk tied to educational opportunity

By Bryant Jackson-Green, Ted Dabrowski

07/15/2015

Fixing criminal-justice disparities means improving education as well.

Illinois State Board of Education

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

Task force to consolidate Illinois’ glut of local governments

Oportunidad: Student success, Hispanic achievement gaps and the future of Illinois

High black imprisonment risk tied to educational opportunity

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students