Illinois House bill would force Chicago grocers, gas stations to hire armed guards

By Dylan Sharkey

02/03/2023

A state lawmaker wants to force select Chicago businesses to hire full-time, armed security guards.

State retirees get nearly 40% more than what working Illinoisans earn

By Patrick Andriesen

02/01/2023

The typical career state worker collected $82,478 in annual pension benefits, recouping more income in 17 months of retirement than they contributed over 35 years. Working Illinoisans only earned $59,650 a year.

TAGS: Illinois, pensions

Pritzker to end Illinois’ emergency orders after more than 3 years

By Dylan Sharkey

01/31/2023

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he will follow President Biden and end Illinois’ disaster declarations on May 11. Most states long ago quit using emergency powers, leaving Illinois as 1 of 7 states still claiming COVID-19 is a public health emergency.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Chicago Teachers Union spends $17M on Illinois political campaigns

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

01/26/2023

The Chicago Teachers Union has funneled more than $17 million to Illinois political committees since 2010, when the militant Caucus of Rank and File Educators took over leadership. Now, one of their employees is running for Chicago mayor.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

School Choice Week a reminder why Illinois families love the Invest in Kids Act

By Patrick Andriesen

01/26/2023

Thousands of parents, educators and organizations across the country renewed calls this week to expand school choice and give more options for students’ educations. But in Illinois, the state’s only school choice program is nearing its end.

TAGS: Illinois, Invest in Kids, School Choice Week

High-tax Illinois loses people, low-tax states gain in 2022

By Justin Carlson

01/25/2023

Low-tax states attract the majority of movers, while high-tax states push them away. Illinois takes nearly 13% of all money made in the state as taxes, and lost 141,656 residents in 2022.

Pritzker fact check: Illinoisans pay 4th-highest college tuition in nation

By Dylan Sharkey

01/24/2023

Gov. J.B. Pritzker is making free college a priority in his second term. Tuition is driven up by pension costs, which Pritzker routinely ignores.

TAGS: college tuition, JB Pritzker

Illinois union membership shrinks by 17,000 in 2022

By Mailee Smith

01/23/2023

The drop in union membership for Illinois workers follows a 33-year downward trend, moving from more than 1-in-5 workers being in a union, to nearly 1-in-8.

TAGS: Illinois, unions

Flashback: What Illinois lawmaker’s progressive tax plan looked like 5 years ago

By Bryce Hill

01/19/2023

Here's what the progressive tax looked like nearly five years ago when state lawmakers were pushing a plan to tax Illinoisans $3.6 billion more, starting with those making $17,300.

TAGS: fair tax, progressive income tax, taxes

4 steps to rid Illinois Statehouse of Madigan’s corrupt legacy

By Joe Tabor

01/19/2023

Now that the 103rd Illinois General Assembly is sworn in, an early order of business will be to establish the rules of the chambers. Those rules need more reform to ensure another Mike Madigan doesn’t gather too much power.

TAGS: house rules, Mike Madigan

Illinois

Illinois House bill would force Chicago grocers, gas stations to hire armed guards

State retirees get nearly 40% more than what working Illinoisans earn

Pritzker to end Illinois’ emergency orders after more than 3 years

Chicago Teachers Union spends $17M on Illinois political campaigns

School Choice Week a reminder why Illinois families love the Invest in Kids Act

High-tax Illinois loses people, low-tax states gain in 2022

Pritzker fact check: Illinoisans pay 4th-highest college tuition in nation

Illinois union membership shrinks by 17,000 in 2022

Flashback: What Illinois lawmaker’s progressive tax plan looked like 5 years ago

4 steps to rid Illinois Statehouse of Madigan’s corrupt legacy

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