5 things Illinois taxpayers are lucky state lawmakers failed to pass

By Dylan Sharkey, Charlotte Rotkis

06/03/2025

Illinois lawmakers got creative with state budget proposals to overhaul pensions and raise new revenue, many of which would have hit consumers and small businesses hardest. They also failed to intrude on how families choose to educate their children.

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

By Josh Bandoch, Lauren Zuar

06/03/2025

Published June 3, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The best path to empowerment and success, especially for poor people, is work. Work allows us to prosper while providing dignity, upward mobility, the means to support ourselves and create value for others. It’s how we become thriving members of our community. Central to this process is our education...

Here’s how Pritzker can stop bad bills out of Illinois General Assembly

By Joe Tabor

06/02/2025

With the Illinois state legislative session ended, bills will start crossing the governor’s desk, some containing tax hikes, unaffordable spending and needless regulation. Here’s how Gov. J.B. Pritzker can stop these bad policies from becoming law.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, property taxes, taxes

Illinois passes $55B budget, with over $800 million in revenue changes

By Bryce Hill, Ravi Mishra, Lauren Zuar

06/01/2025

Illinois state lawmakers’ spending plan surpasses last year’s budget by $2 billion, requiring taxpayers to pay over $800 million in additional costs for yet another year of record spending.

Illinois must stop budgeting in fantasyland

By Ravi Mishra

05/30/2025

State leaders rely on budget gimmicks and short-term fixes and they assume speculative proposals will become law and operate exactly as planned just to balance the books, if only on paper. Transparent, laws-on-the-books-based modeling is the only path to long-term stability.

Lawmakers considering adding more than $64.5 billion in pension costs in final hours of budget negotiations

By Bryce Hill

05/30/2025

As state lawmakers finalize the 2026 budget, public sector unions are pushing for major benefit spikes for Tier 2 pensioners to be included in last-minute additions.

Group pushes tax on Amazon deliveries, digital ads in final budget talks

By Ravi Mishra

05/30/2025

With the budget facing a potential $1.2 billion deficit, some ideas on the table include taxing deliveries from companies such as Amazon and digital ads.

Illinois considers hiking tolls and taxing rideshares to cover transit shortfall

By Patrick Andriesen

05/30/2025

Springfield lawmakers are close to hiking road tolls, taxing rideshare services as well as real estate sales for everyone in Cook and the collar counties.

What to expect as lawmakers rush to pass 2026 budget

By Bryce Hill

05/30/2025

State lawmakers have given themselves until May 31 to pass the state’s upcoming budget, here’s what might be included.

TAGS: budget

Pritzker grows state spending most among past 5 Illinois governors

By Patrick Andriesen

05/29/2025

Gov. J.B. Pritzker increased Illinois’ state spending more during his first six state budgets than any other state leader in terms of raw dollars since Gov. George Ryan, who took office more than 25 years ago.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Illinois

5 things Illinois taxpayers are lucky state lawmakers failed to pass

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

Here’s how Pritzker can stop bad bills out of Illinois General Assembly

Illinois passes $55B budget, with over $800 million in revenue changes

Illinois must stop budgeting in fantasyland

Lawmakers considering adding more than $64.5 billion in pension costs in final hours of budget negotiations

Group pushes tax on Amazon deliveries, digital ads in final budget talks

Illinois considers hiking tolls and taxing rideshares to cover transit shortfall

What to expect as lawmakers rush to pass 2026 budget

Pritzker grows state spending most among past 5 Illinois governors

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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