DuPage County population shrank by nearly 2,500 from 2015-2016

By Amy Korte

04/06/2017

Newly released census data show more than 9,100 DuPage County residents moved to other U.S. locales last year, causing the county’s population to shrink.

TAGS: DuPage County, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois employers announce more than 2,500 mass layoffs

By Brendan Bakala

04/06/2017

Numbers from the March WARN report show that employers in Illinois across various industries laid off 2,573 workers; 267 of the layoffs were in manufacturing.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, unemployment, WARN

Illinois’ employment drought and the oases next door

By Austin Berg

04/06/2017

There are 170,000 fewer people working in Illinois since before the Great Recession.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Great Recession, Indiana, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, manufacturing, outmigration, right to work, U.S. Census Bureau, unemployment, Wisconsin, workers compensation

Illinois House proposes ‘privilege tax’ on investment managers

By Amy Korte

04/06/2017

House Bill 3393 would impose a 20 percent surcharge on fees earned by investment managers.

TAGS: Chris Welch, House Revenue and Finance Committee, outmigration, taxes

Illinois revenue free fall: Fiscal year-to-date -8.1 percent and worsening

04/06/2017

Illinois’ revenues are falling each month of this fiscal year, and it will be difficult to change course.

TAGS: budget, COGFA: Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability

House Dems OK $800 million in new spending after heated debate

By Greg Bishop

04/06/2017

Illinois has racked up $14 billion in unpaid bills.

TAGS: Bill Brady, Bruce Rauner, Greg Harris, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan, Patti Bellock, Robert Pritchard, Tom Demmer

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...

Illinois Supreme Court’s denial of quicker AFSCME appeal means taxpayers still on the hook for millions each month

By Mailee Smith

04/04/2017

AFSCME obstructed progress for months on a new contract for state workers. Whether AFSCME and the state are at impasse in negotiations now sits with the Illinois courts – and the Illinois Supreme Court’s decision not to take a direct appeal of the case means taxpayers must continue to pay an additional $35 million to $40 million each month in health care costs alone.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, Bruce Rauner, state worker pay

Illinois AFSCME workers receive, on average, nearly $110,000 in total compensation

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

04/04/2017

The highest state worker salaries in the nation, overtime pay, generous state pensions, taxpayer-subsidized health care coverage and free retiree health insurance for career workers combine to give the average Illinois AFSCME worker six-figure annual compensation.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, health insurance, state worker pay

Illinois Department of Corrections paid 55 nurses over $100K per year

04/04/2017

Despite a fight from the union, the Illinois Department of Corrections is replacing 124 unionized nurses with private subcontractors, which could save taxpayers millions each year.

TAGS: budget, IDOC: Illinois Department of Corrections, INA: Illinois Nurses Association

Illinois

DuPage County population shrank by nearly 2,500 from 2015-2016

Illinois employers announce more than 2,500 mass layoffs

Illinois’ employment drought and the oases next door

Illinois House proposes ‘privilege tax’ on investment managers

Illinois revenue free fall: Fiscal year-to-date -8.1 percent and worsening

House Dems OK $800 million in new spending after heated debate

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

Illinois Supreme Court’s denial of quicker AFSCME appeal means taxpayers still on the hook for millions each month

Illinois AFSCME workers receive, on average, nearly $110,000 in total compensation

Illinois Department of Corrections paid 55 nurses over $100K per year

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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