While Illinois’ total population grew slightly last year, many areas of the state experienced population decline. People moved out of state from half the counties.
Without careful evaluation of whether Illinois’ pensions for newer employees are running afoul of federal rules or what the penalties would be, spending $78 million from the state’s budget is premature and wasteful.
Illinois companies announced 1,666 mass layoffs in February, with more than 4-in-5 impacting workers in Cook County. Schaumburg alone accounted for one-third of job losses.
Illinois families will pay the highest combined state and local tax burden in the nation this year on the median U.S. income. That’s $13,099, which will consume more than 16.5% of their money.
House Bill 2827 would require all Illinois private schools to report personal information about students to local and state authorities – a prime example of Illinois government overreach and an infringement of parents’ constitutional rights.
Illinois is dead last of the 50 states in its ability to handle a financial crisis. It couldn’t last a month. The rainy-day fund that should be its primary reserve, and that Gov. J.B. Pritzker lauded himself for refilling, could barely cover two weeks.
The latest forecast from the Illinois General Assembly estimates Illinois will have $737 million to $1.2 billion less in revenue than Gov. J.B. Pritzker hopes to spend.