Teacher pension ‘pickup’ costs boost burden on Illinois taxpayers

By LyLena Estabine

05/12/2025

Illinois teachers are required to contribute 9% of their salary toward pensions, but many school districts “pick up” this cost – putting the pension burden on taxpayers.

SEIU Illinois spends just 3% of members’ money representing workers

By Mailee Smith

05/12/2025

The Illinois state affiliate of the Service Employees International Union collected over $3 million in dues from members in 2024. It spent just $57,000 of that representing them. Politics and overhead were the union’s priorities.

TAGS: SEIU: Service Employees International Union

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

By Hannah Schmid

05/08/2025

House Bill 1368 builds on previous literacy efforts by state lawmakers in 2023. If passed, professional development for literacy instruction would be aligned with “science of reading” strategies.

TAGS: public schools

Corporate income taxes have stifled Illinois’ pandemic recovery

By Ravi Mishra

05/07/2025

Illinois has the third-highest corporate income taxes in the nation. These are some of the most harmful taxes to economic growth, particularly in times of economic hardship.

TAGS: corporate income tax

Illinois food assistance dips in January, but still leads region

By Lauren Zuar

05/07/2025

Illinois had a slight decrease in food assistance recipients in January, yet the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation remains higher than it was a decade ago and ahead of neighboring states.

TAGS: SNAP

Illinois fixing shortage by changing foreign-trained doctor licensing

By Chris Coffey

05/06/2025

A new law took effect this year allowing foreign-trained physicians to apply for limited licenses on an accelerated path to permanently practice medicine in Illinois.

Chicago schools property taxes up 62% in 15 years

By Patrick Andriesen

05/06/2025

The median Chicago residence paid $2,059 in property taxes just to support Chicago Public Schools in 2024, 62% more than they paid 15 years ago. More than half of a Chicago homeowners’ property tax bill now goes to CPS.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, property taxes

Illinois House helping health care shortage by easing volunteer requirements

By Lauren Zuar

05/05/2025

A new bill would remove an unnecessary rule forcing health care volunteers to get additional licensing. House Bill 1270, sponsored by state Rep. William E. Hauter, R-Morton, and state Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton, D-Oakbrook Terrace, addresses medical worker shortages.

‘Homeschool Act’ is about limiting school choice

By Mailee Smith

05/05/2025

Teachers unions have given millions to the state lawmakers targeting homeschoolers in their most recent effort to stifle educational freedom in Illinois.

TAGS: homeschool

105 Illinois towns pass grocery taxes. Did yours?

By Dylan Sharkey

05/02/2025

Many Illinois towns are rushing to extend the 1% grocery tax. See below if your town is one of them. The statewide tax ends in 2026, but local governments can choose to retain it without asking their residents for permission.

TAGS: grocery tax

Illinois

Teacher pension ‘pickup’ costs boost burden on Illinois taxpayers

SEIU Illinois spends just 3% of members’ money representing workers

Lawmakers seek to strengthen student literacy through teacher training

Corporate income taxes have stifled Illinois’ pandemic recovery

Illinois food assistance dips in January, but still leads region

Illinois fixing shortage by changing foreign-trained doctor licensing

Chicago schools property taxes up 62% in 15 years

Illinois House helping health care shortage by easing volunteer requirements

‘Homeschool Act’ is about limiting school choice

105 Illinois towns pass grocery taxes. Did yours?

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