Illinois

Things you think are treats but really are tricks

10/27/2011
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson This time of year, children go door-to-door dressed in costumes to ask their neighbors for treats. Throughout the year, governments at the federal, state and local level provide services and programs that many look upon as treats. But considering the cost and inefficiency of some of these programs and services, are these...

How to stop pushing jobs out of Illinois

10/27/2011
by Emily Dietrich “If we repeal this law, these jobs will come back to Illinois,” said Brian Littleton, founder and CEO of ShareASale, at a press conference announcing the introduction of legislation to repeal Illinois’ affiliate nexus law, sometimes referred to as the “Amazon tax.” Wednesday’s press conference focused on the thousands of Illinois businesses...

Reforms in Wisconsin save millions

10/27/2011
by Mark Cavers Earlier this year, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker ushered in a set of reforms to his state’s budget and personnel system. At the time, opponents said the reforms would be catastrophic. This month, the governor launched a website showing what the reforms have actually meant for local governments and taxpayers. According to Gov. Walker, local...

ObamaCare makes it harder for the poor to find work

By Chris Andriesen
10/21/2011
by Jonathan Ingram As we reported yesterday, ObamaCare is going to bust Illinois’ budget and hurt the most vulnerable among us. But did you know it’s also going to drastically raise the costs of hiring new workers? ObamaCare requires most employer-sponsored insurance coverage to provide a minimum level of benefits, which ultimately drives the cost of labor...

Is the Nation slowing Illinois’ job growth?

10/21/2011
by Emily Dietrich Is the national economy really at fault for Illinois’ poor jobs market? The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) released the September numbers on Illinois’ jobs market yesterday. The report was titled: “National Slowdown Impacts Illinois’ Economy.” This report comes on the heels of their August report, titled: “Stagnant National Growth Squeezes Illinois Labor Market.”...

New technology for old problems: 10 elements of high quality digital learning

By Collin Hitt
10/20/2011
The Problem For years, the same common challenges have escaped solutions in even the best public schools: classes move too slowly for some students but too quickly for others; course offerings in foreign language or Advanced Placement are very limited in small and rural schools; and, especially in elementary schools, the school day leaves too...

Illinois’ pension bonds: The other $26 billion obligation you shouldn’t ignore

10/20/2011
In just ten years, the Illinois General Assembly pushed the burden of billions in government spending onto Illinois’ future generations. Official estimates put Illinois’ unfunded pension liability at $85.6 billion. But that amount does not take into account the $25.8 billion in pension obligation bond (POB) payments still outstanding, which have a net present value...

Overloaded: One in Three Illinoisans on Medicaid by 2019?

By Jonathan Ingram
10/20/2011
The Problem The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly known as ObamaCare, will have a profound impact on Illinois’ Medicaid patients. It will make the program more expensive and worsen care for those who need it most by adding more people to a failing program. ObamaCare expands Medicaid in two major ways: First, it...

Policy Chart: ObamaCare will make 1 in 3 Illinoisans a dependant of Medicaid

10/20/2011
Download this Policy Chart report here. See the full report for this Policy chart here. The federal health care changes hinge on expanding Medicaid eligibility to cover more Americans. While proponents of this supposed reform say more people will have access to care, the reality is that flooding an already-stressed Medicaid system with new enrollees...

Ask expert Joel Kotkin: What will Illinois & America look like in 2050?

10/20/2011
by Brian Costin Joel Kotkin is a noted author and leading expert on the evolution of cities, towns and rural places across the world. Demographic and technology advancements are transforming how and where Illinoisans will live and work. What’s in store for Illinois, and what policies will best help us capitalize on our future? Should we...
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Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

Leaders of these organizations on the South and West sides connect residents to jobs and engage youth to build safer neighborhoods.

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016