Illinois

Illinois Ranks Next to Last

09/01/2011
by Mark Cavers A new 50 state study shows Illinois ranks second worst in the nation in a taxpayer versus big labor index. Last week, the Competitive Enterprise Institute launchedwww.workplacechoice.org, a comprehensive ranking across “23 individual aspects to determine the degree to which states favor organized labor and which favor taxpayers.” No surprise here, out...

A Tale of Two State Fair Maps

08/30/2011
y Kristina Rasmussen I love fairs. I grew up making regular trips to the Minnesota State Fair and the county fair near my grandparents family farm. I love the moment you enter the fairgrounds and feel that intense energy — a concoction of cotton candy, Tilt-a-Whirl rides, vendors hawking their wares, and high-stakes 4-H competitions. It’s...

Failed Policies – Then and Now

08/29/2011
by Emily Dietrich People no longer use the term “Hoover Flags” to describe turned-out empty pockets or “Hooverville” to characterize a tent city. Yet, many Illinoisans may be surprised to learn that the failed policies that discredited President Herbert Hoover are still being implemented today. Jonathan Bean, who is a Professor of History at Southern...

Illinois Loses Most Jobs in Nation

08/24/2011
In a trend that continues to worsen, more Illinoisans found themselves unemployed in the month of July. Illinois lost more jobs during the month of July than any other state in the nation, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report. After losing 7,200 jobs in June, Illinois lost an additional 24,900 non-farm...

Where Are the Jobs? Not in Illinois

By Chris Andriesen
08/23/2011
For most Illinois families, the price of the January 2011 state income tax hike is an additional week’s wages lost to state coffers. But for some, the cost has been much higher as jobs disappear altogether. Between January and June 2011, 56,223 fewer Illinoisans were employed* – a performance worse than any other neighboring state....

America in 2050: Will Illinois stack up?

08/23/2011
by Emily Dietrich Imagine what Illinois will look like in 2050. The social and economic fabric of the country will definitely have changed. By then, the United States will have an additional 100 million people. Noted futurist and author Joel Kotkin has given this a lot of thought. Recently, he led a discussion at Illinois Policy Institute....

Stop Picking Winners and Losers

08/23/2011
by Emily Dietrich This year Illinois lawmakers spiked taxes on employees and employers alike. But when big businesses threatened to move to other states in response to the higher taxes, Illinois politicians rushed in and offered tax cuts and other incentives. Companies like Motorola and Caterpillar were saved. But what’s the real story behind the tax increases?...

Policy Chart: Illinois Loses Most Jobs in the Nation

By Chris Andriesen
08/19/2011
In a trend that continues to worsen, more Illinoisans found themselves unemployed in the month of July. Illinois lost more jobs during the month of July than any other state in the nation, according to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report. After losing 7,200 jobs in June, Illinois lost an additional 24,900 non-farm...

Tax Transparency Wins!

08/17/2011
by Mark Cavers Last week, Governor Quinn signed into law the Tax Disclosure Act, which instructs the Department of Revenue to provide information on all state and local taxes in a single, central online database. Under this law, citizens will be able to see every tax they pay with just a few clicks of the mouse....

Today Is Cost of Government Day

08/17/2011
by Emily Dietrich In April, Americans celebrated Tax Freedom Day – the day of the year on which workers’ have earned enough money to pay all their annual taxes at the federal, state and local level. Liberating, right? Not so fast. When total government spending and costly regulations are factored into the government’s price tag,...
Load More

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

Illinois’ tax code stands in the way of the state’s economic competitiveness. The combination of high tax burdens and a poor tax structure contributes to the loss of jobs and investment to other states. From a place of former economic dominance, Illinois now ranks 45th in gross state product (GSP) growth over the past decade...

View Report

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

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