What you should know about the Chicago Teachers Union

By Brad Weisenstein

04/04/2024

The Chicago Teachers Union put its lobbyist in the Chicago mayor's office and is now negotiating its next contract with him. What taxpayers should know about CTU, how it's impacted education, its leadership and its ambitions to be the political machine running the nation's third-largest city.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education

Universal licensing bill would help professionals move to Illinois

By Patrick Andriesen

04/03/2024

House Bill 5608 would allow professionals with out-of-state licenses or experience to work in Illinois and help residents with certifications from other states to work. Universal licensing was already adopted by 22 other states.

TAGS: occupational licensing

Illinois has worst rainy-day fund in nation

By Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey

04/03/2024

Illinois has the worst rainy-day fund in the nation and has only enough cash to last for 15 days. It’s the only state that wouldn’t last a month.

Pritzker’s new budget would create state child tax credit

By Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey

04/02/2024

Illinoisans with children younger than 3 could soon get a break on their state taxes. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s newest budget would let qualifying parents around the state keep $12 million in taxes.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Pensions eat up $11.6B of Illinois’ budget

By Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey

04/02/2024

Despite taking up 20% of the state’s general funds and $11.6 billion in total, experts said lawmakers still underpaid the five statewide government retirement plans.

March Madness pushed Illinois sports wagers to $335M last year

By Dylan Sharkey

03/27/2024

Illinoisans are expected to again bet big on college sports during March, driven by March Madness. Sports wagers put $1B into Illinois government accounts last year, ranking it No. 3 in the U.S.

TAGS: March Madness

Editorial: Data can build understanding, help solve Chicago’s crime problem

By Hilary Gowins

03/27/2024

Violent crime in Chicago increased by 11.5% in 2023, but the city’s arrest rate dropped compared with 2022.

10 Illinois metro areas add jobs in February, 5 await pandemic recovery

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

03/22/2024

10 of the 13 Illinois metro areas added jobs from January 2024 to February 2024, led by the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area. Five still reported fewer jobs than prior to the pandemic.

Illinois’ unemployment rate ties for 3rd worst in the nation

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

03/22/2024

Illinois’ unemployment rate tied for 3rd worst in the nation in February 2024 after a decline in the number of jobs statewide during the past 12 months. Illinois continues to lag the nation and all its neighbors in job growth.

Report: $1.4B more needed from taxpayers for Illinois universities

By Patrick Andriesen

03/19/2024

A commission reported $1.4 billion is needed from taxpayers as soon as 2035 to fix the state funding drop at Illinois public universities. Instead, they should be pushing for pension reform.

Illinois

What you should know about the Chicago Teachers Union

Universal licensing bill would help professionals move to Illinois

Illinois has worst rainy-day fund in nation

Pritzker’s new budget would create state child tax credit

Pensions eat up $11.6B of Illinois’ budget

March Madness pushed Illinois sports wagers to $335M last year

Editorial: Data can build understanding, help solve Chicago’s crime problem

10 Illinois metro areas add jobs in February, 5 await pandemic recovery

Illinois’ unemployment rate ties for 3rd worst in the nation

Report: $1.4B more needed from taxpayers for Illinois universities

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

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