Illinois

Billions and Billions: Putting the Looming Tax Hikes in Perspective

By Chris Andriesen
09/27/2010
The Problem $3 billion, $5 billion, $10 billion—the talk surrounding impending federal and state tax hikes is downright scary these days. Governor Pat Quinn proposes a 33 percent increase in the state’s individual income tax rate, equal to raising the burden on Illinois taxpayers by a total of $2.8 billion. David Vaught, Governor Quinn’s budget...

Cartoon Blogging: Quinn & AFSCME

09/24/2010
by Ashley Muchow Great cartoon from Chris Britt of the SJ-R today, recounting the recent deal struck between the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees labor union and Governor Quinn. Check out our blogs, response, and more blogs on the matter. As Quinn rolls over to the demands of AFSCME, Illinois has reason to question the Governor’s plan...

Voters Prefer Free Market Over Government Management

09/24/2010
by Kate Piercy A recent poll from Rasmussen Reports shows “seventy-five percent (75%) of voters prefer free markets over a government managed economy.” Although this was a national poll, Illinois candidates would do well to listen to this consistent theme coming from the voices of voters across the country as well asthose in Illinois. Want some ideas?...

Special Elections Could Thwart Democrats’ Plans for Lame Duck Session

09/24/2010
by Wesley Fox Some Republicans in Congress have expressed concern Democrats in Congress will use the lame duck session after the November election to push through controversial legislation such as Cap and Trade and Card Check.  The concern is that the Democrats who lose in the election will go ahead and vote for these controversial measures since their job will...

A Pledge to Illinois

09/23/2010
by Kristina Rasmussen Republicans in Congress unveiled their “Pledge to America,” which seeks to limit taxes and spending, among other things. You can read the full text below. How about a Pledge to Illinois? Some great policy ideas to consider: A budget balanced without a tax hike. A Constitutional cap to limit spending growth. An overhaul of job-killing regulations. A 3/5 super-majority requirement for...

Leader Radogno Slams AFSCME Deal

09/23/2010
by Kristina Rasmussen Here’s Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno’s take on the AFSCME deal: “This is wrong on so many counts that it is hard to know where to begin. At a minimum, there is the appearance that the Governor traded a favorable contract for the union endorsement. It was clearly wrong to take the state’s lead...

2010 Illinois General Assembly Vote Card

By Chris Andriesen
09/23/2010
Introduction Today, Illinois stands at a crossroads. Our state faces mounting debt and troublesome unemployment. Significant budget challenges have been caused and are now intensified by destructive overspending habits and a job-killing regulatory approach. In the midst of this crisis, Illinois citizens and their leaders must turn the state’s affairs around and put Illinois back...

Charter Schools Dominate Top Ten

09/22/2010
by Collin Hitt Charter schools in Chicago turned in 6 of the top 10 scores on the ACT last year, according to the Illinois Network of Charter Schools. This is the second year in a row, at least, where charter schools have dominated the top ten for non-selective high schools in the city. The press...

Spotlight on Spending #13: ‪Illinois Film Tax Credit Program‬

By Chris Andriesen
09/22/2010
The Problem Witnessing explosions from the latest Transformers movie on Michigan Avenue and catching glimpses of movie stars like Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie may provide an exciting novelty for Illinois residents. But is it worth the price? Illinois state government offers film production projects generous tax incentives to film within its borders, but the...

Cuts and Necessary Cuts

09/21/2010
by Kate Piercy In the chart below, Mercatus Center Research Fellow Matt Mitchell compares the actual decline in states’ spending from 2009 to 2010 (in blue) and the sustained cuts in state and local spending necessary to close the gap between spending and revenues over the next 50 years, known as the 50-year fiscal gap (in...
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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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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