JB Pritzker

Bill would stop Pritzker from paying state workers on the side

By Brad Weisenstein

01/12/2020

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has used his private fortune to pay $3 million in state expenses, including boosting salaries of 16 top staffers. Some lawmakers want the ‘unethical’ practice to stop.

TAGS: bipartisan, conflict of interest, corruption, fair maps, house rules, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, independent maps, JB Pritzker, lawmaker pay, lawmakers, Legislative Inspector General, legislative map, lobbying, revolving door, Smart Scale, Springfield, watchdog

Chicago commuter will see $286 parking tax hike Jan. 1 under Pritzker plan

12/23/2019

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan calls for an increased parking tax, just one of the new ways drivers will pay more in 2020.

TAGS: Chicago, JB Pritzker, parking tax, tax hikes, tax increase, taxes

Pritzker signs pension sweetener bill without knowing the cost

By Adam Schuster

12/20/2019

Illinois’ pension crisis is the nation’s worst. Maybe that’s because elected officials take a problem they aren’t sure exists, apply a solution they don’t know will work and never determine the cost.

TAGS: bipartisan, consolidation, constitutional amendment, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, safe harbor, Springfield

Gas tax and vehicle fee hikes erase Pritzker’s promise of progressive income tax relief

By Vincent Caruso

12/15/2019

The numerous tax and fee hikes in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital spending plan more than offset the promised savings of the governor’s “fair tax” plan.

TAGS: fair tax, gas tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes, vehicle registration

Illinois lawmakers should hold Pritzker to his ‘fair maps’ promise

By Austin Berg

12/03/2019

Even without a constitutional amendment, there are changes lawmakers could make as soon as session resumes to get politics out of mapmaking.

TAGS: bipartisan, ethics, gerrymandering, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Senate, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, legislative district, legislative map, redistricting, Springfield

As nation celebrates small businesses, Illinois considers taxing them more

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

11/27/2019

Most new jobs in Illinois are created by small businesses, yet state leaders are asking voters to hurt them by raising taxes on these employment dynamos.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, entrepreneurs, Great Recession, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, investment, JB Pritzker, job creation, progressive income tax, s-corp, small business, spending cap, taxes, Tennessee, Texas

Illinois lawmakers pass pension sweeteners without knowing the cost

By Adam Schuster

11/20/2019

Illinois has nation’s worst pension debt. Maybe that’s because state lawmakers take a problem they aren’t sure exists, apply a solution they don’t know will work and never determine the cost.

TAGS: Civic Federation, firefighter pensions, IRS: Internal Revenue Service, Jason Barickman, municipal pensions, pensions, police pensions, public safety, safe harbor, Social Security

Ending dues deductions, recovering fees harder for public employees under bill passed by Illinois lawmakers

By Joe Tabor

11/14/2019

SB 1784 would hurt workers trying to stop paying union dues or trying to learn about their options. Union leaders get greater access to them and their personal information.

TAGS: Janus v. AFSCME, Jay Hoffman, labor, unions

Recent FBI raids on Illinois politician a reminder of $9.9B ‘corruption tax’

By Bryce Hill

11/12/2019

As more Illinois politicians face federal corruption indictments, Illinoisans are reminded that lawmakers’ misdeeds come with a steep price tag.

TAGS: corruption, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, taxes

Pritzker’s flawed ‘fair tax’ plan already failed Californians

By Orphe Divounguy

11/05/2019

Illinoisans should learn from the Golden State’s “fair tax” failure, lessons that state leaders ignore.

TAGS: fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

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...

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