Joliet

Our regrettable shrinking state

By Austin Berg
12/30/2016
The U.S. Census Bureau released new migration data Dec. 20, and it’s frightening. Illinois has a massive people problem. From July 2015 to July 2016, the state’s population declined by more than 37,000 people. That’s the worst population loss in the nation, and will likely mean the loss of a seat in the U.S. House...

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Asset forfeiture in Illinois: What it is, where it happens, and reforms the state needs

By Ben Ruddell, Bryant Jackson-Green
11/16/2016
Most people expect Illinois law enforcement to defend the private property of Illinois residents. As long as you obey the law, your life, liberty and property should be secure from the law – or so common sense would suggest. Yet, every year, Illinois law enforcement agencies take tens of millions of dollars in cash, vehicles,...

Against Illinois’ tax breaks for Amazon? Fix the state’s broken workers’ compensation system

By Michael Lucci
06/03/2016
There’s a reason new facilities aren’t being built in Illinois: In too many cases a business investment in Illinois doesn’t make financial sense unless Illinois taxpayers are paying for a chunk of the project. This system isn’t good for businesses, or for workers and unions that are losing jobs. Until Illinois makes the broad tax and regulatory reforms needed to compete for blue-collar jobs, businesses are going to keep expanding elsewhere or asking for tax breaks to come here.

TAGS: jobs, manufacturing, tax credits, workers compensation