Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center has been a political money pit for nearly 60 years. And now state lawmakers are considering whether to keep subsidizing failure with more tax dollars.

Illinois stands above its peers when it comes to taxing residents. But Chicago makes it really something to behold when visitors see that famous skyline with all its tall taxes.

If aggrieved taxpayers don’t also demand fixes to underlying spending problems, calls for additional tax hikes will return. And they’ll be stronger than ever.

Cook County’s penny-per-ounce soda tax is just the latest in a long history of beverage taxes in Chicago.

More than 240 years ago, a group of individuals stood up against a far-off king who taxed them without recourse. Americans honor their efforts each year on Independence Day. The Illinois General Assembly had a funny way of celebrating this year. On July 2, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a budget that includes the...