New data: Illinois homeowners pay country’s highest property taxes

By LyLena Estabine

05/27/2026

The state again had the highest residential property tax rate in the U.S. in 2024, tied with New Jersey.

Chicago’s high sales taxes about to increase to No. 1 in nation

By Ravi Mishra

11/11/2025

Chicago-area sales taxes were already No. 2 in the U.S., but new taxing authority handed to the Regional Transportation Authority will raise them to No. 1.

Can your family get federal school choice grants? Likely, if Pritzker OKs

By Tom Viz, Jon Josko

09/05/2025

Use our calculator to see if your family is eligible to receive a school choice grant from the Educational Choice for Children Act. Then, sign the petition to tell Gov. J.B. Pritzker to let Illinois join the federal program.

Illinois law still says unpaid property taxes can rob you of home equity

By Cameron Jasper, LyLena Estabine

08/12/2025

Across Illinois, homeowners are losing their homes and all their equity over minor tax debts, with private investors reaping the profits. Illinois is one of the remaining states hasn’t reformed this unconstitutional practice.

Chicago area gets over 96K international migrants in 2024; 238K since 2020

By Bryce Hill

03/12/2025

Chicagoland’s population has been boosted by international migrants in recent years. But 347,000 residents left for other states since April 2020.

TAGS: outmigration, population, property taxes

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

By Patrick Andriesen

01/15/2025

State reports show 14,723 Illinoisans lost their jobs because of mass layoffs during 2024, with two-thirds resulting from business closures.

TAGS: Illinois, unemployment

Record number of Illinois voters cast ballot by mail in 2022 midterms

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

01/11/2023

Illinois’ 2022 general election saw the second-highest voter turnout in a midterm year of the past quarter century, with more than half of registered residents casting a ballot. Vote by mail participation increased 67% over 2018.

TAGS: Illinois, vote-by-mail

Experts: highway camera bills on Pritzker’s desk ripe for abuse

By Patrick Andriesen

04/27/2022

Two bills on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk would spend $20 million to add license plate monitoring cameras to 6,600 miles of highways in 22 counties. Civil rights groups fret about abuse. Illinois State Police can’t say they increase safety.

TAGS: Illinois, interstate highway, speed cameras

Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

By Patrick Andriesen

07/19/2021

A Board of Review employee claims corruption is rampant in his Cook County office after an FBI affidavit states he was charging $2,000 to lower assessment on commercial properties and $1,000 for homes.

TAGS: bribery, Cook County, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

By Vincent Caruso

12/20/2019

Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.

TAGS: capital plan, collar counties, DuPage County, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joliet, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, sales tax, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, Will County

Lake

New data: Illinois homeowners pay country’s highest property taxes

Chicago’s high sales taxes about to increase to No. 1 in nation

Can your family get federal school choice grants? Likely, if Pritzker OKs

Illinois law still says unpaid property taxes can rob you of home equity

Chicago area gets over 96K international migrants in 2024; 238K since 2020

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

Record number of Illinois voters cast ballot by mail in 2022 midterms

Experts: highway camera bills on Pritzker’s desk ripe for abuse

Feds investigate property tax bribery scheme in Cook County

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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