Although Illinois’ top earners make more than most of their regional counterparts, Illinois’ bottom quarter of earners have the lowest wages in the Midwest
Recent federal jobs data show that white-collar professionals are more numerous and earn more money in Illinois than in Indiana, but that Indiana, a Right-to-Work state, has more and better-paying jobs for blue-collar workers than does Illinois, which has forced unionization.
Although the Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that altering pension benefits of current government workers violates the Illinois Constitution, there are still actions – from politicians voluntarily reforming their own pension system, to allowing municipal bankruptcy – that Illinois can take to set government-worker pensions on a more fiscally sound path.
Without real reforms, low investment yearly returns of 4 to 6 percent over the next 28 years could cost Illinois taxpayers anywhere from $100 billion to $200 billion above what they’re already expected to pay in contributions.
Under civil asset forfeiture laws in Illinois and across the country, law enforcement can seize property without proving it was involved in a crime. Illinois should follow Michigan’s lead and reform these unjust laws.
Illinois’ manufacturing sector’s recovery from the Great Recession has lagged behind the recoveries of nearby states, demonstrating the need for bold, pro-growth reforms to set Illinois back on the path to success.
A new study from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows that Illinois’ tax revenues are up by 20 percent over their pre-Great Recession peak, debunking the oft-repeated mantra that Illinois is just one more tax hike away from solving its fiscal problems.
The Education Freedom Tax Credit, also known as the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit, will give Illinois students access to donor money if the state opts into the program.