Downstate areas lag Chicago, Midwest in house building permits

By Joe Tabor

07/22/2024

Out of 90 Midwestern metropolitan areas, Illinois has four in the bottom 10 for new housing per capita in 2023. Housing affordability is directly linked to getting units built.

TAGS: housing

Planning a long Lollapalooza weekend? Expect ticket taxes of $91 to $1,001

By Patrick Andriesen

07/18/2024

If you plan to be at Lollapalooza from Megan Thee Stallion to Blink-182, expect taxes to add $91 to the cost of general admission. Get a premium ticket and city, county and state sales and amusement taxes add $1,001 to the cost.

TAGS: Lollapalooza, tax

Chicago’s affordable housing crisis can be fixed without tax hikes

By Ravi Mishra

07/18/2024

Chicago housing affordability is among the lowest in the Midwest, driven primarily by restrictive land-use policies and slow approvals. Low-income families have it worse than in other large Midwestern cities.

TAGS: housing

Apprenticeships offer economic opportunity for Illinoisans

By Chris Coffey

07/10/2024

College degrees are just one potential path to prosperity. Apprenticeships are a viable alternative Illinois’ education system should embrace.

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families  

By Josh Bandoch, Joe Tabor

07/09/2024

Published July 9, 2024 America is facing a housing affordability crisis. According to a 2022 survey, 73% of Americans said the average person could not afford a home in their area, and 69% were worried about their children and grandchildren being able to afford a home. That’s unfair. Everyone deserves a good roof over their...

Illinois’ 15 metro areas all see unemployment higher than U.S. rate

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

07/03/2024

Despite some growth, high unemployment remains an issue in Illinois. All 15 metropolitan areas showed higher rates of unemployment than the national average.

TAGS: employment

Illinois’ college-first approach isn’t working

By Larry Han

06/28/2024

Many people still view a college degree as a requirement into the workforce and toward future prosperity. The data beg to differ.

Illinois tied for third-worst unemployment rate in the U.S.

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

06/25/2024

Illinois' employment growth lags the nation and neighboring states in May.

Editorial: Illinois’ spending plan is divorced from its fiscal reality

By Hilary Gowins

06/03/2024

The state has enormous debts, and state leaders must pay it down or legally restructure obligations. Until they do, the painful reality is we can’t afford new spending.

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Illinois retailers taxed $186M by capping sales tax credit

By Patrick Andriesen

05/30/2024

A cap on the retailers’ sales tax credit will effectively hikes taxes on Illinois retailers by $186 million. Retailers are already facing razor-thin margins, but the record $53.1 billion state budget required $1.1 billion in new taxes.

TAGS: sales tax

Midwestern United States

Downstate areas lag Chicago, Midwest in house building permits

Planning a long Lollapalooza weekend? Expect ticket taxes of $91 to $1,001

Chicago’s affordable housing crisis can be fixed without tax hikes

Apprenticeships offer economic opportunity for Illinoisans

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families

Illinois’ 15 metro areas all see unemployment higher than U.S. rate

Illinois’ college-first approach isn’t working

Illinois tied for third-worst unemployment rate in the U.S.

Editorial: Illinois’ spending plan is divorced from its fiscal reality

Illinois retailers taxed $186M by capping sales tax credit

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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