The August BLS jobs report shows Illinois is down 8,000 manufacturing jobs on the year, giving the state the worst manufacturing job losses in the region, and a summer workforce contraction totaling 100,000 people.
Years of job-killing policies in Illinois have pushed residents out of the state, while nearby Michigan has taken an alternate, pro-growth approach to turn it around.
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s current tax-and-spend policies and protection of special interests stand in contrast to the speaker’s past statements declaring the need for economic growth and opportunity.
Charter schools are intended to offer families more options in the public school system, but Illinois law often restricts and undermines the autonomy with which they were designed.