Midwestern United States

U.S. payroll gains leaving Illinois behind

By Michael Lucci
05/02/2014
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a gain of 288,000 payroll jobs nationally for the month of April, better than consensus expectations of a gain of 218,000. The national jobless rate dropped to 6.3 percent from 6.7 percent. The month-over-month gain in payroll jobs was the best since January 2012. However, the entire decline in...

Illinois Corruption Watch: April 2014

By Brian Costin
04/30/2014
45.  April 30, 2014 Sun-Times: Criminal probe of Quinn anti-violence plan rocks governor’s race A criminal grand jury has launched a probe into Gov. Pat Quinn’s troubled anti-violence program —  once likened to “a political slush fund” — delivering a major blow to the Democrat as he seeks re-election this fall. On Tuesday, the Quinn...

Illinois loses 3,200 payroll jobs, another business exits the state

By Michael Lucci
04/18/2014
Illinois lost 3,200 payroll jobs in March, and the state’s unemployment rate ticked down to 8.4 percent from 8.7 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Illinois’ month-over-month change in payroll jobs was the third-worst nationally. Only Pennsylvania and Virginia lost more jobs. This news comes fresh on the heels of the announcement by...

The myth of an Illinois comeback

By Michael Lucci
04/17/2014
Myth: Gov. Pat Quinn says that Illinois is a regional leader in job creation, and that the state is making a comeback. Fact: Illinois has ranked at the bottom of regional job comparisons since the Great Recession hit. Illinoisans suffer a jobless rate that is the second-worst in the nation and the highest in the...

Only 28% of Illinois residents trust state government, lowest in nation

By Brian Costin
04/16/2014
The constant stream of government corruption stories in Illinois takes a dramatic toll on citizens’ trust of government. A recent Gallup poll showed only 28 percent of Illinois residents trust their state government. Illinois is the only Midwestern state where trust in state government is less than 50 percent. The most recent corruption story to...

Illinois politicians weaken local control

By Paul Kersey
04/08/2014
About three weeks ago, we sounded a warning about House Bill 5485, which would allow arbitrators to set minimum staffing levels in fire departments throughout Illinois.  Since then, news outlets throughout Illinois have been taking note of this bill, pointing out to readers that it would take Illinois in the wrong direction by making unions...

Illinois remains second worst for joblessness

By Michael Lucci
03/29/2014
Illinois’ jobless rate remained stuck at 8.7 percent for the month of February, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Illinois remains the only state in the Midwest with a higher jobless rate today than when Gov. Pat Quinn took office. When Quinn took office, the jobless rate was 8 percent. The state gained 6,400...

TAGS: jobs, unemployment

Illinois’ comeback: The real facts

By Benjamin VanMetre
03/26/2014
JOB CREATION: Since 2010, Illinois has recovered only 215,800 jobs, which is 42,000 fewer than Gov. Pat Quinn’s claim of 257,400. More importantly, Illinois is the only state in the Midwest that had fewer payroll jobs in January 2014 than it did when Quinn took office in January 2009. UNEMPLOYMENT: Illinois has the second-highest unemployment...

Quinn’s 3 budget falsehoods

By Benjamin VanMetre
03/26/2014
In January 2011, Illinois politicians pushed through a record income tax increase that raised the income tax rate on individuals to 5 percent from 3 percent, and on corporations to 7 percent from 4.8 percent. After passing the record tax hike, Gov. Quinn went on record saying: “We have some temporary tax increases [falsehood number...

TAGS: income tax, Pat Quinn

Load More

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

View Report

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016