With pension debt straining city finances, local politicians have insisted on turning to its declining population for more tax revenue.

While it’s the closest the state has come to passing a balanced budget in years, Illinois’ new spending plan leaves a lot to be desired for taxpayers.

Lawmakers claiming to have passed a balanced budget are relying on a number of common, but deceptive, budget maneuvers.

Lawmakers voted to approve the 1,245-page budget less than 24 hours after it was revealed to the public.

State senators voted to approve the 1,245-page budget just hours after it was made public.

With one proposal to pay off Illinois’ pension debt asking the typical homeowner to pay more than $1,900 in additional property taxes for the next 30 years, the stakes for pension reform have never been clearer.

A proposal to levy a statewide 1 percent residential property tax would vault Illinoisans’ property tax burden to the highest of all 50 states.

Lawmakers should voluntarily adopt a spending cap to give taxpayers the certainty they deserve.