Illinois’ population grew by 16,108 in 2025 thanks to an influx of people migrating from other countries. But Illinoisans moving away offset most of that gain.
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker is acting like the 2028 Democratic candidate for president. But what does Pritzker’s Illinois resume say about his leadership?
Illinois has the nation’s worst public pension crisis. Nationwide analysis from the Equable Institute shows Illinois state pensions remain fiscally unstable and threaten retirees and taxpayers, underscoring the need for reform.
Illinois just ranked as having the highest property tax rate in the country. Property taxes in Illinois are an especially heavy burden without the tradeoff seen in states such as Texas or New Hampshire, where there are either no sales taxes or income taxes.
Money that could help address the teacher shortage is often the first to get cut in pursuit of keeping up with government pension debt. Supporting Illinois teachers will require constitutional pension reform and protecting Tier 2 cost savings.
Since 2017, Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara has cut the property tax rate to 1.93% by cutting costs and spending smarter – a playbook other Illinois cities should copy.
If Illinois state lawmakers follow the Chicago Teachers Union’s push for a 7.92% base corporate tax rate, it can severely hurt Illinois’ competitiveness. Job creators do not need another reason to abandon Illinois.
The Chicago Teachers Union and its partners are pushing nine new or higher taxes that could end up costing Illinoisans $7.3 billion more starting July 1. Their scheme to fill a proposed state budget deficit is likely to backfire and shrink the tax base.