New Jersey

Gov. Quinn’s plan for Medicaid: hike taxes and cut access to care

By Jonathan Ingram
04/19/2012
Moments ago, Gov. Quinn released his plan to cut Medicaid spending by $2.7 billion. So what does that plan actually look like? It looks like a tax hike coupled with even worse access to care for the poor. Sen. Dale Righter and Rep. Patti Bellock have both voiced opposition to the Governor’s plan, and the Medicaid working...

Illinoisans must work longer than others to pay their tax bills

04/17/2012
In 2012, Illinoisans will have to work 114 days to earn enough to pay their combined federal, state and local tax bill – seven days longer than the average of all the states. The Tax Foundation released their annual “Tax Freedom Day” report, which determines how long residents must work to pay off all tax...

Cigarette taxes can’t fix Medicaid

By Jonathan Ingram
04/16/2012
It looks like Gov. Quinn may be pinning his hopes of finding Medicaid savings by raising cigarette taxes. This isn’t the first time Gov. Quinn has floated his $1-per-pack tax hike on cigarettes. So I was glad to see that Sen. Dale Righter and Rep. Patti Bellock, members of the Medicaid reform working group, have voiced their opposition to...

Life isn’t fair: The teachers’ union boss’ teachable moment

By Chris Andriesen
02/21/2012
by Dan Proft I stand corrected. The teachers’ unions do have the ability to educate. New Jersey Education Association Executive Director Vincent Giordano recently provided, however inadvertently, the greatest teachable moment in public education since American Federation of Teachers President Al Shanker said, “When school children start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the...

Things you think are treats but really are tricks

10/27/2011
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson This time of year, children go door-to-door dressed in costumes to ask their neighbors for treats. Throughout the year, governments at the federal, state and local level provide services and programs that many look upon as treats. But considering the cost and inefficiency of some of these programs and services, are these...

Another State Rejects High-Speed Spending

By Chris Andriesen
04/14/2011
by Mark Cavers Bloomberg Business Week reports that legislators in Missouri are moving to reject some federal money to fund work that would speed up rail travel between St. Louis and Kansas City. The mounting concerns over future costs to Missourians echo similar concerns in a host of other states that have rejected federal money. Over...

New Jersey Turnpike Authority Spends Money on Bowling League & Birthdays

10/20/2010
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson In New Jersey, auditors concluded the New Jersey Turnpike Authority “wasted $43 million on unneeded perks and bonuses.” The audit found public funds were spent on an employee bowling league and an event for toll operators which “none of the authority’s employees actually attended.” In an egregious example highlighting the problems with the current compensation...
Load More

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.

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