Illinois sports betting tops $1B, ranks 3rd in nation

By Dylan Sharkey

01/09/2023

October 2022 set a record high for sports betting in Illinois: over $1 billion in wagers, which was the third-highest state tally in the U.S.

TAGS: Illinois, sports betting

Pritzker signs SAFE-T Act trailer amendment with 5 reforms

By Patrick Andriesen

12/08/2022

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the fourth trailer amendment to the SAFE-T Act Dec. 6. Experts predict the changes will not stop a constitutional challenge from 62 state’s attorneys.

TAGS: SAFE-T Act

Springfield’s ‘bad Santas’ can’t kick sin tax habit

By Dylan Sharkey

12/07/2022

Bad habits are tough to break, and Illinois lawmakers can’t ditch their habit of depending on sin taxes to raise revenue.

TAGS: sin taxes

Illinois ranks least tax-friendly state for middle-class families, 2nd-worst for retirees

By Patrick Andriesen

12/06/2022

Tax friendliness reports ranked Illinois as the most expensive for middle-class families and second most expensive for retirees. Analysts cited high property taxes, sales taxes and income taxes as cinching the bottom spots.

TAGS: Illinois, taxes

3 things you need to know about latest SAFE-T Act changes

By Joe Tabor

12/01/2022

Lawmakers are set to consider an amendment to the controversial criminal justice reform law set to take effect on Jan. 1. Here are three things Illinoisans should know about the proposed changes.

TAGS: SAFE-T Act

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

By Joe Tabor

08/17/2022

Published Aug. 17, 2022 Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension...

Illinois’ state, local tax burden highest in Midwest after 2nd-largest increase in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

04/11/2022

The effective state and local tax burden in Illinois has risen from 11.2% in 2019 to 12.9% in 2022. It is now the nation’s seventh highest.

TAGS: Illinois, tax burden

Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker’s appeal of school mask mandate decisions, schools move to mask optional Feb. 28

By Amy Korte, Mailee Smith

02/25/2022

After the Illinois Supreme Court determined the state’s appeal of decisions regarding the governor’s school mask rules was moot, the governor declared schools can move to mask optional policies on Feb. 28.

TAGS: Illinois Supreme Court, JB Pritzker, mask mandate, public schools

Chicago, Cook County to lift mask mandates and vaccine requirement Feb. 28

By Patrick Andriesen

02/10/2022

Chicago and Cook County health officials announced plans to revoke pandemic masking and vaccination entry requirements by Feb. 28, the day Illinois’ statewide mask mandate will be lifted. Pritzker has warned Illinoisans to keep masks handy.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, COVID-19, mask mandate

Pritzker keeps mask mandates for schools indefinitely

By Amy Korte

02/09/2022

The governor’s maintenance of statewide school mask mandates without benchmarks for their removal makes Illinois an outlier.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, mask mandate, public schools

New Jersey

Illinois sports betting tops $1B, ranks 3rd in nation

Pritzker signs SAFE-T Act trailer amendment with 5 reforms

Springfield’s ‘bad Santas’ can’t kick sin tax habit

Illinois ranks least tax-friendly state for middle-class families, 2nd-worst for retirees

3 things you need to know about latest SAFE-T Act changes

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois’ state, local tax burden highest in Midwest after 2nd-largest increase in U.S.

Illinois Supreme Court denies Pritzker’s appeal of school mask mandate decisions, schools move to mask optional Feb. 28

Chicago, Cook County to lift mask mandates and vaccine requirement Feb. 28

Pritzker keeps mask mandates for schools indefinitely

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

Report Archive

Take advantage of the various ways to vote

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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