7 reasons the Illinois Republicans’ budget plan fails taxpayers

By Craig Lesner, John Klingner

06/16/2017

The budget plan proposed by Republican General Assembly members would raise taxes by over $5 billion without enacting any significant spending reforms.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, education, grand bargain, Illinois House of Representatives, income tax, Jim Durkin, pensions, property taxes

Fact-checking BGA’s claims on ‘low-spending’ Illinois

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/23/2017

While the Better Government Association has claimed Illinois’ budget contains no fat to trim, a deeper analysis reveals the state has many areas of expensive inefficiency to reform in state and local government costs, the Medicaid program and K-12 education.

TAGS: BGA: Better Government Association, budget, education, local government, Medicaid, municipal government, state worker pay, taxes

‘Evidence-based’ education funding doesn’t work, would cost Illinois taxpayers billions

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

03/28/2017

An education-funding plan in the General Assembly is already proven to make unattainable goals at a high cost to taxpayers.

TAGS: budget, education

Madigan’s rules: How Illinois gives its House speaker power to manipulate and control the legislative process

By Joe Tabor, Ted Dabrowski

01/04/2017

The little-known legislative rules that govern the legislative process in the Illinois House of Representatives give the House speaker extraordinary power to orchestrate the legislative or political outcomes he or she wants. Those rules allow the speaker to influence the makeup of legislative committees; how lawmakers vote; and when, if ever, the bills get voted...

Illinois is a high-tax state

By John Klingner

08/17/2016

Illinois had the fourth-highest combined state and local tax burden as a share of state income in the country.

Illinois lost more population than any other state last year

By Mark Fitton

12/23/2015

Of the 50 states, Illinois was the top population loser.

TAGS: outmigration

Illinois loses people at a faster rate than any other Midwestern state

12/02/2015

Since 2010, Illinois has lost on net 2.6 percent of its taxpayers and dependents, along with billions of dollars of taxable income, dwarfing the rates of out-migration of other Midwestern and neighboring states.

Illinois’ low-income and blue-collar workers are the worst-paid in the region

By Michael Lucci

11/16/2015

Although Illinois’ top earners make more than most of their regional counterparts, Illinois’ bottom quarter of earners have the lowest wages in the Midwest

TAGS: manufacturing, workers compensation

Illinois’ tax revenues increased more than those of any state but North Dakota since Great Recession

By Michael Lucci

10/19/2015

A new study from The Pew Charitable Trusts shows that Illinois’ tax revenues are up by 20 percent over their pre-Great Recession peak, debunking the oft-repeated mantra that Illinois is just one more tax hike away from solving its fiscal problems.

TAGS: budget, taxes

Illinois leads nation in overcrowded prisons

By Bryant Jackson-Green

10/13/2015

Illinois prisons held 150 percent of their maximum capacity in 2014, the highest rate of crowding of any prison system in the country, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, prison, prison overcrowding, prison population

North Dakota

7 reasons the Illinois Republicans’ budget plan fails taxpayers

Fact-checking BGA’s claims on ‘low-spending’ Illinois

‘Evidence-based’ education funding doesn’t work, would cost Illinois taxpayers billions

Madigan’s rules: How Illinois gives its House speaker power to manipulate and control the legislative process

Illinois is a high-tax state

Illinois lost more population than any other state last year

Illinois loses people at a faster rate than any other Midwestern state

Illinois’ low-income and blue-collar workers are the worst-paid in the region

Illinois’ tax revenues increased more than those of any state but North Dakota since Great Recession

Illinois leads nation in overcrowded prisons

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

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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