Illinois can’t afford to miss out on 10,000 extra homes

By LyLena Estabine

11/21/2025

Families rely on single-family homes. Illinois must relax zoning laws and lower minimum lot sizes to make them more affordable statewide.

TAGS: affordable housing

Illinois General Assembly passes 3 bills boosting government union power

By Mailee Smith

06/23/2025

Government unions already hold tremendous power over taxpayers in Illinois. Three bills heading to Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s desk will give them even more power by violating worker privacy, thwarting taxpayer protections and blocking schools in emergencies.

TAGS: Amendment 1, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, labor

Only 4 states tax services by default, but Illinois may join them

By Patrick Andriesen

05/27/2025

Adding sales taxes to services is limited in the U.S., with 46 states not generally taxing services. Illinois may break from the pack and start adding sales taxes to haircuts, lawn care, car repair and a long list of other service expected to cost $2.7 billion.

Illinois lawmakers push new $2.7B sales tax on haircuts, Netflix, Uber and other services

By Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey

05/15/2025

Illinois lawmakers are looking to expand sales taxes to include things such as streaming services, gym memberships, vehicle repairs, hair care and other services to bail out Chicago’s failing transit systems and put more money in government budgets.

TAGS: sales tax

Teaching Illinois students to be smart with money can cut poverty

By Chris Coffey

04/07/2025

Minnesota and Utah have taken practical approaches to financial literacy education that have measurably improved students’ understanding in both states. Illinois should do more to teach students how to manage their money.

A way out: Bankruptcy authorization would give struggling Illinois municipalities options

By Joe Tabor

02/10/2025

Published Feb. 10, 2025 Even though federal COVID relief funds provided an unexpected windfall, that one-time jolt of cash could leave many Illinois localities even worse off than they were before. That boost in revenue allowed local governments to put off difficult budgeting decisions, and as that revenue dries up, municipalities will have to contend...

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

By Patrick Andriesen

01/15/2025

State reports show 14,723 Illinoisans lost their jobs because of mass layoffs during 2024, with two-thirds resulting from business closures.

TAGS: Illinois, unemployment

Nation gains 227K jobs as Illinois loses 3.4K in November

By Ravi Mishra, Jon Josko

01/07/2025

Job growth was healthy across the nation in November with a gain of 227,000. Illinois’ metropolitan areas lost 3,400, with Peoria losing at the fastest rate.

Pekin passes grocery tax, taking away $1M in savings for shoppers

By Dylan Sharkey

11/15/2024

Pekin and Normal have joined the list of local governments passing ordinances to replace the 1% statewide grocery tax when it expires.

TAGS: grocery tax

Another Illinois town has passed a grocery tax. Is yours next?

By Dylan Sharkey

10/30/2024

Another Illinois town voted to pass a local grocery tax. See how much grocery shoppers in your community could lose if your local leaders also impose the tax.

TAGS: grocery tax

Peoria

Illinois can’t afford to miss out on 10,000 extra homes

Illinois General Assembly passes 3 bills boosting government union power

Only 4 states tax services by default, but Illinois may join them

Illinois lawmakers push new $2.7B sales tax on haircuts, Netflix, Uber and other services

Teaching Illinois students to be smart with money can cut poverty

A way out: Bankruptcy authorization would give struggling Illinois municipalities options

Mass layoffs hit 14.7K Illinoisans in 2024, most from business closures

Nation gains 227K jobs as Illinois loses 3.4K in November

Pekin passes grocery tax, taking away $1M in savings for shoppers

Another Illinois town has passed a grocery tax. Is yours next?

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