Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief

By Adam Schuster

02/15/2020

The years 2010 through 2019 will go down in Illinois history as a decade of public policy failure and economic decline. High fixed costs for pensions and government worker health care have prevented the state from balancing its budget in any year since 2001. Since the Great Recession in 2008, the state’s fiscal imbalance has...

Illinoisans want cleaner state government more than great schools, less crime

By Austin Berg

02/13/2020

A common misconception in Illinois is that voters are numb to this reality. But polling released this week, commissioned by the Illinois Education Association, shows that’s not true.

TAGS: bipartisan, corruption, education, ethics, federal investigation, Legislative Inspector General, revolving door

After $1B in tickets and 4 corruption indictments, Illinois should shutter the red-light camera industry

By Austin Berg

01/30/2020

With a federal corruption probe burrowing deeper into Springfield, the Illinois General Assembly has only one choice when it comes to the future of a red-light camera industry that has infected nearly 100 communities statewide: shut it down.

TAGS: bribery, Chicago, corruption, David McSweeney, fees, fines, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, John Bills, local government, Martin O'Malley, Martin Sandoval, Mike Madigan, red light cameras, Redflex Traffic Systems, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

By Adam Schuster

01/17/2020

Across all five state retirement systems, typical career workers pay for about 5% of the cost of their pension benefits. They receive an average of $1.7 million to $3.6 million.

TAGS: Edgar Ramp, firefighter pensions, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, government employees, government services, government unions, government workers, IEA-NEA: Illinois Education Association, IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Jim Edgar, JRS: Judges’ Retirement System, municipal government, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, police pensions, public sector, retirement age, Rod Blagojevich, SERS: State Employee Retirement System, Social Security, social services, Springfield, SURS: State Universities Retirement System, tax hikes, tax increase, TRS: Teachers’ Retirement System

Madigan celebrates 35th anniversary as Illinois House speaker

By Austin Berg

01/12/2020

Illinoisans will soon cast a vote on the biggest ballot question in the history of Madigan’s record-breaking speakership.

TAGS: credit rating, Daley, debt, fair tax, FBI: Federal Bureau of Investigation, federal investigation, graduated income tax, house rules, House Speaker, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, legislative map, lobbying, Mike Madigan, patronage, progressive income tax, property taxes, redistricting, Richard Daley, Springfield, tax burden, U.S. Census Bureau

Corruption costs Illinois taxpayers at least $550M per year

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

08/04/2019

Chicago is the most corrupt city, and Illinois the second-most corrupt state, in the nation, according to a recent report by the University of Illinois at Chicago. But corruption in Illinois is more than a buzzword. It comes with social and economic costs. Not only does corruption lessen residents’ faith in the government, it decreases...

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

By Mailee Smith, Joe Tabor

11/01/2018

AFSCME Council 31, its PAC and AFSCME headquarters are major political players, funneling millions of dollars every year to Democrats or self-proclaimed progressive organizations.

Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

By Adam Schuster, Alec Mena, Travis Nix

10/08/2018

Illinois taxpayers are fed up and overtaxed. Residents have little faith that their governments are spending their tax dollars well – and for good reason. The state’s most recent spending plan is out of balance by as much as $1.5 billion, and includes $54.2 million in wasteful spending and $27 million in pork-barrel spending. The...

House hunters: How high taxes hurt home investment in Illinois

By Orphe Divounguy, Suman Chattopadhyay, Bryce Hill

09/17/2018

Without property and income tax relief, housing in Illinois will continue to be less attractive, Illinois’ population is likely to continue its decline and housing price appreciation can be expected to continue to lag the rest of the nation.

Tax hikes vs. reform: Why Illinois must amend its constitution to fix the pension crisis

By Adam Schuster

08/24/2018

Reforming future benefit growth via a constitutional amendment is the only way to ensure the retirement security of government workers, protect taxpayer budgets and fulfill the needs of Illinoisans reliant on core services.

Republican Party

Illinois Forward: A 5-year plan for balanced budgets, declining debt and tax relief

Illinoisans want cleaner state government more than great schools, less crime

After $1B in tickets and 4 corruption indictments, Illinois should shutter the red-light camera industry

Illinois pensions 101: Paltry contributions yield million-dollar payouts

Madigan celebrates 35th anniversary as Illinois House speaker

Corruption costs Illinois taxpayers at least $550M per year

Madigan’s money: AFSCME spending trail reveals extensive and hidden political activity

Waste Watch: Nearly $100M of waste in Illinois state and local government

House hunters: How high taxes hurt home investment in Illinois

Tax hikes vs. reform: Why Illinois must amend its constitution to fix the pension crisis

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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