Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families  

By Josh Bandoch, Joe Tabor

07/09/2024

Published July 9, 2024 America is facing a housing affordability crisis. According to a 2022 survey, 73% of Americans said the average person could not afford a home in their area, and 69% were worried about their children and grandchildren being able to afford a home. That’s unfair. Everyone deserves a good roof over their...

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...

Hot real estate market mostly missed Illinois, ranking 48th for new homes

By Bryce Hill

02/28/2022

Illinois saw new residential building permits in 2021 issued at one of the slowest rates in the nation. The rest of the U.S. saw real estate booming.

TAGS: housing market, Illinois, real estate

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

By Bryce Hill

01/14/2022

Illinoisans fled at a record pace in 2021. The state lost 122,460 residents on net because of moves to other states.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population

Progressive tax could cost nearly $1,800 a year in home equity

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Jon Josko

10/05/2020

Evidence from Connecticut suggests the progressive income tax could cost Illinois homeowners substantial equity in their homes.

Illinois tops list for harshest COVID-19 restrictions in America

05/22/2020

Illinois was ranked as the most restrictive state in the U.S. in a survey of COVID-19 actions that impact everyday life.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order

Opposition to Pritzker’s lockdown spreading rapidly

By Brad Weisenstein

05/15/2020

Opposition to Pritzker’s order is growing, as small business owners sue to challenge the governor’s ability to order them into ruin.

TAGS: coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, reopen, small business, stay-at-home

Illinois house value growth nation’s 2nd worst in 2019

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

03/09/2020

States with the slowest housing appreciation tend to have worse labor markets, higher taxes and more pension debt.

TAGS: home price index, home values, homeownership, housing market, outmigration, population

Illinois personal income growth 2nd lowest in U.S. since Great Recession

By Bryce Hill

01/09/2020

Only Mississippi has fared worse than Illinois in personal income growth since the Great Recession hit at the end of 2007. Analysis shows state income taxes matter.

TAGS: corporate income tax, flat tax, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, income, income growth, income tax, JB Pritzker, labor, marginal tax, personal income, population, progressive income tax, recession, Springfield, tax burden

Report: Illinois pension debt soars to $137B, despite record taxpayer contributions

By Vincent Caruso

11/14/2019

Illinois’ contributions to its pension funds exceeded $10 billion in 2019 for the first time in state history – and it wasn’t nearly enough to keep the state’s pension debt from growing.

TAGS: municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Rhode Island

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families

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

Hot real estate market mostly missed Illinois, ranking 48th for new homes

Illinois 1 of 7 states to see residents move out faster in 2021

Progressive tax could cost nearly $1,800 a year in home equity

Illinois tops list for harshest COVID-19 restrictions in America

Opposition to Pritzker’s lockdown spreading rapidly

Illinois house value growth nation’s 2nd worst in 2019

Illinois personal income growth 2nd lowest in U.S. since Great Recession

Report: Illinois pension debt soars to $137B, despite record taxpayer contributions

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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