New census data tell the tale of Quad Cities By Austin Berg 05/25/2018 If current population trends hold, Rock Island, Illinois, will take a back seat to Bettendorf, Iowa, within five years. TAGS: Iowa, outmigration, personal income, population, property taxes, Quad Cities, Rock Island County, taxes, U.S. Census Bureau
Property tax bills en route for Rock Island County residents By Austin Berg 05/04/2018 Homeowners’ 2017 property tax bills (payable in 2018) outpace the state and national average, when measured as a share of home value. TAGS: Iowa, outmigration, property taxes, Rock Island County, taxes
Report: Rock Island County property tax rate more than double the national average By Austin Berg 04/16/2018 Single-family homeowners in Rock Island County pay an average property tax bill above $2,800, according to a new report. TAGS: outmigration, property taxes, taxes
Typical family in Rock Island County would see $513 tax hike under progressive tax proposal By Austin Berg 03/16/2018 The Illinois side of the Quad Cities is already seeing population loss as residents pack up and leave high tax burdens behind. TAGS: income tax, population, progressive income tax, Quad Cities
Bill would expand airport property tax boundaries in Rock Island County By Brendan Bakala 03/08/2018 House Bill 5816 would put all Rock Island County property taxpayers on the hook for costs at the Quad City International Airport. TAGS: taxes
3 proposals in General Assembly could bring progressive income tax to Illinois By Austin Berg 03/02/2018 Scrapping Illinois' constitutionally protected flat income tax would remove one of the only pro-taxpayer policies the Land of Lincoln has left. TAGS: daniel biss, income tax, progressive income tax, taxes
Rock Island County taxpayers can’t keep up with the rate of state spending 02/24/2018 As the state continuously spends more than residents can afford, taxpayers in Rock Island County have seen little income growth. TAGS: budget, income tax, spending
Border war: In Quad Cities, Illinois shrinks as Iowa grows By Austin Berg 02/23/2018 The Quad Cities are a case study in how the Land of Lincoln is lagging behind its neighbors. TAGS: outmigration, property taxes, Quad Cities
Fixing Illinois’ busted budgets: Spending cap amendments filed in House and Senate By Austin Berg 02/08/2018 A proposal to tie state spending to what taxpayers can afford is earning bipartisan support in Springfield. TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, spending, Thomas Cullerton
State of the state: Illinoisans starving for certainty By Austin Berg 02/08/2018 Mandating more reasonable spending growth is the first step in a journey back to solvency for Illinois. The cap provides certainty today for a more responsible state government tomorrow. TAGS: Allen Skillicorn, balanced budget requirement, Bruce Rauner, budget, John Cullerton, Mike Madigan, spending, spending cap, Tom Cullerton