The Illinois General Assembly passed budget that included a $1,600 pay raise for state lawmakers, who already rank among the nation’s highest paid.

Illinoisans will pay more for gas, vehicle registration, cigarettes and parking after a bipartisan vote for $45 billion in new capital spending.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker will not selectively hand out infrastructure projects as a way to buy support for proposals to increase taxes and fees, should he stick to his word.

Financial stress testing shows Illinois and New Jersey are the most unprepared for the next recession. Both states lack sufficient rainy day funds and struggle with large pension debt.

Illinois can do it the old way and raise taxes to deliver pork projects. Or Illinois can be smart and make each tax dollar work hard to deliver projects that help residents and the economy.

A progressive tax won’t stop constant property tax hikes. Pension reform will.

With Illinoisans increasingly likely to move, Pritzker’s tax plan would send more moving vans toward the state line, and hit the gas.