Tax Foundation

Illinois is a high-tax state

By John Klingner
08/17/2016
Illinois had the fourth-highest combined state and local tax burden as a share of state income in the country.

Growing out of control: Property taxes put increasing burden on Illinois taxpayers

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
12/17/2015
Property taxes are the single largest tax in Illinois, burdening residents far more than either income or sales taxes. Illinoisans already know they pay high property taxes. But what is not as well known is that property taxes are outpacing residents’ ability to pay for them. Over the past 50 years, whether measured in comparison...

2015 State Business Tax Climate Index: Illinois drops to 31st

By Robert Steere
10/29/2014
Illinois’ burdensome tax climate for businesses will continue to hold the state back from creating jobs and growing the economy in 2015. The Tax Foundation issued its 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index, reporting that Illinois dropped two positions in the ranking since last year, to 31st from 29th. Prior to 2011, Illinois steadily ranked...

TAGS: taxes

Chicago cellphone taxes highest in nation

By Robert Steere
10/27/2014
Everywhere they look, Chicagoans see ads urging them to switch their cellphone service. One major provider urges customers to purchase a four-line family plan with all the texting, talking and data one could possibly use for only $100 per month. But the ad fails to mention that a Chicago family would actually have to pay...

TAGS: cell phone tax, taxes

Kankakee County asks voters to hike county-level sales taxes by 800%

By Brian Costin
10/16/2014
Kankakee County already has one of the highest average property tax rates in the country. In 2012, the Tax Foundation ranked Kankakee County as having the 79th-highest property taxes in the nation out of more than 800 of the largest counties in the U.S. Soon, Kankakee County could have one of the highest sales-tax rates...

Gallup: Half of Illinoisans would leave the state if they could

By Michael Lucci
04/30/2014
Gallup released a stunning poll that shows 50 percent of Illinoisans want to leave the state, the highest percentage of any state nationally. This comes a week after Illinois’ worst-in-the nation performance in a Gallup poll that showed one in four Illinoisans consider Illinois to be the worst possible place to live. If Illinois government...

State Sen. Don Harmon’s progressive tax plan would hurt Illinois’ small businesses

By Benjamin VanMetre
04/07/2014
State Sen. Don Harmon’s progressive tax hike proposal would be a massive tax increase on Illinois businesses. A recent Tax Foundation report shows that 61 percent of Illinois employers are pass-through entities – meaning their earnings are taxed at the personal income tax rate instead of the corporate income tax rate. Examples of pass-through entities...

Indiana-Illinois border war

By Michael Lucci
03/17/2014
Indiana cut taxes again last week. And it gained another Illinois business. On Thursday, Indiana cut business taxes, including a reduction in the corporate rate. That came on the heels of AM Manufacturing Co.’s announcement that it will move from Illinois to Indiana. AM Manufacturing Co. is a family-owned machine manufacturer. AM Manufacturing will move...

TAGS: Indiana, jobs, taxes, unemployment

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Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016