Illinois scheduled to give $261M in automatic pay raises to state workers

By Mailee Smith

04/13/2020

Pritzker should join other Democratic governors in postponing automatic pay raises, which would free up funds for needy Illinoisans and potentially preserve state worker jobs in the long run.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, pensions, public sector, state worker pay

Champaign City Council gives mayor power to impose curfew, seize private property

By Vincent Caruso

03/13/2020

Water rationing and forced business closures were among a litany of emergency powers the city council granted Champaign’s mayor and city manager in response to the global health crisis.

TAGS: ban, Champaign, coronavirus, COVID-19, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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...

Absent pension crisis, Illinois could afford ‘free’ college

By Adam Schuster

12/10/2019

Illinois could give every undergraduate in public college nearly $70k a year if it spent the same 4% of its budget on pensions as it did throughout the 90s, rather than the 25% it spends today.

TAGS: DCFS: Department of Children and Family Services, general revenue fund, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, illinois state police, Springfield, tax burden

Despite tax hikes, Illinois fails to balance budget for 19th year in a row

By Austin Berg

06/13/2019

Band-Aid fixes and spending-heavy compromises were rampant. And now it’s all coming home to roost.

TAGS: balanced budget requirement, budget, fair tax, graduated income tax, income tax, JB Pritzker, progressive income tax, taxes

Illinois Senate committee approves statewide plastic bag tax, exempts Chicago

By Austin Berg

03/07/2019

Shoppers across Illinois would pay a new state-level bag tax under Senate Bill 1240 and House Bill 3335. But Chicago shoppers, who already pay a city bag tax, would not.

TAGS: Ann Williams, Chicago, JB Pritzker, plastic bags, taxes, Terry Link

58 former Illinois state lawmakers collecting six-figure pensions

11/06/2018

Former lawmakers receive generous benefits from the state’s worst-run retirement fund.

TAGS: Arthur L. Berman, COLA: cost of living adjustment, GARS: General Assembly Retirement System, Jim Edgar, lawmaker pay, pensions

Momentum builds for pardon of Peoria man who served 15 years for drug offense

08/28/2018

Jason Spyres was arrested on drug charges nearly 20 years ago. In the years since, he’s been on a path of personal success and growth. A pardon from Gov. Bruce Rauner should follow.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, marijuana, sentencing reform

Full text: Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2018 State of the State Address

By illinoispolicy

01/31/2018

Delivered on Jan. 31, 2018.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, State of the State

Rigged: How Illinois’ labor laws stack the deck against taxpayers

By Mailee Smith

12/14/2017

If Illinois is going to compete with its neighbors – and keep people from moving out of the state – it must reduce the enormous property tax burden its families are forced to bear. Following the lead of surrounding states by enacting collective bargaining reforms is one good place to start.

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Illinois scheduled to give $261M in automatic pay raises to state workers

Champaign City Council gives mayor power to impose curfew, seize private property

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

Absent pension crisis, Illinois could afford ‘free’ college

Despite tax hikes, Illinois fails to balance budget for 19th year in a row

Illinois Senate committee approves statewide plastic bag tax, exempts Chicago

58 former Illinois state lawmakers collecting six-figure pensions

Momentum builds for pardon of Peoria man who served 15 years for drug offense

Full text: Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 2018 State of the State Address

Rigged: How Illinois’ labor laws stack the deck against taxpayers

Solutions for vacant lots would reduce crime and poverty in Chicago

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