Illinois drops 6 spots in 6 years for tax competitiveness

By Patrick Andriesen

11/07/2025

Illinois’ state tax competitiveness ranking dropped six spots – from 32nd to 38th in the past six years. That’s the worst in the Midwest.

Virginia raises bar for students while Illinois hides struggles

By Hannah Schmid

10/20/2025

Low student proficiency is being hidden in Illinois. Virginia raised its expectations for students.

TAGS: public schools

Mandating unaffordability: How Chicago’s housing affordability requirements decrease supply and increase costs

By Josh Bandoch, LyLena Estabine

10/01/2025

As housing prices continue to soar out of reach for more Americans, an impulse from policy makers across the country has been to attempt to mandate “affordable” prices through legislation. One common idea is rent control, which limits how much landlords can increase rents on residents. A related one is inclusionary zoning, which forces developers...

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

By Josh Bandoch, Lauren Zuar

06/03/2025

Published June 3, 2025 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The best path to empowerment and success, especially for poor people, is work. Work allows us to prosper while providing dignity, upward mobility, the means to support ourselves and create value for others. It’s how we become thriving members of our community. Central to this process is our education...

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

By Josh Bandoch, Larry Han

10/16/2024

Published Oct. 16, 2024 Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and...

Illinois can boost housing affordability with statewide zoning reform

By Ravi Mishra

09/17/2024

Oregon made statewide changes in its zoning policies to help keep housing prices affordable. Many states have followed its lead. Illinois should, too.

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...

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

By Joe Tabor, Aimee Morrissey

08/11/2022

Illinois can draw from other states’ experiences to solve its own gerrymandering problem. One solid solution is as close as Michigan.

TAGS: fair maps, gerrymandering, Illinois

Potential CTU strike about boosting power of nation’s teachers’ unions

By Mailee Smith

01/30/2021

The Chicago Teachers Union prided itself as the vanguard for a rash of nationwide teacher strikes following its 2012 walkout. It’s using the same playbook in 2021.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Illinois state workers receive $1,300 pay raises July 1

By Mailee Smith

06/29/2020

State workers represented by AFSCME Council 31 will see pay increases averaging $1,343 starting July 1. Total cost of the raises is $261 million as COVID-19 continues depleting state revenues.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, JB Pritzker

Virginia

Illinois drops 6 spots in 6 years for tax competitiveness

Virginia raises bar for students while Illinois hides struggles

Mandating unaffordability: How Chicago’s housing affordability requirements decrease supply and increase costs

Beyond degrees: Empowering Illinoisans through career-first education

Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois can boost housing affordability with statewide zoning reform

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families

How to stop gerrymandering in Illinois

Potential CTU strike about boosting power of nation’s teachers’ unions

Illinois state workers receive $1,300 pay raises July 1

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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