Automatic state worker pay hikes, gas tax hike coming to Illinois July 1

By Brad Weisenstein

06/25/2020

How fair is it that some of the highest-paid state employees in the nation are getting a raise that must be funded by an economically wounded bunch of taxpayers?

TAGS: COVID-19, gas tax, government unions, lawmaker pay, unemployment

Despite economic crisis, Pritzker won’t consider postponing $261 million in state raises

By Mailee Smith

04/24/2020

With more than 755,000 Illinoisans out of work, state employees are still scheduled to get their automatic raises. Gov. J.B. Pritzker is treating those raises as non-negotiable. Governors in other states would disagree.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, coronavirus, COVID-19, executive order, state worker pay

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

Indiana is building far more single-family homes than Illinois

By Austin Berg

01/03/2020

The historic change comes as skyrocketing property tax bills eat into Illinois homeowners’ bottom line.

TAGS: constitutional amendment, home values, homeownership, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, Indiana, JB Pritzker, population, property taxes, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, U.S. Census Bureau, working-age

Illinois can spend another $10B on infrastructure without tax hikes

By Adam Schuster

05/15/2019

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.

Real relief: What Illinoisans looking for property tax reform can learn from Virginia

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

03/08/2018

If Illinois adopted Virginia’s spending habits along with policies that can reduce costs and raise home values, the Prairie State could vastly reduce the property tax burden that Illinois homeowners currently face.

Chicago has nation’s worst travel tax burden

By Hilary Gowins

05/29/2014

There’s nothing like summer in Chicago – after months of winter weather, the city awakens and becomes a haven for residents and tourists alike. But travelers who come to the city take in its splendor at a high price, on top of what they pay for hotel rooms, dinner and entertainment. Out-of-towners shell out more...

UPDATE—ObamaCare in the Courts: King vs. Sebelius

By Naomi Lopez Bauman

10/31/2013

This week, the media and public have been sharply focused on congressional hearings on the calamitous ObamaCare rollout and glitch-ridden health exchange websites. But there may be a far more important ObamaCare venue this week: Richmond, Va. On Oct. 31, a federal judge will hear oral arguments in King vs. Sebelius, a case in which...

TAGS: ACA: Affordable Care Act, Halbig v. Sebelius, king v. sebelius, King vs. Sebelius

Institute in Pensions and Investments: Republicans build up, then fight, issue of bailouts for pension funds

10/01/2012

Concern over underfunding of both public and corporate pension plans has Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, his party and other conservatives making a pre-emptive strike against the idea of federal government bailouts.

Appeals Court Punts on Obamacare

09/09/2011

by Jonathan Ingram Do you think Obamacare should be repealed? If you do, you’re not alone. Public opposition to Obamacare remains as high as ever. According to the most recent survey by Rasmussen Reports, 57 percent of likely voters favor repealing the law. What’s more, 54 percent believe repeal is likely, which is the highest level of...

Virginia

Automatic state worker pay hikes, gas tax hike coming to Illinois July 1

Despite economic crisis, Pritzker won’t consider postponing $261 million in state raises

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

Indiana is building far more single-family homes than Illinois

Illinois can spend another $10B on infrastructure without tax hikes

Real relief: What Illinoisans looking for property tax reform can learn from Virginia

Chicago has nation’s worst travel tax burden

UPDATE—ObamaCare in the Courts: King vs. Sebelius

Institute in Pensions and Investments: Republicans build up, then fight, issue of bailouts for pension funds

Appeals Court Punts on Obamacare

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

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