Inflation ensures progressive tax hike will hit an increasing number of Illinoisans

By Joe Tabor

10/02/2020

Within 20 years the portion of Illinoisans hit with the progressive tax hike would grow by over 150% if the rate of inflation mirrored the past two decades.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, middle class, progressive income tax

Every state with a progressive tax also taxes retirement income

07/02/2020

Illinois could be the next state to tax retirement income if voters approve the progressive income tax in November.

TAGS: progressive tax, retirement tax

Before COVID-19 downturn, Illinois saw shrinking payrolls and nation’s worst loss of manufacturing jobs

By Bryce Hill

03/31/2020

New data show Illinois lost private sector jobs amid a national economic expansion for the first year on record in 2019, a sign of the state’s deep structural problems in the run-up to the current market downturn.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, coronavirus, COVID-19, economic growth, employment, jobs, labor force participation rate, unemployment

Slowest-growing states have progressive income taxes

By Bryce Hill

02/07/2020

Fewer people want to live in states with progressive income taxes. So after 6 straight years of population loss, why would Illinois want to join them?

TAGS: ballot, ballot referendums, corporate income tax, fair tax, flat tax, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, income tax, JB Pritzker, outmigration, pensions, population, progressive income tax, recession, spending cap, Springfield, tax burden, tax hikes, tax increase, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Census Bureau, West Virginia, working-age

Illinois personal income growth 2nd lowest in U.S. since Great Recession

By Bryce Hill

01/09/2020

Only Mississippi has fared worse than Illinois in personal income growth since the Great Recession hit at the end of 2007. Analysis shows state income taxes matter.

TAGS: corporate income tax, flat tax, graduated income tax, Great Recession, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, income, income growth, income tax, JB Pritzker, labor, marginal tax, personal income, population, progressive income tax, recession, Springfield, tax burden

Illinois red-light cameras have collected more than $1B from drivers since 2008

By Austin Berg

10/14/2019

Red-light cameras are taking more and more money from Illinois motorists. But dubious safety benefits, a cloud of corruption and a bipartisan bill in Springfield may combine to take them off the streets.

State of the state 2019: Past mistakes show path to better future for Illinois

By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill

01/22/2019

Reversing the state’s outmigration of residents and encouraging the job creation Illinoisans need to thrive – and the state needs for stable revenues – require lawmakers to rein in government overspending and resist calls for tax hikes that would further depress Illinois’ economic growth.

Shrinking the Illinois Senate

By Brian Costin

10/08/2013

With 42,336 elected officials as of 1992, Illinois has nearly 12,000 more state and local elected politicians than any other state. Amazingly, with this unprecedented wealth of legislators Illinois hasn’t been able to adequately address some of its most dire problems. Illinois still ranks near the bottom of the nation in numerous key economic indicators,...

TAGS: term limits

State-funded ObamaCare insurance exchange: a bad deal for Illinois

12/31/2012

Not only is it optional for states to establish an exchange, but states that defer to a federal exchange will also save upward of $100 million annually in exchange costs.

West Virginia

Inflation ensures progressive tax hike will hit an increasing number of Illinoisans

Every state with a progressive tax also taxes retirement income

Before COVID-19 downturn, Illinois saw shrinking payrolls and nation’s worst loss of manufacturing jobs

Slowest-growing states have progressive income taxes

Illinois personal income growth 2nd lowest in U.S. since Great Recession

Illinois red-light cameras have collected more than $1B from drivers since 2008

State of the state 2019: Past mistakes show path to better future for Illinois

Shrinking the Illinois Senate

State-funded ObamaCare insurance exchange: a bad deal for Illinois

Event recap: C.J. Maloney

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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