Illinois sales taxes highest in Midwest

By Bryce Hill

02/14/2024

Combined state and average local sales tax rate tallies 8.85% in Illinois for 2024. That’s the highest in the Midwest and seventh highest in the nation.

All neighbor states grow as Illinois population shrinks by 32,826

By Bryce Hill

12/28/2023

Illinoisans moving to other states was the sole reason for population decline in 2023. It’s not a Midwestern thing, because our neighbors are growing.

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

By Joe Tabor

12/04/2023

Employment is the clearest path out of poverty, but these five low-income professions face more occupational licensing burdens than others in Illinois.

Illinois’ excessive job licensing keeps Chicagoans in poverty

By Joe Tabor

12/01/2023

Occupational licensing is more burdensome in Illinois than in neighboring states for many professions. Those barriers are unreasonably keeping poor Illinoisans and Chicagoans from finding work.

TAGS: occupational licensing

Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states

By Joe Tabor

11/27/2023

Illinois could make it easier to escape poverty by letting more people work without first getting a license. Six neighboring states do a better job of easing occupational licensing on low-income professions.

Chicago Public Schools dysfunction hits low-income, minority students

By Hannah Schmid

11/02/2023

Spring test data shows low-income and minority students in Chicago Public Schools continue to record low proficiency rates. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to kill a school choice program that could help those students.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools

Census: 97% of Illinoisans moving out head to lower-tax states

By Bryce Hill

11/01/2023

State-to-state migration estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau showed Illinois lost residents to 36 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly all the former Illinoisans moved to lower-tax states.

5 problems with report implying Illinois is growing. Problem No. 1: it’s not

By Bryce Hill

10/25/2023

Authors left out key data that contradicted their findings to claim Illinois’ population is growing. Evidence Illinois is shrinking comes independently from the IRS, U.S. Census Bureau, Illinois Department of Revenue and multiple moving companies.

Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students

By Hannah Schmid

08/22/2023

Five Midwest states have enacted or expanded school choice programs since the Invest in Kids Act was enacted in 2017. Now Illinois’ scholarships are set to expire while other programs thrive.

TAGS: Invest in Kids, school choice

Most Illinois metro areas shed jobs in June, await pandemic recovery

By Justin Carlson

08/04/2023

Despite statewide job gains in June, eight of Illinois’ metro areas lost jobs for the month. Most areas still haven’t recovered to pre-pandemic job levels.

Wisconsin

Illinois sales taxes highest in Midwest

All neighbor states grow as Illinois population shrinks by 32,826

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

Illinois’ excessive job licensing keeps Chicagoans in poverty

Illinois licensing makes escaping poverty harder than in other Midwestern states

Chicago Public Schools dysfunction hits low-income, minority students

Census: 97% of Illinoisans moving out head to lower-tax states

5 problems with report implying Illinois is growing. Problem No. 1: it’s not

Midwest states expand school choice while Illinois fights to save scholarships for low-income students

Most Illinois metro areas shed jobs in June, await pandemic recovery

Illinois Forward 2027: How to fix Illinois’ state finances

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