State lawmakers debate delaying New Year’s Day gas tax hike
	State lawmakers debate delaying New Year’s Day gas tax hike
	
		A bill in Springfield proposes delaying the Jan. 1 state gas tax hike. If it fails, drivers will see two gas tax hikes in 2023, expected to take the tax to over 45 cents a gallon. 	
				
			By Dylan Sharkey
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Illinois unemployment highest in U.S. for 2nd month
	Illinois unemployment highest in U.S. for 2nd month
	
		Illinois only added 3,600 jobs in October, a drastic drop in job growth coming amid persistent inflation and rising recession fears. Unemployment led the nation.	
				
			By Justin Carlson
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Illinois holiday shoppers pay highest sales taxes in Midwest
	Illinois holiday shoppers pay highest sales taxes in Midwest
	
		Retailers should expect a record number of holiday shoppers this weekend. Shoppers in Illinois will get hit with some of the nation’s highest sales taxes. 	
				
			By Dylan Sharkey
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation
	Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation
	
		AAA predicts nearly 55 million people will travel for Thanksgiving this year, only 2% less than Thanksgiving travel in 2019. Illinoisans hitting the road should try to fill up in other states. 	
				
			By Dylan Sharkey
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Amendment 1 could let Illinois police unions undo SAFE-T Act mandates
	Amendment 1 could let Illinois police unions undo SAFE-T Act mandates
	
		Illinois’ new union amendment allows government unions to negotiate over virtually anything and override state law through their union contracts. That includes laws aimed at reforming police procedures.	
				
			By Mailee Smith
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Small businesses led Illinois’ COVID-19 jobs recovery
	Small businesses led Illinois’ COVID-19 jobs recovery
	
		Small Business Saturday offers a reason to be extra thankful: businesses with fewer than 20 employees were the only ones to grow payrolls since COVID-19 hit.	
				
			By Bryce Hill
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Illinois pension costs impair spending on roads, public services
	Illinois pension costs impair spending on roads, public services
	
		Illinois taxpayers spent $3.3 billion more on public pensions between 2017 and 2022 than state forecasts said they would. Had that money not evaporated, it could have paid to repave 150,000 miles of roads or for nearly 25,000 full-ride scholarships. 	
				
			By Patrick Andriesen
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Susie Warden
	Susie Warden
	
		“I am a mom of five boys. We raised another boy, my husband was a football coach, so we have an extra. So four bio and one that came along in 7th grade. So a boy family. I’m a chiropractor.” “Probably a couple of years ago, I was just running my business and I had...	
		 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act
	Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act
	
		The omnibus criminal justice reform bill became highly politicized in the November elections, mixing fact and fiction. There are problems with the bill, but state lawmakers can fix them before the SAFE-T Act takes effect in January.	
				
			By Joe Tabor, Perry Zhao
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		20% fewer Illinois public school students proficient in reading, math
	20% fewer Illinois public school students proficient in reading, math
	
		Illinois students’ academic proficiency remains below pre-pandemic levels. Demographic achievement gaps persist. School choice is part of the solution.	
				
			By Hannah Schmid
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Parents push to expand Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program
	Parents push to expand Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program
	
		Illinois state lawmakers are hearing from parents who want to see the Invest in Kids program expanded. Giving families a choice about their schools can boost student achievement.	
				
			By Dylan Sharkey
		
	 
	
	
		
		
		
		
		Forbes: Illinois 3rd in nation for people leaving
	Forbes: Illinois 3rd in nation for people leaving
	
		Forbes magazine highlighted Illinois as one of the top states residents are fleeing for more tax-friendly climates. 	
				
			By Dylan Sharkey