23 Chicago labor unions sue to block Lightfoot’s vaccination mandate
23 Chicago labor unions sue to block Lightfoot’s vaccination mandate
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is being challenged by 23 labor unions over her Dec. 31 vaccination deadline. They claimed she is infringing on union members’ collective bargaining rights.
By Patrick Andriesen
Michael Levan
Michael Levan
“City officials claim pension payments are going up faster than the city can handle them. Yet, several city officials make comfortable pensions and retirements, and continue to spend our tax dollars on things that don’t serve the taxpayers.”
Adam Arbil
Adam Arbil
“I opened Zayna Mediterranean Grill in August 2019. ‘Zayna’ is my grandmother’s name. When I decided I was going to open this restaurant, I didn’t tell anyone in my family for six months. Then, I had a friend bring my family to my restaurant one day to eat.” “My parents are a little older, so...
Jeremiah made it, but 2 Illinois education reforms could help others
Jeremiah made it, but 2 Illinois education reforms could help others
Illinois has too much school district administration. It has too much education pension debt. There are ways to solve those problems to help students facing challenges and taxpayers facing ever-increasing demands.
Janice Singleton
Janice Singleton
"I didn’t realize that SEIU was taking so much money until one day I looked at some of my paystubs. SEIU takes dues from each check I receive, per child."
Chicago’s ‘Netflix tax’ revenues more than triple in five years
Chicago’s ‘Netflix tax’ revenues more than triple in five years
In 2017, Chicagoans paid $40 million in taxes on cloud computing and streaming services. It was $150 million this past fiscal year.
By Patrick Andriesen
Pritzker’s choice: Get COVID-19 shot, or lose your job
Pritzker’s choice: Get COVID-19 shot, or lose your job
Gov. J.B. Pritzker just signed an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act, limiting the law used to challenge his COVID-19 vaccination and other mandates.
By Patrick Andriesen
Amendment 1 could make it harder to root out corruption in Illinois
Amendment 1 could make it harder to root out corruption in Illinois
With additional protection in the Illinois Constitution, state employees and even public officials could be shielded from discipline and corruption reforms thwarted.
By Joe Tabor
Illinois only state east of Mississippi with statewide mask mandate
Illinois only state east of Mississippi with statewide mask mandate
Gov. J.B. Pritzker teased Illinoisans in mid-October that he might lift the statewide mask mandate if new COVID-19 cases declined. But he recently pulled back on that hope, leaving Illinois as one of the few states with a statewide mask mandate.
By Patrick Andriesen
Chicago schools cancel class for COVID-19 ‘Vaccine Awareness Day’
Chicago schools cancel class for COVID-19 ‘Vaccine Awareness Day’
Chicago Public Schools declared a day off for students ages 5 to 11 to get their COVID-19 shots. But little notice and the fact the vaccines were just approved for younger children mean parents face challenges to actually getting shots for their kids.
By Dylan Sharkey
Illinois’ online shoppers face full local sales tax rates this holiday season
Illinois’ online shoppers face full local sales tax rates this holiday season
Sales tax revenue is up from pre-pandemic levels, in part because Illinois is now forcing online retailers to charge local sales tax rates as high as 10.25%. No tax breaks this Cyber Monday.
By Dylan Sharkey