A study from WalletHub ranks Illinois 50th-most severe on COVID-19 restrictions on bars and restaurants. 233,500 jobs were lost in that sector since February.
The city has suffered significant revenue losses as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. Pensions will further damage city services even as the pandemic fades.
Unemployment claims remain five times higher than normal, but the nation’s second-harshest restaurant restrictions have hit that job sector hardest.
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs said a progressive state income tax will open the door to taxing retirement income.
Peoria’s financial problems grew critical from the coronavirus, but the long-term threat of pension debt will remain even after more severe cuts are made.
“It’s a spider web of things. They don’t realize how much this all affects everything. They don’t realize every July 1st the gas tax goes up. Eventually it’s going to affect my business."
The Illinois Policy Institute has created Building Better Schools: A pro-student, pro-community guide for Illinois school boards, which provides policies in five key areas to assist school board members ensure the best educational and financial outcomes in their districts.
While Illinois law explicitly states union contracts trump all other state laws, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled a police contract allowing the destruction of disciplinarily records defies public policy and cannot be enforced.
Illinois' credit rating is just one notch above junk, the lowest of any U.S. state.
Illinois public servants expect special privileges. And Gov. J.B. Pritzker is happy to oblige.
While May’s jobs report showed what could be the beginning of a bounce back in total employment for the state, growth was concentrated primarily among white workers. Black and Hispanic workers were left behind.
“There are not many stores open in downtown Springfield. With the few that are open, we’re thinking if this continues, will we survive it?"
The contractor who revamped Illinois’ unemployment system to handle self-employed workers is being sued. One of the nearly 32,500 applicants who had private information exposed said it was used to access her bank account.
Illinois’ fiscal year 2021 budget is larger than 2020’s, yet spending on education lost ground without an adjustment for inflation.