Rising pension costs in Illinois’ fifth-largest city are pushing Rockford near the edge of a fiscal cliff – a fate that officials are looking to reverse with a series of steep public service cuts.
While J.B. Pritzker has not released a detailed tax plan of his own, reasonable cost estimates suggest the tax hike required to pay for the candidate’s spending promises would require doubling Illinois’ state income tax rate and cost the state an estimated 132,000 jobs and $31.3 billion in forgone GDP.
The highest-earning government employee in at least five municipalities far outpaces what typical local taxpayers in those areas bring in.
Bloomington City Council approved an ordinance that creates a mandatory business registry with a $50 entrance fee, in addition to hiking 100 permit and licensing fees.
In an effort to close a $7.4 million shortfall, the city of Evanston’s proposed budget for the coming fiscal year includes police and fire cuts along with a string of tax hikes – highlighting the need to trim government waste and push for structural reform in Springfield.
The speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives remains a key campaign issue despite national headlines.
While annual revenues have fallen amid camera removals and other changes, Chicago continues to cash in on red-light cameras.
Illinois taxpayers are fed up and overtaxed. Residents have little faith that their governments are spending their tax dollars well – and for good reason. The state’s most recent spending plan is out of balance by as much as $1.5 billion, and includes $54.2 million in wasteful spending and $27 million in pork-barrel spending. The...
Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushed an e-cigarette tax hike through City Council within a matter of hours.
At least five local governments in Illinois still contract with Redflex, the infamous red-light camera company at the center of one of Chicago’s most expensive corruption scandals.