Report: Illinois families average $331 in cellphone taxes, highest rate in nation
Report: Illinois families average $331 in cellphone taxes, highest rate in nation
Cellphone taxes increased nationwide – and Illinois moved up to be the top taxer. Add another $157 in tax on Chicagoans’ wireless bills.
By Vincent Caruso
Holiday shopping and the sales tax scrooge
Holiday shopping and the sales tax scrooge
Illinois' current patchwork of sales tax exemptions, oftentimes carved out by special interests, makes for poor policy.
By Austin Berg
Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double
Rahm to Springfield: State gas tax needs to at least double
Departing Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel accelerated calls to boost Illinois’ gas tax to pay for local transportation projects.
By Vincent Caruso
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel endorses pension amendment to Illinois Constitution
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel endorses pension amendment to Illinois Constitution
Outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel is publicly pushing for a constitutional amendment to the state’s pension clause. Pension reform is the only way to combat rising property taxes and prevent further budget chaos in Illinois state and local governments.
By Adam Schuster
Seal-Rite Door exits Rockford for Wisconsin
Seal-Rite Door exits Rockford for Wisconsin
Seal-Rite’s doors are hardly the first to close in Illinois and reopen in the Badger State.
By Vincent Caruso
Fitch warns against CTBA’s reckless pension plan
Fitch warns against CTBA’s reckless pension plan
Fitch Ratings has issued a warning about a pension plan pushed by one Illinois think tank, which includes no reform and would harm the state’s credit rating. The response from the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability proves how indefensible the plan really is.
By Adam Schuster
More than 70 Belleville-area school retirees are pension millionaires
More than 70 Belleville-area school retirees are pension millionaires
Pension payouts collected by the Belleville area’s top-earning school retirees underscore the need to reform Illinois’ unaffordable pension system.
By Vincent Caruso
Steel manufacturer shutters Illinois plant, takes 100 jobs to Indiana
Steel manufacturer shutters Illinois plant, takes 100 jobs to Indiana
Alliance Steel Corp. will move 100 jobs to Gary, Indiana, with plans to add 30 more.
By Janelle Cammenga
Carterville passes largest property tax hike in city history to pay for pensions
Carterville passes largest property tax hike in city history to pay for pensions
Pension costs now consume nearly 70 percent of the city’s annual property tax levy. It may not be enough.
By Vincent Caruso
Chicago anticipated to be nation’s weakest major housing market in 2019
Chicago anticipated to be nation’s weakest major housing market in 2019
A study by realtor.com ranks the Chicago region’s housing market slowest of 100 U.S. metro areas for 2019. That stat could be fixed, or made worse.
By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill