Typical collar county family would pay as much as $1,000 in additional taxes under progressive tax proposal
Typical collar county family would pay as much as $1,000 in additional taxes under progressive tax proposal
A progressive tax proposal in the Illinois House would raise taxes on an overwhelming majority of families already struggling with some of the highest tax burdens in the nation.
Alton voters to decide on sales tax hike at the ballot box
Alton voters to decide on sales tax hike at the ballot box
Madison County voters have rejected a proposed 1 percent sales tax hike twice before. Will the third time be a charm?
By Amanda McDonald
Lake Forest city manager outearns all 50 state governors
Lake Forest city manager outearns all 50 state governors
In Illinois, hundreds of municipal workers earn more than every state governor. The city manager of Lake Forest is the second-highest paid city manager in the state.
By Vincent Caruso
Typical family in Rock Island County would see $513 tax hike under progressive tax proposal
Typical family in Rock Island County would see $513 tax hike under progressive tax proposal
The Illinois side of the Quad Cities is already seeing population loss as residents pack up and leave high tax burdens behind.
By Austin Berg
DuPage County voters to decide on merger between clerk’s office and election commission
DuPage County voters to decide on merger between clerk’s office and election commission
The nonbinding, advisory referendum seeks to gauge support of merging two DuPage County offices.
By Brendan Bakala
Your office March Madness pool is illegal, but these bills could change that
Your office March Madness pool is illegal, but these bills could change that
The illicit practice of gambling on sports in Illinois is enormously popular – and that might help spur change.
By Vincent Caruso
Report: $800M of property tax burden in Chicago shifted onto poorer homeowners from 2011-2015
Report: $800M of property tax burden in Chicago shifted onto poorer homeowners from 2011-2015
University of Chicago researchers have found inaccurate and unfair assessments by the Cook County Assessor’s Office led to $800 million of the property tax burden shifting from owners of Chicago homes in the top 10 percent (by sale price) to owners of homes in the bottom 70 percent.
By Amy Korte
Illinois metro areas yield slight jobs gain in January, but weak long-term trends persist
Illinois metro areas yield slight jobs gain in January, but weak long-term trends persist
Combined jobs growth was slightly positive across Illinois’ metro areas in January. But only four metro areas have recovered the jobs they lost during the Great Recession.
By Bryce Hill
Progressive tax proponents display magical thinking
Progressive tax proponents display magical thinking
Advocates for a progressive income tax claim to offer relief for middle-class families. But that doesn’t jive with real proposals in Springfield or lawmakers’ spending habits.
By Vincent Caruso
An antidote to election apathy: Be like Bob
An antidote to election apathy: Be like Bob
Bob is not a typical politician. He is not a lobbyist. He is a barber. But he’s making real change in the community he loves.
By Austin Berg
Study: Illinois home to highest overall tax burden in the nation
Study: Illinois home to highest overall tax burden in the nation
A recent study confirms what too many Illinoisans have discovered firsthand: that they’re among the most overburdened taxpayers in the country.
By Vincent Caruso
TIFs: A mythical pot of gold for local governments
TIFs: A mythical pot of gold for local governments
Tax increment financing creates elusive troves of property tax “gold” – by depleting funds from local governments the mechanism intends to serve.
By Vincent Caruso
Bar crawl: Indiana reforms will slow business for Illinois liquor store owners
Bar crawl: Indiana reforms will slow business for Illinois liquor store owners
The cocktail of excise taxes heaped onto the sale of alcoholic beverages hits Illinois liquor stores near the Indiana border.
By Vincent Caruso