The Illinois House of Representatives met for about seven minutes, and the Senate met for approximately 10 minutes on June 21 before adjourning from special session – costing Illinois taxpayers $50,000 for less than 20 minutes of work.
Madigan has stared down Gov. Bruce Rauner for more than 700 days and Rauner just blinked.
The Illinois Republicans’ budget proposal includes billions in tax hikes and has an ineffective spending “cap” that will likely result in deficit spending by 2020. The plan’s lack of reforms sets taxpayers up for a permanent tax hike in 2022.
Illinois is tied for the worst income growth in the entire U.S.
The cost of getting lawmakers to Springfield alone will run taxpayers $21,000 per day.
Illinois has been lagging behind the rest of the region over the last decade, and will continue to do so if the state doesn’t enact necessary economic reforms.
The state’s backlog of unpaid bills is expected to reach $22.7 billion if Illinois goes a third fiscal year without a budget.
Roadwork will cease at the end of June unless lawmakers appropriate funds for IDOT.
Progressive tax proposals by Illinois Democrats would punish those in Illinois’ middle class who earn $50,000 or more and make the state even less competitive with its neighbors.
The Romeoville fulfillment center is one of several Illinois facilities Amazon has opened or plans to open in the coming years. For some of those locations, Amazon has signed deals with the state of Illinois worth tens of millions in potential tax credits.
Administrative costs at Illinois universities have spun out of control. The latest example comes as the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees voted to approve a $600,000 golden parachute for President Doug Baker.