Injured Illinois workers take 50 percent more time off than peers in surrounding states
Injured Illinois workers take 50 percent more time off than peers in surrounding states
Illinois law gives financial incentives to many injured workers to stay off the job and to doctors to prescribe more medications to workers’ compensation patients.
By Michael Lucci
August jobs report: Worst manufacturing month since Great Recession, unemployment falls due to workforce dropout
August jobs report: Worst manufacturing month since Great Recession, unemployment falls due to workforce dropout
The August BLS jobs report shows Illinois is down 8,000 manufacturing jobs on the year, giving the state the worst manufacturing job losses in the region, and a summer workforce contraction totaling 100,000 people.
By Michael Lucci
Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships
Illinois counties, cities should have the right to dissolve townships
Some steps have been taken to dissolve unnecessary units of governments, but taxpayers need an easier path to eliminate wasteful governmental bodies.
Michigan vs. Illinois: Manufacturing and out-migration
Michigan vs. Illinois: Manufacturing and out-migration
Years of job-killing policies in Illinois have pushed residents out of the state, while nearby Michigan has taken an alternate, pro-growth approach to turn it around.
By Michael Lucci
Chicago State University president resigns with $600,000 in severance pay
Chicago State University president resigns with $600,000 in severance pay
The outgoing CSU president’s exorbitant severance package highlights the need to rein in Illinois universities’ high administrative costs.
Government jobs surpass manufacturing jobs by 175,000 in Illinois
Government jobs surpass manufacturing jobs by 175,000 in Illinois
Illinois stands out in the industrial Midwest for its skewed government-to-manufacturing-jobs ratio.
By Michael Lucci
AFSCME to Illinois: Raise taxes to pay government workers more
AFSCME to Illinois: Raise taxes to pay government workers more
AFSCME wants the state to hike taxes on Illinois residents to fund the union’s demands for salary and benefit increases.
By Mailee Smith
Illinois voters support sealing for nonviolent offenses
Illinois voters support sealing for nonviolent offenses
A majority of Illinois voters surveyed in a recent poll back record sealing for nonviolent offenders. Here’s how policymakers should make this happen.
By Bryant Jackson-Green
Legal food carts roll into Chicago, but roadblocks abound
Legal food carts roll into Chicago, but roadblocks abound
So far, only two food carts have been licensed to sell tamales in Chicago.
By Austin Berg
Illinois workforce shrinks by 22,000 people in August
Illinois workforce shrinks by 22,000 people in August
August IDES report shows 22,000 people dropped out of the workforce, and 4,400 manufacturing jobs were lost.
By Brendan Bakala
Food trucks fight for the right to exist
Food trucks fight for the right to exist
City officials in Chicago and across the state are crushing a pillar of the culinary community. But food trucks are fighting back.
By Austin Berg
Chicago aldermen propose ban on driverless cars
Chicago aldermen propose ban on driverless cars
A new ordinance would ban all cars with autonomous technology from Chicago, preventing Uber from expanding the fleet of self-driving vehicles it recently introduced in Pittsburgh.
By Amy Korte
Illinois needs a property-tax cap
Illinois needs a property-tax cap
Limiting how much units of government can raise taxes could provide much-needed relief for overtaxed Illinoisans.