With Peoria and downstate reeling, the Caterpillar move comes at a time of persistent disinvestment in Illinois manufacturing.
Illinois lost 11,000 manufacturing jobs in 2016.
Metra’s plans to raise fares go into effect February, hurting commuters and failing to raise enough for stated capital needs.
Illinois state senators are considering a budget with massive tax hikes, but is short on critical pension reforms, which would save taxpayers billions.
Due to fiscal crises, both state and local governments are asking more and more from the same taxpayers – encouraging many of them to leave instead.
Nearly two-thirds of all school districts – and by extension, taxpayers – pick up some or all of each teacher’s required contribution.
Attempts to cut off state worker pay need not end in a tax hike.
Illinois spends more money on retirement costs than on university operations – and tuition keeps rising to prop up this overspending. Instead of hiking taxes to maintain current spending habits in higher education, politicians should shift priorities from propping up six-figure administrators to keeping tuition affordable for students.
Consolidating Illinois’ 859 school districts will lead to greater efficiency and help stem rising property taxes.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is spending money promised for rebates on police body cameras, a legal defense fund for undocumented immigrants and other programs.
As lawmakers consider massive tax hikes on Illinoisans, they should look to consolidate nearly 7,000 units of local government and to cut their high administrative costs.
Instead of giving Illinois residents the power to initiate referendums on local government consolidation, Senate Bill 3 vests this power in government officials, who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.