A new report from the Heritage Foundation shows that in 2014 alone, collective bargaining between Illinois’ government-worker unions and Illinois officials inflated state and local government spending by $4 billion to $9 billion.
Switching to an electronic system from a paper-based licensing program is expected to save taxpayers millions of dollars over the next few years – as well as provide better and faster service for the state’s licensed professionals.
By allowing offenders to submit applications for barbering licenses within six months before release from prison, Illinois will reduce wait times for licensing – and reduce the likelihood those ex-offenders will return to crime. But more reforms are needed.
Illinoisans must work from Jan. 1 until April 29 to pay the taxes they owe to federal, state and local governments.
Local government transparency, local government consolidation and criminal justice reform gain traction despite politicized legislature.
In the midst of the state’s budget, pension and out-migration crises, an Illinois politician has introduced SB 2143 to ban the sale of bobcat pelts, as well as the trapping of these animals.
Since the state's recession bottom, Illinois has regained less than 5 percent of its manufacturing jobs — the worst rate of recovery among all neighboring states.
With the right liability reforms, Illinois can protect businesses and make them more likely to give ex-offenders a chance at employment.
Senate Bill 2871 would give courts in Illinois the ability to ban juveniles’ access to social media and require them to turn over passwords to law-enforcement officials.
Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool has claimed that Chicago students are discriminated against under the state's education funding formula. But the numbers show the opposite: Chicago has received more than its fair share of education funding from the state.
Retirement ages, COLAs and out-of-sync pension payouts