Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Illinois gets $5.24 million windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

Illinois gets $5.24 million windfall as motorists rack up fees for late vehicle registration

Budget gridlock in Springfield caused the Illinois secretary of state’s office to suspend mailing vehicle-registration-renewal reminders in October 2015; as a result, the state took in $5.24 million more in fees for late license-plate renewal between January and June 21, 2016, than it did during the same period in 2015.

By Amy Korte

Illinois has a spending problem, not a revenue problem

Illinois has a spending problem, not a revenue problem

Tax-hike proponents claim there’s no way to fix Illinois’ chronic budget problems without more money. They want Illinoisans to believe the state’s tax revenues simply aren’t enough to cover the cost of government. But tax revenues aren’t the real problem. Illinois’ perennial budget crises stem from the state’s persistent overspending and misplaced spending priorities. The...

By Ted Dabrowski, Craig Lesner, John Klingner

Brexit and Chicago’s potential bankruptcy

Brexit and Chicago’s potential bankruptcy

Pension funds aren’t immune to the volatility of the stock market. Even before Brexit, Moody’s warned that low investment returns are already putting Chicago’s pension funds at risk. A major stock market correction or another recession just might put Chicago and CPS over the edge if their already-underfunded pension systems collapse.

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

Pensions over people

Pensions over people

The pension problem was created and has been fueled by weak politicians – men and women who decided their next elections were more important than the next generation.

By Austin Berg

Illinois needs a taxpayer bill of rights

Illinois needs a taxpayer bill of rights

Illinoisans need a taxpayer bill of rights so that politicians must ask permission from voters if they want to raise taxes.

AFSCME uses prisoners as pawns in budget debate

AFSCME uses prisoners as pawns in budget debate

A representative from the state-worker union called for collective action from governments of prison towns to force Gov. Bruce Rauner’s hand in the budget debate, which could expose thousands of incarcerated Illinoisans to squalid, dangerous conditions.

By Austin Berg

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