Caterpillar announces it will add 600 jobs to new Arizona facility
Caterpillar announces it will add 600 jobs to new Arizona facility
Caterpillar’s plans to bring new jobs to Arizona demonstrate how Illinois politicians’ planned tax hikes and failure to make needed regulatory reforms harm the state’s manufacturing sector.
By Hilary Gowins
Illinois Department of Revenue: Progressive tax would lead to job losses, out-migration
Illinois Department of Revenue: Progressive tax would lead to job losses, out-migration
The Illinois Department of Revenue has projected losses of 20,000 private-sector jobs, 43,000 residents to other states on net, and $1.9 billion in GDP in the first four years of a progressive tax.
By Michael Lucci
Lang tax plan would push top overall tax rate for small businesses to over 50% in Illinois
Lang tax plan would push top overall tax rate for small businesses to over 50% in Illinois
Lang’s progressive-tax proposal would hit successful small businesses, which account for 72 percent of all small-business income in Illinois.
By Michael Lucci
Want to crush Illinois’ small businesses? Pass a progressive tax
Want to crush Illinois’ small businesses? Pass a progressive tax
State Rep. Lou Lang’s progressive tax would hurt the middle class by making Illinois home to the second-highest small-business tax rate in the U.S.
By Austin Berg
Burke saved Trump $11.7M in Chicago property-tax appeal scheme
Burke saved Trump $11.7M in Chicago property-tax appeal scheme
Flawed property valuations and the process required to fix them are a cash cow for law firms, including those of House Speaker Mike Madigan, Chicago Alderman Ed Burke and Illinois Senate President John Cullerton.
By Austin Berg
Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund
Hastert will continue receiving $28K pension from Illinois lawmakers’ pension fund
Despite being sentenced to 15 months in prison for a financial crime intended to cover up his sexual abuse of high school students, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert will continue to receive $28,000 annual pension payments for his six years as an Illinois state representative.
By Amy Korte
School district consolidation a step toward much-needed property tax relief
School district consolidation a step toward much-needed property tax relief
Illinois has 859 local school districts – the fifth-most in the nation.
By Ted Dabrowski
The SEIU is hurting Illinois caregivers
The SEIU is hurting Illinois caregivers
Since 2014, nearly 12,000 Illinois caregivers have stopped paying SEIU costing the union $4.4 million in dues and fees.
By Austin Berg
AFSCME’s actions show union unwilling to negotiate contract taxpayers can afford
AFSCME’s actions show union unwilling to negotiate contract taxpayers can afford
AFSCME’s push for HB 580, which would allow a panel of unelected arbitrators to draft a binding contract between the state and the union, is the latest power play in AFSCME’s long and uncompromising battle for pay hikes and benefits that could cost Illinois taxpayers more than $3 billion.
By Mailee Smith
Illinois property taxes highest in the US, double national average
Illinois property taxes highest in the US, double national average
Illinois homeowners are struggling under the weight of the nation’s highest property-tax bills, according to a new analysis.
By Austin Berg
Short-term state funding won’t fix Illinois’ systemic higher-education crisis
Short-term state funding won’t fix Illinois’ systemic higher-education crisis
Illinois’ public colleges and universities used to be affordable, but schools have increased tuition from 74-112 percent over the last decade to help pay for administrative hiring sprees and skyrocketing pensions.
By John Klingner
Labor board finds CTU’s April 1 strike likely illegal
Labor board finds CTU’s April 1 strike likely illegal
The Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board determined there is enough evidence of the illegality of CTU’s April 1 walkout for CPS to pursue a court order to prevent CTU from waging any similar strikes.
By Jeffrey Schwab