Illinoisans revolt against nation’s highest property taxes
Illinoisans revolt against nation’s highest property taxes
Illinoisans face the highest median property-tax rate in the nation.
Madigan’s CPS bailout
Madigan’s CPS bailout
5 reasons why Illinois politicians should reject a Chicago Public Schools bailout
5 reasons why Illinois politicians should reject a Chicago Public Schools bailout
Until CPS passes necessary spending and pension reforms, giving any additional money to the system will only reward officials’ mismanagement and reckless behavior.
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.
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...
New Hampshire legislature passes civil asset forfeiture reform
New Hampshire legislature passes civil asset forfeiture reform
The New Hampshire legislature has passed an overhaul of asset forfeiture laws to protect rights of innocent property owners; Illinois should do the same.
Illinois taxpayers pay $15,000 per AFSCME worker in annual health care costs
Illinois taxpayers pay $15,000 per AFSCME worker in annual health care costs
AFSCME balks at Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal that state workers chip in more for their Cadillac health insurance.
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.
Madigan’s game of chess
Madigan’s game of chess
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.
Madigan is missing
Madigan is missing
Madigan holds up budget to push bailout of Chicago Public Schools
Madigan holds up budget to push bailout of Chicago Public Schools
Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan’s insistence that Chicago Public Schools receive more than its fair share of state education funding is putting any stopgap budget deal at risk.
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.