New Cook County hotel tax will make visiting Chicago even pricier
New Cook County hotel tax will make visiting Chicago even pricier
Cook County’s new 1 percent hotel tax will raise Chicago’s combined hotel tax to 17.4 percent in 2016.
Illinois’ 2005 workers’ compensation reform law
Illinois’ 2005 workers’ compensation reform law
Part 2 of Illinois’ broken workers’ compensation system: the reform law signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in 2005, which addressed medical fees and billing, provided benefit increases, and contained anti-fraud provisions.
Why we fight: The faces of Illinois Policy 2015
Why we fight: The faces of Illinois Policy 2015
Changing hearts and minds starts with telling the stories that Illinois’ political machine has forgotten.
How the Liberty Justice Center fought for freedom in 2015
How the Liberty Justice Center fought for freedom in 2015
From challenging the forced unionization of home caregivers and day care providers to suing to stop Chicago from collecting a “Netflix tax,” the Liberty Justice Center has fought for its clients’ constitutional rights and against illegal taxation.
Star Wars: Jabba the Crony
Star Wars: Jabba the Crony
Déjà vu: Illinois faces $8.5 billion in unpaid bills and calls for a tax hike
Déjà vu: Illinois faces $8.5 billion in unpaid bills and calls for a tax hike
The 2011 income-tax hike was supposed to address the state’s unpaid bills and ailing government-worker pensions; but five years and $31 billion in additional revenues later, Illinois’ unpaid bills are back up to 2011 levels, and the state’s government-worker pension debt has soared to $111 billion.
Best new laws of 2015
Best new laws of 2015
From a ban on creating new units of local government to the end of Chicago’s happy-hour prohibition, here are five laws passed in 2015 worth celebrating.
Re-entry reform must be a policy priority in 2016
Re-entry reform must be a policy priority in 2016
Criminal-justice reform can only be successful if policymakers work to remove barriers to employment and work.
Top 5 corruption stories of 2015
Top 5 corruption stories of 2015
From taxpayer- and donor-funded spending sprees by the president of an Illinois public college, to Chicago’s red-light-camera ticketing and kick-back schemes, 2015 has been rife with instances of public corruption and lack of government transparency.
Lincolnshire voters overwhelmingly support Right to Work
Lincolnshire voters overwhelmingly support Right to Work
In the face of strident union opposition, Lincolnshire’s Village Board voted 5-1 to pass a worker-freedom ordinance.
Workers’ compensation in Illinois: Identifying the pain points
Workers’ compensation in Illinois: Identifying the pain points
Breaking down the overall high cost and regulatory burden borne by businesses.
Lisa Madigan outlaws fantasy sports for Illinois
Lisa Madigan outlaws fantasy sports for Illinois
Shortly before bowl season kicks off for college football and just over two weeks before the NFL playoffs begin, Illinois’ Attorney General has ruled that fantasy sports are illegal. A bill to regulate the industry was introduced in October.
City of Chicago to Netflix subscribers: Bah, humbug!
City of Chicago to Netflix subscribers: Bah, humbug!
The Liberty Justice Center sued the city of Chicago in September to compel the city to stop collecting a 9 percent amusement tax on Internet-based streaming video, audio and gaming services.
“Home Alone”: How one extreme Illinois case led to overbroad laws about child supervision
“Home Alone”: How one extreme Illinois case led to overbroad laws about child supervision
Illinois’ real-life “Home Alone” story inspired legislation that gives the state too much power to intrude into parents’ reasonable decisions about their children.