Illinois now home to the highest sales taxes in the Midwest
Illinois now home to the highest sales taxes in the Midwest
Combined sales taxes in Illinois have leaped past those of every other state in the region.
Rauner: Madigan not ‘doing his job’
Rauner: Madigan not ‘doing his job’
More than two-thirds of fiscal year 2016 has passed with the state lacking an overall budget.
Chicago Teachers Union tantrum
Chicago Teachers Union tantrum
Illinois corruption watch: February 2016
Illinois corruption watch: February 2016
Illinoisans’ confidence in their state government is the lowest of residents of any state in the nation, and corruption stories from February 2016 don’t help.
Legislative update: Government transparency, consolidation bills on the move in Springfield
Legislative update: Government transparency, consolidation bills on the move in Springfield
Illinois Policy Action has been busy advancing its 2016 Legislative Agenda, arguing for bills that make local- government operations more transparent to residents, and promote efficiency.
Nearly 1,700 Illinois workers hit with layoffs, hundreds in manufacturing
Nearly 1,700 Illinois workers hit with layoffs, hundreds in manufacturing
Illinois’ manufacturing meltdown and weak jobs growth are pummeling workers.
Don Keller
Don Keller
“Indiana’s just a great place to be for manufacturing. You don’t see a lot of [manufacturers] going in the other direction. You don’t see a lot of manufacturing companies leaving Indiana to go to Illinois or any other state … “[Illinois has] done so much to discourage manufacturing. You have a business climate that’s poisonous...
Chicago remains a segregated city by race and income – and government deserves much of the blame
Chicago remains a segregated city by race and income – and government deserves much of the blame
City zoning policies serve to keep many neighborhoods segregated. These rules also keep lower-income residents of all races out of popular areas, allowing city officials to shape who can live where and making housing more expensive.
Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal
Chicago Teachers Union’s threatened April 1 strike date isn’t legal
The Chicago Teachers Union has threatened to strike as early as April 1 over Chicago Public Schools’ announced plan to stop paying a portion of teachers’ required contributions to their pension fund. Under Illinois labor law, however, CTU cannot legally strike before mid- to late-May.
Dr. Daniel Geiter
Dr. Daniel Geiter
“The reason why I wear the jumpsuit is symbolic. “And it’s stark, but this is the thing: You see me today dressed in this business suit. I can go anywhere downtown. The way I talk, the way I look, I will have no problems. No one’s going to ask me to get on the ground....
Rauner joins with lawmakers to introduce criminal-justice reform package
Rauner joins with lawmakers to introduce criminal-justice reform package
Illinois needs much more in the way of reforms if state politicians are going to truly fix the state’s broken criminal-justice system.
11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions
11 things you need to know about Chicago teacher pensions
Pension holidays, steep increases in teachers' salaries, and lopsided ratios of teacher contributions to pension payouts have caused the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund’s unfunded liabilities to shoot up to $9 billion in 2015.
CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?
CPS budget breakdown: Where has the money gone?
Unaffordable salaries and pension benefits on top of a structurally unstable retirement system have pushed CPS to the brink of insolvency despite record tax revenues.
Updating felony theft laws can help Illinois save money without harming public safety
Updating felony theft laws can help Illinois save money without harming public safety
A new study by The Pew Charitable Trusts shows states that adjusted their felony theft laws have not seen an increase in crime. To save on corrections costs, Illinois should update its theft thresholds, too.