by Paul Kersey In Illinois and many other states, government workers are often forced to pay union dues in order to hold on to their jobs. But a lawsuit filed on behalf of teachers in California may bring this practice to an end. Union officials use forced dues to fund massive political and lobbying drives...
Ben VanMetre Senior Budget and Tax Policy Analyst Proponents of higher taxes often argue that tax increases don’t influence how individuals behave. But recent revenue numbers in Illinois show that’s simply not the case. According to the Associated Press, Illinois’ income tax revenue for 2013 will exceed previous forecasts by $1.3 billion. But revenue isn’t higher...
by Ted Dabrowski Illinois politicians can’t hide from their decade-long policy failures. Jobs are scarce, as evidenced by the state’s 9.5 percent unemployment rate. That’s second worst in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The state’s finances are in shambles and Illinois now pays the highest penalty rate for borrowing when compared to other states....
by Brian Costin The city of Chicago is currently considering bids to select a private management company for the operation of Midway Airport for the next 40 years. The proceeds of the deal will be primarily used to pay off Midway’s $1.4 billion in outstanding debt and additional capital needs. As an advocate for limited...
by Ben VanMetre Illinois is notorious for not paying its bills on time. Thousands of businesses, contractors and nonprofits choose to do business with the state of Illinois each year, providing everything from charity work to medical services to office supplies. These organizations are the state’s vendors. The problem is Illinois doesn’t pay these vendors...
by Ted Dabrowski* With a bill that blocks the authorization of any new virtual charter schools, state Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, aims to slow Illinois’ move into the 21st century. Her law, House Bill 494, calls for a one-year moratorium “on the establishment of charter schools with virtual-schooling components in school districts other than [Chicago...
Jonathan Ingram There are plenty of reasons to oppose trapping more Illinoisans in a broken Medicaid program, but Moody’s Investors Services has given the state one more: expanding Medicaid will lead to credit downgrades. Remember: Illinois already has the worst credit rating in the nation. Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings have downgraded the state 11 times since Gov. Pat...
Ted Dabrowski John Klingner The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced today that the national unemployment rate declined to 7.5 percent in April from 7.6 percent in March. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 165,000 in April, up from a revised 138,000 payroll jobs in March. source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics This amount of job creation...
Meet Emilia Melendez – a mother of four from Milwaukee. She didn’t finish high school and works at a private school where she earns just enough to take care of her family. She desperately wants her children to have the educational opportunities she never had, but realizes that she doesn’t have the means to help...
This was an eventful week in Springfield with both chambers in session. Virtual charter school moratorium bill moves to Senate subcommittee The Senate Education Committee did not hear House Bill 494 during its hearing on Tuesday, so the Illinois Policy Institute’s Vice President of Policy, Ted Dabrowski, was unable to testify in opposition to the bill as planned. Instead,...
Illinois Speaker Michael Madigan’s pension proposal (House Amendment #1 to Senate Bill 1) perpetuates Illinois’ crisis. The plan locks in the unmanageable defined benefit plan, guarantees the crowd out of core government services and continues the irresponsible pension payment ramp. Madigan’s plan keeps politicians in control of state employee pensions. By failing to get rid of...
by Paul Kersey Earlier today the Alliance of Charter School Teachers and Staff, known as ACTS, presented cards that were apparently signed by a strong majority of teachers at United Neighborhood Organization charter schools. An observer appointed by UNO and the union counted the cards and determined that ACTS would henceforth represent UNO teachers. For...
by Brian Costin Gov. Pat Quinn just hiked my property taxes. And, if you’re younger than 65 years old, he just hiked your property taxes too. But if you attended Quinn’s bill signing ceremony for Senate Bill 1894 you would have seen him championing himself as a fighter against Illinois’ outrageously high property tax rates, as evidenced...
The problem The blame for Illinois’ pension crisis is often laid at the feet of state politicians who supposedly “skipped” payments and caused the state’s five pension systems to be underfunded. This has prompted legislators to add a “funding guarantee” to the current crop of pension reforms bills in order to stop any future pension...