Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Willowbrook mails public employee compensation info to residents

Willowbrook mails public employee compensation info to residents

Ever since the Village of Willowbrook’s participation in the Illinois Policy Institute’s Local Transparency Project, the Mayor and Board of Trustees have been interested in ways of furthering the Village’s transparency efforts.” – Garrett Hummel, Management Analyst, Village of Willowbrook. The Village of Willowbrook previously earned a transparency award from the Illinois Policy Institute for scoring an...

By Brian Costin

Illinois’ economic turnaround depends on entrepreneurship

Illinois’ economic turnaround depends on entrepreneurship

As the graphic shows, the rate of entrepreneurship in Illinois has been below the national average every year since 1996 except for 2001. The Kauffman Foundation entrepreneurship index measures the percentage of adults ages 20 to 64 that start a new business each month and work 15 or more hours per week. It’s measured across all 50...

By Lawrence McQuillan

Evanston lawsuit much more than just a food fight

Evanston lawsuit much more than just a food fight

Illinois has felt the bite of the Great Recession more than most states. Our unemployment rate increased to 8.7 percent in June, the highest in the Midwest and 10th highest in the nation. Lawmakers should be doing all they can to make opening a business easier. But in Evanston, Illinois, they are imposing needless restraints....

By Lawrence McQuillan

In tough economic times, Evanston piles on

In tough economic times, Evanston piles on

by Andrew C. Quinn “Take a risk! Be bold! Blaze your own trail!” We college students, along with recent graduates, constantly hear these commands to forge our own path through these uncertain times. Commencement speakers, counselors, columnists and family friends all repeat the conventional wisdom that entrepreneurial flexibility is now a prerequisite for success. Gone,...

By Chris Andriesen

Illinois’ economic turnaround depends on entrepreneurship

Illinois’ economic turnaround depends on entrepreneurship

by Lawrence J. McQuillan, PhD Chief Economist As the graphic shows, the rate of entrepreneurship in Illinois has been below the national average every year since 1996 except for 2001. The Kauffman Foundation entrepreneurship index measures the percentage of adults ages 20 to 64 that start a new business each month and work 15 or more hours...

By Chris Andriesen

Food fight in Evanston

Food fight in Evanston

On August 7, 2012, the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a City of Evanston ordinance that exists only to protect established restaurant owners from the legitimate competition that food trucks would bring to the C

Seven DuPage County-area governments receive high marks in online transparency audit

Seven DuPage County-area governments receive high marks in online transparency audit

CHICAGO (Aug. 1, 2012) – In the latest round of online transparency audits conducted by the Illinois Policy Institute, only 13 of 22 local government agencies in the York Township-area in DuPage County received passing grades. In an effort to fight corruption and encourage public participation in government, the Illinois Policy Institute grades governments on...

By Brian Costin

Illinois has highest cost of government in Midwest

Illinois has highest cost of government in Midwest

The average Illinoisan works 208 days to pay the cost of government   July 26 is Illinois’ Cost of Government Day, the date of the calendar year on which the average Illinois worker has earned enough gross income to pay off his or her share of the spending and regulatory burden imposed by government at the federal,...

By Lawrence McQuillan

Liberty Justice Center files lawsuit challenging lllinois campaign finance law

Liberty Justice Center files lawsuit challenging lllinois campaign finance law

On July 24, 2012, the Liberty Justice Center filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Illinois’ campaign finance law. The law establishes a series of contribution limits on individuals and associations, including our client, Illinois Liberty PAC, while exempting political parties and their leaders from these same limits. The law’s overall scheme includes political party exemptions...

By Chris Andriesen

Look at who they have to deal with

Look at who they have to deal with

The budget that CPS produced is not without its flaws but CPS Chief Administrator Tim Cawley at least managed to display a certain bedraggled graciousness – too tired to be strident – as he walked the audience of 200, mostly CTU partisans, through the board’s handiwork. By contrast, the union members and their allies in...

By Paul Kersey

Lawmakers should not opt-in to ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion

Lawmakers should not opt-in to ObamaCare’s Medicaid expansion

Now that the dust has settled from the Supreme Court’s ObamaCare decision, states are trying to decide whether they should opt-in to ObamaCare’s massive Medicaid expansion. Just 10 states have committed to expanding Medicaid, with another three leaning toward implementing the expansion. Leaders in 13 states, including those run by both Republicans and Democrats, have...

By Jonathan Ingram

Another day, another terrible competitiveness ranking for Illinois

Another day, another terrible competitiveness ranking for Illinois

CNBC just released its 2012 America’s Top States for Business, and guess what, Illinois didn’t top the list (no surprise there), but it wasn’t even in the top half! Illinois placed a dismal 26th, worse than most of its neighboring states. Texas took top honors as it has done for three of the six years that...

By Lawrence McQuillan

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