Capitol Update: Pensions
Capitol Update: Pensions
Collin Hitt, Senior Director of Government Affairs, discusses the latest news on pensions.
What’s Going on Next Door?
What’s Going on Next Door?
by Mark Cavers Last week, Indiana’s Governor, Mitch Daniels, released a recap of the previous legislative session and touted a number of successes for the residents of Indiana. Here in Illinois, our legislators are now faced with many of the same opportunities that Indiana took advantage of over the past few months. Lets take a quick look...
Pension U: Charting Illinois’s Pension Crisis
Pension U: Charting Illinois’s Pension Crisis
Download a pdf of this report and chart here. If Illinois continues on its current path, the amount of money that state government spends on the State Universities Retirement System, or SURS, will eclipse the amount of general funds given to public universities and community colleges. The graphic below demonstrates how the rising costs of...
72% Say Taxpayers Not Getting Value on Public Education
72% Say Taxpayers Not Getting Value on Public Education
by Brian Costin On Tuesday, May 24 we will host pollster Scott Rasmussen to discuss the intersection of public opinion and free market principles. The renowned founder of Rasmussen Reports will share what “big ideas” are trending nationally and provide takeaways for Illinois residents, officials, and business leaders. This week, Rasmussen Reports released the results of a new poll showing heavy dissatisfaction...
High Speed Rail Dead in its Tracks?
High Speed Rail Dead in its Tracks?
by Brian Costin In the above video from 2009 the Cato Institute’s Senior Fellow, Randal O’Toole, talks about the impact of high speed rail in Illinois. Fast forward to April 2011, and it appears as if the national high-speed rail plan touted by President Obama is losing significant steam. This blog post from O’Toole explains. “President Obama’s dream...
Americans: Schools Are Wasting Money
Americans: Schools Are Wasting Money
by Collin Hitt A new poll from Rasmussen Reports finds that most American voters think public schools are wasteful. Interestingly, Americans also understate the amount of tax money that schools receive. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 11% of voters think the taxpayers are getting a good return on that investment. Seventy-two percent...
“Fight of the Century” Keynes vs. Hayek
“Fight of the Century” Keynes vs. Hayek
by Brian Costin Is it wrong that we get excited about economics rap videos? As we continue to deal with the fallout of the “Great Recession” the debate over the proper role of government in the economy is increasingly being debated in the mainstream media. Two historical figures who are increasingly relevant in this debate are...
There’s Nowhere to Go but…Down?: Illinois’ pension crisis
There’s Nowhere to Go but…Down?: Illinois’ pension crisis
by Mark Cavers A new report from the Pew Center on the States takes a look at how each state is doing in funding their pension obligations. The report, based on data from fiscal year 2009, shows that Illinois had the lowest funding ratio, with 51% of our pension liabilities funded. The next closest state is...
Because You’re Not Paying Enough In Taxes Already
Because You’re Not Paying Enough In Taxes Already
by Kristina Rasmussen As Illinois’s service sector grows (accounting for 32 percent of Illinois’s economy in 1977 and 48 percent in 2009), so has the desire to tax it. In 2009, the Illinois Senate tried to expand the state sales tax to a number of services (chimney sweeps, animal shelters, interior design services, and so on),...
Chicago’s Big Hurt on Pensions: Charting Illinois’s Pension Crisis
Chicago’s Big Hurt on Pensions: Charting Illinois’s Pension Crisis
Chicago residents face twin financial crises at Chicago Public Schools and City Hall, driven by the costs of public employee pensions. The steep tab for the retirement benefits of school and city employees is coming due. More retirees than ever are collecting pension checks. And state law will soon require the City and CPS to...
An End to Taxpayer-Funded Advertising for Politicians?
An End to Taxpayer-Funded Advertising for Politicians?
by Brian Costin One of my biggest pet peeves of all times is how some politicians have an insatiable need to put their name on things at the expense of the taxpayers. The open road tolling signs with former Governor Blagojevich’s name and the Richard M. Daley signs at O’Hare Airport come to mind. However, a...
Digital Learning in Illinois
Digital Learning in Illinois
by Collin Hitt The Chicago Tribune carried a good story over the weekend about online learning in the Chicago area. Technology-led learning will be playing a larger role in education in the area. Included was a quote from yours truly, regarding the uneven spread of online learning statewide. “There is no real, robust, state-led effort in online...
Emanuel Names New Head of CPS
Emanuel Names New Head of CPS
by Mark Cavers Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel has named Jean-Claude Brizard to serve as the new head of the Chicago Public Schools. Mr. Brizard spent the past three years as the Superintendent of the Rochester School District where he pushed for a number of the education reforms that Chicago will need to implement to give our kids...
Pernicious Deliciousness
Pernicious Deliciousness
by Kristina Rasmussen Not content with reaching into your wallets for more tax dollars, state legislators now want to reach into your lunch box to ban a common food ingredient. Last week the Illinois House passed a bill to ban restaurants and other retail venues from selling food containing trans fats starting in 2013. The prohibition would also...