Illinoisans pay 2.5 times for their politicians
Illinoisans pay 2.5 times for their politicians
Taxpayers pay once for state politicians’ salaries and another 1.5 times for their bankrupt pension system. In 2017, taxpayers will contribute the equivalent of nearly $123,000 for each lawmaker just to keep the General Assembly Retirement System afloat.
By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
Chicago PMI crashes, new orders and backlogs plunge to May 2009 level
Chicago PMI crashes, new orders and backlogs plunge to May 2009 level
The December Chicago purchasing managers’ index revealed weaknesses in the regional economy, including in the service sector.
2011 workers’ compensation reform
2011 workers’ compensation reform
Part 3 of Illinois’ broken workers’ compensation system: the major components of the 2011 reform
By Mark Adams
Chicago’s sales tax now highest in the nation
Chicago’s sales tax now highest in the nation
The sales-tax hike Cook County officials approved in July takes effect Jan. 1, 2016, just in time for end-of-season holiday shopping deals.
By Hilary Gowins
3 important criminal-justice reforms from 2015
3 important criminal-justice reforms from 2015
In 2015, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed into law bills restricting the transfer of juvenile offenders to adult court, establishing rules for the use of body cameras by police, and creating an expedited process in Cook County to resolve cases involving certain low-level offenses.
By Bryant Jackson-Green
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.
By Amy Korte
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.
By Michael Lucci
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.
By Austin Berg
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.
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.
By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner
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.
By Heather Weiner