With $18.5 billion of the city’s $52.4 billion shortfall driven by interest on pension debt, it’s clear Illinois’ largest city needs the state to pass constitutional pension reform.
The Chicago Teachers Union and its partners are pushing nine new or higher taxes that could end up costing Illinoisans $7.3 billion more starting July 1. Their scheme to fill a proposed state budget deficit is likely to backfire and shrink the tax base.
It's been a year since Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson released his ‘Cut the Tape’ report to boost affordable housing and economic growth. Little of the red tape has been removed.
Illinois students will struggle throughout their educations when 7 in 10 third-graders cannot read at grade level. Illinois Policy supports and submitted testimony in favor of a bill to train Illinois teachers in ‘science of reading’ methods to boost early-grade literacy.
Chicago Public Schools teachers hired before 2017 only pay 2% of the required employee contribution for their pensions. The other 7% is picked up by the district, costing $135 million in 2025.
Reports that give Illinois pensions a rotten grade are not evidence government workers need better benefits. What they need is a properly managed, financially solid system. Adding more costs to a fiscal mess helps no one.
Illinois’ top 50 state pensioners can expect an average lifetime payout of $8.47 million despite just $333,844 being contributed during their careers. That’s $1 in, $25 out, thanks to taxpayers.
The Chicago Teachers Union is encouraging students and staff to miss school for a political rally, which includes protests against McDonald’s restaurants and guacamole.
Deep-blue Illinois had President Biden to bail out the state’s and Chicago’s financial failings. Now city and state leaders have President Trump to blame for their financial failings. Eventually, taxpayers will be held responsible.
The new Chicago Teachers Union contract grows an education model that is failing students while attacking parents’ ability to choose alternatives. All that, at a higher cost.
Illinois motorists should expect another motor fuel tax increase this summer when the gas tax jumps again. Illinoisans already pay the second-highest gas taxes in the country, but state leaders are worried about not having enough to spend.
Granny flats and basement dwellings could help with housing affordability, but Chicago’s outdated zoning rules make them nearly impossible to build. Those rules were created to promote economic and racial segregation. They need to be changed
“When I was 17, I was in a gang. On the first day of my senior year, I got in a confrontation with a rival gang that started chasing me. A friend of mine saw this and fired at them and hit an innocent bystander.” “By the theory of accountability, I was convicted of first-degree...