Illinois added 4,700 jobs in April, but workforce continues to shrink
Illinois added 4,700 jobs in April, but workforce continues to shrink
The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate over the month, fueled by employment gains and labor force decline.
By Bryce Hill
Rich Roth
Rich Roth
“I’ve lived in Clinton since I was two years old. “The moving company is coming June 1. I sold my business as of this morning. “This is where the state loses. My income is fairly healthy. My wife’s income is fairly healthy. And we’re taking our two kids and we’re gone. “I built my house...
Forgotten Illinois Harvey: Fixing a broken city in a broken state
Forgotten Illinois Harvey: Fixing a broken city in a broken state
Most days in Harvey, a suburb 20 miles south of Chicago, are quiet. Thousands of people and numerous businesses have left the city over the years, and the void left in their wake is plain to see. But on a cold and wet April 14, dozens of longtime residents still fighting for what’s left packed...
Carbondale could lead on easing food truck regulations
Carbondale could lead on easing food truck regulations
Though some of Illinois’ larger municipalities such as Chicago and Evanston have been overly restrictive in regulating food trucks, the Carbondale City Council has debated loosening them for its city, soliciting mixed opinions.
Senate bill would require regulators to jump more hurdles before imposing new licensing restrictions
Senate bill would require regulators to jump more hurdles before imposing new licensing restrictions
Regulatory regimes in Illinois often discourage workforce participation without enhancing public welfare. One Senate bill, however, would require regulators to demonstrate the necessity of new rules before imposing them on workers.
By Vincent Caruso
Illinois’ metro areas shed 3,600 jobs in March
Illinois’ metro areas shed 3,600 jobs in March
Seven metro areas across the state lost jobs over the month.
By Bryce Hill
Illinois shed 2,100 jobs in March
Illinois shed 2,100 jobs in March
The state also saw a drop in the unemployment rate, but it wasn’t because people found jobs.
By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill
Trio of licensing reform bills advance to House floor
Trio of licensing reform bills advance to House floor
Three proposals that would ease occupational licensing restrictions have reached the House floor, passing unanimously out of committee.
By Vincent Caruso
Senate bill would bar Illinois from axing occupational licenses due to student loan debt
Senate bill would bar Illinois from axing occupational licenses due to student loan debt
Under Illinois law, defaulting on student loan debt could jeopardize one’s occupational license. But a Senate bill would protect indebted workers from displacement.
By Vincent Caruso
Revised data show Decatur added 400 jobs in 2017
Revised data show Decatur added 400 jobs in 2017
Revisions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics flipped Decatur’s jobs growth from negative to positive over the year, though the growth was meager.
By Austin Berg
3 Illinois metro areas saw jobs decline in 2017, 9 see growth in February
3 Illinois metro areas saw jobs decline in 2017, 9 see growth in February
Illinois’ metro areas added 11,300 jobs in February, while only one metro area lost jobs over the month. Despite strong employment growth from metro areas in February, Illinois is still far behind U.S. growth over the last 12 months.
By Orphe Divounguy, Bryce Hill
Illinois Senate holds hearing on sports betting legalization
Illinois Senate holds hearing on sports betting legalization
As a looming U.S. Supreme Court decision could lift a federal ban on sports betting, state lawmakers hear testimony on whether Illinois should follow suit.
By Vincent Caruso
Study: Chicago’s regulatory roadblocks stifle the city’s food trucks
Study: Chicago’s regulatory roadblocks stifle the city’s food trucks
The country is enjoying a food truck boom, but overbearing regulations threaten the industry. According to a new study, Chicago’s regulatory burden is among the worst.
By Vincent Caruso
Outmigration fuels Madison, St. Clair County population dips in 2017
Outmigration fuels Madison, St. Clair County population dips in 2017
Madison and St. Clair counties both saw their populations decline from July 2016 to July 2017, thanks to outmigration – a problem the counties have been dealing with for years.