Voters in Leyden Township will be sounding off April 1 on state mandates made without state funding being provided. Unfunded mandates force local governments to raise taxes to comply with new rules.
In 2015 Chicago became the first city to add its 9% amusement tax when you streamed your favorite holiday shows or Christmas carols. It was one of the nation’s highest. But in 2025 it increases to 11% as the city tries to squeeze another $12.9 million from viewers.
A massive influx of 112,955 international migrants boosted Illinois population in 2024, new Census Bureau data shows. Buses from Texas likely grew Illinois’ population.
Illinois no longer has the highest home alone age in the nation, but it might not be the Christmas gift parents were hoping for. Illinoisans should still get a sitter or risk coming under investigation.
Winfield Township voters will have a chance to impact Illinois’ pension crisis in the April 1 election. They won’t directly change any laws, but voters can send a strong signal to state lawmakers about pensions causing Illinois’ property tax pain.
Holiday scratch-off tickets are a popular stocking stuffer. Illinoisans dropped about $2 billion on tickets in a year, and it’s the biggest moneymaker for the Illinois Lottery.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was denied a $300 million property tax hike, then a $150 million property tax hike, then a $68.5 million property tax hike. He got his 2025 city budget, and aldermen forced him to keep his campaign pledge not to raise property taxes.
Chicago’s government pension obligations have increased nearly sixfold since 2014, driving up Chicago’s sky-high property taxes. Another increase for 2025 was likely avoided, but city leaders need state lawmakers to make a permanent fix.
Illinois' unfunded statewide public pension liabilities grew another $1.5 billion in the past year. Better investment returns couldn’t keep up with public worker pensions growing faster than projected.
AAA estimates nearly 120 million people will travel 50 miles or more this holiday season. Most of those will travel by car, so Illinois’ gas taxes will make it an expensive ride for them.
“My husband and I own a couple hundred acres. When I heard about the tax on wooded acreage going up, I emailed the assessor. My previous tax bill was $756. I found out that was going to go up over $10,000.” “What I’ve learned from [state Rep. Wayne] Rosenthal is that when this law passed...
Voters in Homer Township will have the chance to weigh in on public pension reform, federal and state redistricting and unfunded state mandates. Illinois state lawmakers have yet to act on the trio of issues.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson failed to rally the votes for a record $17.3 billion budget imposing $68.5 million in property tax hikes. City leaders have another chance to fix the budget. Here’s how they can do it.