The Democratic National Convention is Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. But after a year and a half of planning, the political backdrop of the event is radically different than the one organizers started with and that Chicago leaders promised.
More Illinoisans are gambling than ever before, yet sign-ups to Illinois’ gambling addiction program have dropped. That runs counter to the national increase in problem gamblers.
Illinoisans faced 1,026 mass layoffs in June 2024, with manufacturing and transportation sectors hit hardest. John Deere in East Moline accounted for about 1-in-4 of the layoffs announced statewide.
This episode of The Policy Shop is by writer Patrick Andriesen The typical Illinois homeowner is paying $756 more in property taxes than five years ago, and it’s not just inflation: half of Illinois’ 102 counties saw their bills rise faster than the cost of living. Homeowners across 61 Illinois counties saw their property taxes...
Chicago Public Schools just passed a $9.9 billion budget that spends nearly $30,000 per student. Despite receiving most city property taxes, boosted state funding and about 40% of federal aid, the new teachers contract will put the budget in the red.
The Chicago Teachers Union has funneled over $850,000 to the political committees of 30 of the 50 current Chicago aldermen since 2010. Seven Socialists received the most money.
Illinoisans paid the second-highest property tax rate in the U.S. in 2022, with the median Illinois homeowner spending more than taxpayers in Alabama, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana and South Carolina combined. See how your county compares.
Homeowners in half of Illinois’ 102 counties saw their property taxes grow faster than inflation from 2018 to 2022. The median bill rose $756 in that time.
See how much the median property tax bill was in your county. See how it compared with other Illinois counties.
The Chicago Teachers Union is seeking a $543k property tax cut that would take about $301K from the schools where its members teach. CTU’s also making over $10 billion in contract demands, which would certainly drive up Chicagoans’ tax bills.
It’s tougher to pay for shelter in Illinois than anywhere else in the Midwest, especially if you’re living in poverty. Illinois needs another 113,000 units and nearly 290,000 affordable rental homes to help its low-income families.
Illinois’ rate of new housing is the third lowest of any state, driving up prices for residents. Fixing that would make housing more affordable and help Illinoisans stay.
Despite some growth, high unemployment remains a persistent issue in Illinois with 13 of 15 metropolitan areas showing higher rates of unemployment than the national average.