Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson faces many challenges, but his biggest may be the loss of faith from moderate voters. Without their trust, he’ll have a tough time getting the higher taxes he seeks March 19.
Combined state and average local sales tax rate tallies 8.85% in Illinois for 2024. That’s the highest in the Midwest and seventh highest in the nation.
The Chicago Teachers Union hasn’t released an annual audit, required by its internal rules, for at least four fiscal years. What’s happening with members’ dues?
This episode of The Policy Shop is by Director of Policy Research Joseph Tabor. During the social turmoil of the 1960s, a happy, dancing pop group emerged to emphasize unity and harmony: Up With People. “If more people were for people, All people ev’rywhere, There’d be a lot less people to worry about, And a...
Illinois will celebrate this Valentine’s Day knowing it broke up with 364,443 people since 2020. While they moved out for now, lower taxes could win them back.
Before asking voters to approve a “mansion tax,” why not tap unspent federal pandemic aid dollars to reduce homelessness?
State lawmakers failed to save the Invest in Kids program allowing nearly 10,000 low-income students to attend a school that better fit their needs. Now some of those schools are being forced to close and families are left with poor options.
The Chicago Teachers Union for decades pushed to elect the school board, but with their former employee in the mayor’s office they rather he choose most of the board for a little while longer.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s mansion tax idea failed in Los Angeles, something his recent trip there should have shown him. Here’s why it promises to drag down Chicago businesses in an already hostile environment and shift costs to homeowners.
“2020, after volunteering at my children’s school for so long, I was offered a job in the lunchroom. I think the wage was maybe $13 an hour. I am also a licensed cosmetologist who was not actively doing hair because I was more focused on raising my three children.” “$13-an-hour was not enough to live...
2023 data on Illinois’ labor market gives cause for both concern and hope as state emerges from pandemic job losses.
The bill introduced by state Rep. Tim Ozinga would redirect savings from shrinking pension payments to support local school districts and reduce Illinois’ second-in-the -nation property taxes. Some districts could see their tax bills cut in half.
Editor’s note: There is a lot of information coming at you every day, but not a lot of context. The Illinois Policy Institute is launching "Our Perspective" to give you our take on topics of the day so you can better shape your take on them.