Experts: Illinois lawmakers wrong to back 80% funding level for pensions
Experts: Illinois lawmakers wrong to back 80% funding level for pensions
Illinois’ 90% funding target already violates best practices, but some have proposed going even lower. That’s a bad idea based on a myth, according to the American Academy of Actuaries.
Champaign-Urbana loses 5,300 jobs in February as most Illinois metros gain
Champaign-Urbana loses 5,300 jobs in February as most Illinois metros gain
Illinois posted job growth of 19,600 in February, with bigger payrolls in 10 of 14 Illinois-based metropolitan areas.
By Bryce Hill
Lightfoot abandons gas tax cut for gas, transit card lottery
Lightfoot abandons gas tax cut for gas, transit card lottery
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will raffle gas and mass transit cards instead of cutting her new 3-cent gas tax. The shift follows aldermen questioning how much a gas tax cut would cost the city.
By Patrick Andriesen
Pritzker ranks 4th-worst governor for economic freedom
Pritzker ranks 4th-worst governor for economic freedom
In a new report on America’s 50 governors, Gov. J.B Pritzker was ranked 47th because of the harm he’s done to the state economy. Voters saved him from a lower rank by rejecting his ‘fair tax.’
By Dylan Sharkey
Bullied students find better education thanks to Illinois’ school choice program
Bullied students find better education thanks to Illinois’ school choice program
Jerry Valdivia’s children were scarred in a fire that killed their mom. They avoided bullying and found a nurturing private school thanks to Illinois’ school choice scholarship program.
Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.
Illinois’ leisure, hospitality industry suffering 3rd-worst recovery in U.S.
Illinois is still missing 77,000 jobs from its restaurants, bars, hotels and other leisure industries since COVID-19 shutdowns. That Illinois jobs sector has recovered only 72% of what it lost in the pandemic – one of the nation’s worst recoveries.
By Bryce Hill
Illinois COVID-19 school closures hurt math, reading scores
Illinois COVID-19 school closures hurt math, reading scores
SAT math scores dropped nearly 15%, and reading scores dropped 9% from 2019 to 2021 among Illinois high school juniors. Low-income and minority students saw bigger losses.
By Hannah Schmid
Illinois adds 19,600 jobs in February, still missing 178,300 jobs from pandemic
Illinois adds 19,600 jobs in February, still missing 178,300 jobs from pandemic
Illinois’ employment recovery continued in February, but the state is still missing 21% of the jobs it lost in early 2020
By Bryce Hill
Lightfoot floats waiving Chicago’s gas tax until 2023
Lightfoot floats waiving Chicago’s gas tax until 2023
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said she wants to roll back the 3-cent gas tax she got city leaders to impose. She wants to offer relief for city residents as some pay over $5 a gallon.
By Dylan Sharkey
How school choice helped a Joliet student escape public school bullying
How school choice helped a Joliet student escape public school bullying
When her son’s public school couldn’t stop the bullying, this Joliet mom took an administrator’s taunt about switching schools to heart. Illinois’ Invest in Kids tax credit scholarships have let them choose a private school despite COVID-19 hurting family finances.
Illinois schools pay $8.8M in penalties for pension spiking
Illinois schools pay $8.8M in penalties for pension spiking
Illinois school districts paid out $8.8 million in penalties over two school years to cover salary and sick days in excess of what is allowed by law. Those are dollars taken from classrooms, but only hint at the full taxpayer cost.
By Dylan Sharkey