Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

Illinois must stop budgeting in fantasyland

Illinois must stop budgeting in fantasyland

State leaders rely on budget gimmicks and short-term fixes and they assume speculative proposals will become law and operate exactly as planned just to balance the books, if only on paper. Transparent, laws-on-the-books-based modeling is the only path to long-term stability.

By Ravi Mishra

Allan Luzbetak

Allan Luzbetak

Allan Luzbetak has lived in the Lockport, Illinois area for decades; but concerns over rising property taxes could push him out of the state as he enters retirement. He explains his disappointment with community leaders’ approach to spending, and why it tempts so many people in situations like his to leave the state. “I’ve lived...

U.S. House passes federal school choice program, moves to Senate

U.S. House passes federal school choice program, moves to Senate

The Educational Choice for Children Act continues to progress after it was included in the budget reconciliation bill passed by the U.S. House on May 22. It is cause for hope for 15,000 low-income Illinois students who lost their private-school scholarships in 2023.

By Hannah Schmid