State lawmakers debate delaying New Year’s Day gas tax hike
State lawmakers debate delaying New Year’s Day gas tax hike
A bill in Springfield proposes delaying the Jan. 1 state gas tax hike. If it fails, drivers will see two gas tax hikes in 2023, expected to take the tax to over 45 cents a gallon.
By Dylan Sharkey
Illinois unemployment highest in U.S. for 2nd month
Illinois unemployment highest in U.S. for 2nd month
Illinois only added 3,600 jobs in October, a drastic drop in job growth coming amid persistent inflation and rising recession fears. Unemployment led the nation.
By Justin Carlson
Illinois holiday shoppers pay highest sales taxes in Midwest
Illinois holiday shoppers pay highest sales taxes in Midwest
Retailers should expect a record number of holiday shoppers this weekend. Shoppers in Illinois will get hit with some of the nation’s highest sales taxes.
By Dylan Sharkey
Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation
Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation
AAA predicts nearly 55 million people will travel for Thanksgiving this year, only 2% less than Thanksgiving travel in 2019. Illinoisans hitting the road should try to fill up in other states.
By Dylan Sharkey
Amendment 1 could let Illinois police unions undo SAFE-T Act mandates
Amendment 1 could let Illinois police unions undo SAFE-T Act mandates
Illinois’ new union amendment allows government unions to negotiate over virtually anything and override state law through their union contracts. That includes laws aimed at reforming police procedures.
By Mailee Smith
Small businesses led Illinois’ COVID-19 jobs recovery
Small businesses led Illinois’ COVID-19 jobs recovery
Small Business Saturday offers a reason to be extra thankful: businesses with fewer than 20 employees were the only ones to grow payrolls since COVID-19 hit.
By Bryce Hill
Illinois pension costs impair spending on roads, public services
Illinois pension costs impair spending on roads, public services
Illinois taxpayers spent $3.3 billion more on public pensions between 2017 and 2022 than state forecasts said they would. Had that money not evaporated, it could have paid to repave 150,000 miles of roads or for nearly 25,000 full-ride scholarships.
By Patrick Andriesen
Susie Warden
Susie Warden
“I am a mom of five boys. We raised another boy, my husband was a football coach, so we have an extra. So four bio and one that came along in 7th grade. So a boy family. I’m a chiropractor.” “Probably a couple of years ago, I was just running my business and I had...
Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act
Everything Illinoisans need to know about the SAFE-T Act
The omnibus criminal justice reform bill became highly politicized in the November elections, mixing fact and fiction. There are problems with the bill, but state lawmakers can fix them before the SAFE-T Act takes effect in January.
By Joe Tabor, Perry Zhao
20% fewer Illinois public school students proficient in reading, math
20% fewer Illinois public school students proficient in reading, math
Illinois students’ academic proficiency remains below pre-pandemic levels. Demographic achievement gaps persist. School choice is part of the solution.
By Hannah Schmid
Parents push to expand Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program
Parents push to expand Illinois’ Invest in Kids school choice program
Illinois state lawmakers are hearing from parents who want to see the Invest in Kids program expanded. Giving families a choice about their schools can boost student achievement.
By Dylan Sharkey