2019 laws in review, Illinois lawmakers passed both nice and naughty bills

12/20/2019
The Illinois General Assembly passed over 600 new laws in 2019. Some helped taxpayers, but many more hurt as they spent $85 billion while doing little to fix the pension crisis.

TAGS: AFSCME: American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, capital plan, consolidation, Cook County, corruption, expungement, free speech, gas tax, government unions, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, lawmakers, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, Open Illinois Checkbook, progressive income tax, record sealing, Springfield, tax hikes, taxes, transparency, vehicle registration

Will County board approves new $12M gas tax atop doubled state tax

By Vincent Caruso
12/20/2019
Will County became the first county to use new taxing authority under Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan, adding a new countywide gas tax of 4 cents per gallon atop state and local gas taxes.

TAGS: capital plan, collar counties, DuPage County, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Joliet, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, sales tax, Springfield, tax hikes, tax increase, Will County

Will County board to vote on 4-cent countywide gas tax following doubled Illinois tax

By Vincent Caruso
12/10/2019
Included in Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s capital plan is increased taxing power for some county governments to create or raise countywide gas taxes. Will County could be the first to exercise that authority.

TAGS: capital plan, Democratic Party, excise tax, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, infrastructure, JB Pritzker, Republicans, sales tax, Springfield, tax increase, transportation

New taxes and fees on Illinois driving, vehicles total $1.9B

12/05/2019
Jan. 1 marks a second wave of taxes aimed at drivers to support an infrastructure package championed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker and shrouded in corruption allegations.

TAGS: capital plan, gas tax, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, infrastructure, JB Pritzker, Luis Arroyo, Martin Sandoval, motor fuel tax, parking garages, parking tax, progressive income tax, Rebuild Illinois, Springfield, trade-in tax, vehicle registration

Repeal Day: Prohibition ended 86 years ago, but Illinois’ alcohol taxes, regulations remain sobering

By Vincent Caruso
12/05/2019
With the ratification of the 21st Amendment, 1933 marked the end of Prohibition in the United States. Illinois, however, has continued to serve a cocktail of prohibitive regulations on alcoholic beverages.

TAGS: alcohol tax, Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois, Bruce Rauner, capital plan, Chicago, craft beer, distillery, Hospitality Business Association of Chicago, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, JB Pritzker, Liquor Control Act, liquor laws, Midwest, prohibition, Sara Feigenholtz, soda tax, taxes, Toni Preckwinkle, vape ban, vaping, Wine & Spirits Distributors of Illinois

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Unlocking Opportunity: How Occupational Licensing Reform Would Promote Equitable Empowerment in Illinois

Illinois finds itself at a crossroads: will it empower minorities and poor people to unleash their potential, or will it perpetuate an inequitable status quo? For far too many Illinoisans, opportunity is unfairly and unnecessarily out of reach. Illinois ranks in the bottom ten among all states in social mobility and last among Midwest states...

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Brandi Lentz

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