7 reasons the Illinois Republicans’ budget plan fails taxpayers

By Craig Lesner, John Klingner

06/16/2017

The budget plan proposed by Republican General Assembly members would raise taxes by over $5 billion without enacting any significant spending reforms.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, education, grand bargain, Illinois House of Representatives, income tax, Jim Durkin, pensions, property taxes

Illinois Republicans’ budget plan hikes taxes by $5 billion

By Craig Lesner, John Klingner

06/14/2017

The Republican plan hits Illinoisans in fiscal year 2018 with the same $5 billion-plus tax hike from the “grand bargain” plan that failed in May. That plan starts with a 33 percent income tax increase, and includes questionable new taxes on services such as Netflix, laundry services and more.

TAGS: grand bargain, Illinois House of Representatives, income tax, Jim Durkin, Netflix

Illinois Senate Democrats pass $5.4B tax increase

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/23/2017

Each Illinois household would pay an additional $1,125 in taxes each year, on average, under the Senate's tax-hike plan.

TAGS: budget, grand bargain, Illinois Senate, income tax, sales tax, taxes, Toi Hutchinson

Illinois Senate proposal would tax home repairs

By Brendan Bakala

05/12/2017

Members of the home building industry say Senate Bill 9’s tax on home repairs would fall hardest on Illinois’ middle-class and senior residents.

TAGS: grand bargain, housing, Illinois Senate, taxes, Toi Hutchinson

‘Grand bargain’ redux: Brady plan the next in a long list of failed ‘compromises’ for Illinoisans

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

05/12/2017

Only in Illinois could a budget deal that hits struggling Illinoisans with billions in new taxes be called a “grand bargain.”

TAGS: Bill Brady, budget, grand bargain, Illinois Senate, taxes

Illinois lawmakers want to tax laundry, storage unit services

04/14/2017

Senate Bill 9 would apply a 6.25 percent sales tax to laundry, dry cleaning, storage units and parking garages, among other services.

TAGS: grand bargain, Illinois Senate, sales tax, service tax, taxes, Toi Hutchinson

Illinois lawmaker proposes taxing landscaping and other lawn services

By Hilary Gowins

04/12/2017

SB 9 is part of the package of bills that make up the Senate “grand bargain,” which would have hiked taxes by $7 billion.

TAGS: grand bargain, sales tax, service tax, Toi Hutchinson

The latest budget proposal for Illinois: A no-tax-hike plan

By Ted Dabrowski, Craig Lesner

04/08/2017

The Taxpayer Bargain finally shifts the budget conversation in favor of taxpayers over politicians, with a plan that balances the state budget without tax hikes.

TAGS: budget, Christine Radogno, Dan McConchie, grand bargain, Illinois Senate, John Cullerton, Kyle McCarter

Why are Illinois Democrats preparing to bail out bankers and cash-strapped local governments?

By Michael Lucci

04/03/2017

Bailout bills moving in the Illinois General Assembly would attempt to turn Illinois’ massive debt problems into guaranteed profits for banks and bondholders and a lower standard of living for other Illinoisans.

TAGS: bonds, budget, CTA: Chicago Transit Authority, general obligation bonds, grand bargain, John Cullerton, LGDF: Local Government Distributive Fund, property taxes, RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Luxembourg’s ambassador sends letter to Illinois House leaders

By Brendan Bakala

03/31/2017

Luxembourg’s ambassador to the United States has voiced objections to an Illinois House bill that would label Luxembourg a tax haven and subject corporations expatriated there to restrictions on investments and business dealings with the state of Illinois.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Christian Mitchell, grand bargain, Illinois House of Representatives, Illinois Investment Policy Board, Jim Durkin, John D’Amico, Katie Stuart, Lawrence Walsh Jr., Martin Moylan, Mike Madigan, Sam Yingling, Silvana Tabares, Stephanie Kifowit, Sue Scherer

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

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Brandi Lentz

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students