Michigan becomes latest Illinois neighbor to repeal prevailing wage mandate

By Eddie Damstra

06/08/2018

Michigan nixed a law mandating inflated wages for public construction projects. The Prairie State should follow suit.

TAGS: construction, Michigan, prevailing wage

Metro East property tax bills making their way to mailboxes

By Austin Berg

05/18/2018

Residents of St. Clair and Madison Counties will soon see some of the nation’s most punishing property tax bills.

TAGS: collective bargaining, Madison County, Metro East, municipal pensions, pensions, prevailing wage, property taxes, St. Clair County, taxes

6 ways Illinois lawmakers can ease the property tax pain

By Vincent Caruso

01/26/2018

Illinoisans shoulder some of the highest property taxes in the country. This burden is key to understanding the state's outmigration problem. Despite the failure of lawmakers to reverse this crisis, there remain a number of sound reforms waiting for consideration.

TAGS: collective bargaining, consolidation, municipal pensions, pensions, prevailing wage, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes, workers compensation

How one Illinois law jacks up the cost of government while harming construction sector employment

By Orphe Divounguy

12/06/2017

Illinois state lawmakers could stimulate employment and lower costs for overburdened taxpayers by repealing the state’s outdated prevailing wage law.

TAGS: construction, jobs, prevailing wage, regulations

Majority of Illinois metro areas lost jobs in September

By Orphe Divounguy

10/27/2017

The September metro jobs report follows statewide numbers that showed one of the worst months for payroll jobs since the Great Recession.

TAGS: BLS: Bureau of Labor Statistics, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, jobs, prevailing wage, unemployment

Cook County black population falls by 12,000 from 2015-2016

By Michael Lucci

06/24/2017

Cook County has lost nearly 50,000 black residents since the 2010 census, and the rate is accelerating.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, employment, outmigration, population, prevailing wage, unemployment, workers compensation

House Republicans’ 4-year property tax freeze fails homeowners

By John Klingner, Craig Lesner

06/15/2017

Local spending drivers need to be reformed to truly relieve taxpayers of Illinois’ highest-in-the-nation property taxes.

TAGS: budget, collective bargaining, Illinois House of Representatives, local government, local government consolidation, prevailing wage, property taxes, school district consolidation, taxes

Where have all the new homes gone?

By Austin Berg

06/15/2017

Compared with Illinois’ pre-recession average, permits for new single-family and multiunit housing are down more than 60 percent.

TAGS: construction, housing, local government, prevailing wage, property taxes, workers compensation

Illinois has 4th-most Fortune 500 corporate headquarters in U.S.

By Kevin Angell

06/13/2017

Although Illinois hosts corporate headquarters of many large companies, its economy lags in blue-collar job opportunities.

TAGS: Chicago, Fortune 500, manufacturing, prevailing wage, regulations, workers compensation

Fact-checking Madigan: Rauner’s agenda is packed with budgetary items

By Michael Lucci

06/01/2017

Though Illinois Democrats insist Gov. Bruce Rauner’s reform agenda has nothing to do with the state’s budget, Rauner’s original proposed spending reforms would allow the state to balance its budget without hitting up taxpayers for more revenue.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, collective bargaining, consolidation, local government consolidation, Mike Madigan, pensions, prevailing wage, workers compensation