Illinois sales taxes 7th highest in U.S.

By Dylan Sharkey, Kurtis Karg

09/10/2024

Illinois’ combined state and average local sales tax is the seventh highest in the nation. It is the highest among the most populous states.

TAGS: sales tax

Illinois retailers taxed $186M by capping sales tax credit

By Patrick Andriesen

05/30/2024

A cap on the retailers’ sales tax credit will effectively hikes taxes on Illinois retailers by $186 million. Retailers are already facing razor-thin margins, but the record $53.1 billion state budget required $1.1 billion in new taxes.

TAGS: sales tax

Illinois shoppers pay highest sales tax in Midwest, 8th in nation

By Dylan Sharkey

02/09/2023

Illinoisans shopping for Valentine’s Day will pay the highest sales tax in the Midwest and eighth-highest in the nation.

TAGS: sales tax

Shoppers pay 9% sales tax on Christmas gifts in Illinois

By Patrick Andriesen

12/22/2022

Illinois shoppers will pay an average 8.81% in sales taxes on presents this holiday, the eighth most nationwide. Some Cook County communities will charge up to 11.5%.

TAGS: Illinois, sales tax

Illinois holiday shoppers pay highest sales taxes in Midwest

By Dylan Sharkey

11/23/2022

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.

TAGS: Illinois, sales tax

High gas prices mean Illinois’ sales tax adds $200 a year

07/30/2022

Surging gasoline prices mean Illinois is getting a boost in sales taxes from fuel, but that’s because drivers are paying the extra $200 a year. Most states don’t charge sales tax on gasoline, but Illinois adds it atop other taxes – taxing the taxes.

TAGS: gas prices, Illinois, inflation, sales tax

Illinoisans pay highest sales taxes in Midwest, 8th highest in nation

By Bryce Hill

02/28/2022

Illinois’ combined state and average local retail sales tax rate topped 8.8% in 2022. That’s the 8th-highest in the nation and the highest in the Midwest.

TAGS: Chicago, Illinois, sales tax

Sales taxes are holiday gift that keeps on taking

By Dylan Sharkey

12/13/2021

Illinois imposes some of the nation’s highest sales taxes on holiday shoppers, and this year online shopping will no longer offer a break.

TAGS: Christmas shopping, Illinois, sales tax

Illinois’ online shoppers face full local sales tax rates this holiday season

By Dylan Sharkey

11/04/2021

Sales tax revenue is up from pre-pandemic levels, in part because Illinois is now forcing online retailers to charge local sales tax rates as high as 10.25%. No tax breaks this Cyber Monday.

TAGS: Illinois, sales tax

Illinois state, local sales taxes rank 7th in U.S.

By Noah Shaar

07/17/2021

Illinoisans pay one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation when local and state sales taxes are averaged. The average rate of 8.83% was up slightly from a year earlier.

TAGS: Illinois, sales tax

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