Two Illinois border states revoke governors’ mask mandates

By Laura Bianchi

04/08/2021

High courts in Wisconsin and Michigan have both ruled governors cannot repeatedly issue disaster declarations as a basis for mask mandates and other orders without legislative approval. A year into the pandemic, Illinois’ governor is still doing it.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, lockdown, Michigan, reopen, Wisconsin

Up to 140,000 able-bodied Illinoisans may need jobs to get food stamps in 2020

By Vincent Caruso

12/05/2019

Just Cook County food stamp recipients were facing work requirements Jan. 1 if they were under age 50, able-bodied and had no dependents. Now the rules will apply throughout Illinois starting April 1.

TAGS: criminal justice reform, Donald Trump, food stamps, Foundation for Government Accountability, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Illinois, job creation, jobs, labor force participation rate, Michigan, National Conference of State Legislatures, regulations, small business, SNAP, Springfield, tax burden, unemployment, West Virginia, Wisconsin

Pritzker progressive income tax model would hike taxes on typical Illinois family

By Bryce Hill

02/20/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker has pointed admiringly to other Midwestern states’ progressive income tax structures, but taxes on the median Illinois family would go up under all of them.

TAGS: income tax, Indiana, Iowa, JB Pritzker, Missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

Typical Illinois family would see a tax hike under nearby states’ progressive tax rates

By Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

04/10/2018

As examples of the type of progressive tax plan he would like to see in Illinois, J.B. Pritzker pointed to other Midwestern states. But imposing those income tax rates would raise taxes on the median Illinois family.

TAGS: income tax, Missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

Wisconsin badgers Illinois millennials to hop the state border

By Vincent Caruso

01/12/2018

A new ad campaign by the Badger State digs into millennials’ growing disillusion with the Land of Lincoln.

TAGS: millennials, outmigration, population, Wisconsin

Foxconn to open new plant in Michigan

By John Kristof

08/09/2017

The announcement comes on the heels of the manufacturing giant’s decision to invest in Wisconsin.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, manufacturing, Michigan, right to work, Wisconsin

U.S. Supreme Court agrees to take up Wisconsin gerrymandering case

By Marianna Schmiesing

08/03/2017

Illinois’ election districts heavily dilute suburban vote.

TAGS: election, fair maps, gerrymandering, independent maps, U.S. Supreme Court, Wisconsin

Manufacturing giant passes up Illinois for Wisconsin

By Marianna Schmiesing

07/26/2017

News outlets have reported that Foxconn will announce plans to build a production plant in Wisconsin that could employ up to 13,000 workers.

TAGS: Foxconn, manufacturing, right to work, Wisconsin, workers compensation

Progressive income taxes in Illinois’ neighboring states target middle-class workers

By Ted Dabrowski, Evelyn Hussey

06/17/2017

Progressive tax proposals by Illinois Democrats would punish those in Illinois’ middle class who earn $50,000 or more and make the state even less competitive with its neighbors.

TAGS: income tax, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, progressive income tax, taxes, Wisconsin

Illinois’ neighboring states boast better credit ratings, economies

By Kevin Angell

06/16/2017

Illinois’ credit rating spirals downward while residents flee to surrounding states with stronger economies and lower taxes.

TAGS: credit rating, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, outmigration, population, Wisconsin