Illinois Policy Institute
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Policy group: Madigan, Cullerton have fat pension checks waiting for them
Illinois’ heavily underfunded pension system has left many state pensioners worried about their retirement income, but a recent report from the Illinois Policy Institute reveals that House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) are poised to earn six-figure paychecks when they retire.
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Reforms described as only way of stopping depletion of Illinois population, business
Michael Lucci sees the handwriting on the wall, and it spells trouble.
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Poll underscores loss of hope for unemployed in Illinois
Unemployed Americans have grown more hopeful about finding a job in recent years -- except Illinoisans, that is, where the opposite is true, according to a recent survey.
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Tax analyst: Illinoisans crushed under weight of sales, income, property taxes
Illinoisans pay more in total taxes than anyone else in the nation, so any thoughts about adding to that burden need to be forgotten, a tax analyst argued recently.
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Earle STEM chess coach makes sure his players know they rule their own lives
The Illinois Policy Institute community raised $5,500 to support the students on the Earle STEM Academy chess team, and the players paid it back by grabbing three trophies at the U.S. Chess Federation SuperNationals in Nashville, Tennessee, recently.
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CTU Chief Lewis: Teachers aren't to blame for pension fund woes
Chicago Teachers Union president Karen Lewis said Wednesday that the teachers pension fund has serious financial problems, but that teachers aren't to blame.
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College costs already outrageous without hiring 'hack' to regurgitate words, pundit says
Offering a former Obama aide $30,000 for a commencement speech is the perfect example of how misguided spending is in Illinois, a conservative pundit said on Chicago-based radio talk show recently.
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Earle STEM chess team makes its move on a national level
The Earle STEM Academy chess players proved they were no pawns at the U.S. Chess Federation SuperNationals tournament in Nashville, as they captured three trophies over the three-day tournament in early May.
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Mayoral surrogates warn state against property tax freeze
A consortium of Illinois mayors has gone public – to a degree – with its fight against a possible statewide property tax freeze, telling residents that as great as a freeze might sound, it could destroy their communities.
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If budget hopes are scrapped, Illinois could become first 'junk' state
The chances that Illinois will reach a budget before May 31 and avoid seeing its bond rating lowered to the worst of any state in history are 50-50 at best, according to Mark Glennon, founder of the business and government website WirePoints told the Sangamon Sun recently.
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Trampoline park regulators look for taut, not overly tight, regulations
Legislation to place new restrictions on state trampoline parks needs to have some flexibility, one park owner said.
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Still no budget deal but House passes bill to regulate trampoline parks
A legislative proposal that would regulate trampoline parks – which made it through the House of Representatives on a 64 to 46 vote – has made some wonder about what are the legislative priorities of the current lawmakers in Springfield.
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Hoosier daddy? Illinoisans lured to new life in Indiana
Illinoisans are trading an "I" for an "I."
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Writer balks at Madigan's baseball expenditures
House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) has spent nearly $170,000 in campaign funds on baseball tickets, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, which Illinois Policy Institute staffer Joe Kaiser finds strange since Madigan has been less than a fair-weather fan of major league sports in the city.
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Doubt and taxes said to drive Cook County exodus
High taxes and low confidence in government are driving people out of Cook County in record numbers, an analyst from a Chicago-based think tank told the Chicago City Wire.
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'Privilege tax' bills described as Illinois exit signs
Rather than bring in more money for the state, a pair of bills would probably drive more businesses out of Illinois, the founder of a financial website says.
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Radio hosts rap Rauner for missing his Chance
Gov. Bruce Rauner missed more than a beat at his meeting with Chance the Rapper, the hosts of a Chicago-based radio talk show said recently.
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Writer won't grin and bear it for day devoted to Cubs
It might be. It could be. But it shouldn't be.
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Bankruptcy bounces around as backup plan
lllinois has tried going without a budget for years and compromising on a "grand bargain" that ended up being a bust, so now some are asking whether bankruptcy is a viable way out of the state's financial morass.
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Illinois households saddled with $56,000 tax burden to pay government employees' retirement debt
Taxpayers across Illinois are saddled with a major tax burden, a recent report from the Illinois Policy Institute concluded.