Illinois Policy
@illinoispolicy • 47,259 subscribers
Fighting corruption, high taxes, poverty, and barriers to progress and innovation in Illinois and Chicago.
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The debate over the Chicago Bears moving to Arlington Heights is hiding a massive loophole that will increase property taxes regardless of where you live in Illinois. Lawmakers are pushing a bill to keep the team from leaving for Indiana, but if it passes it was set a dangerous precedent for state government accountability. The bill would establish a framework allowing any local government in Illinois to grant massive tax breaks for so-called "mega-projects" (defined simply as any commercial development investing $100 million over 7 to 10 years). Here is the catch: Cities can raise property taxes based on the project's value, but they are legally barred from collecting that increase from the development itself. The financial burden falls entirely on local homeowners.
Illinois Policy30,203 次观看 • 1 个月前
1/ Closing arguments in the Madigan trial just ended. Justice may soon catch up to him, but the system he exploited remains intact. Our team has been at the forefront of exposing Madigan’s corruption and power. In 2016, we made a documentary about it. Watch it for free. ⬇️
Illinois Policy160,214 次观看 • 1 年前
🚨NEW EPISODE Is Chicago trapped in a death spiral—or is it actually massively undervalued? We sat down with investor Stuart Loren on the latest Illinois Policy Podcast to crunch the numbers on Chicago's economy. His findings are striking: The average Chicago worker is 10% poorer than 5 years ago The city is growing at a fraction of Austin and Nashville's rate ...But Chicago's "stock price" might be perfect for certain investors. We also cover: ✅the reality of the city's pension crisis ✅crime and public safety by the numbers ✅ Chicago Bears stadium standoff ✅the crisis at CPS - Chicago Public Schools
Illinois Policy37,002 次观看 • 4 个月前
Illinois passed New York for the highest tax burden in America and almost nobody is talking about it. Here's the exact timeline: >state spending rose 72% over a single decade >the population shrank during the same period >therefore, the per-taxpayer burden increased dramatically >Illinois overtook every other state in the ranking Before Governor JB Pritzker took office, spending was already high. But since then, it's accelerated to the point where Illinois stands alone at the top of a list no sitting governor should ever want to be on. The conversation in Springfield is always about revenue (i.e., how to get more of your money). It's never about how to do more with what they already take. That's the problem.
Illinois Policy13,741 次观看 • 2 个月前
.Governor JB Pritzker discovered a way to raise taxes on Illinoisans without requiring state lawmakers to take a public vote. And Springfield looks like it's about to use it on your daily commute. Allow us to explain: Normally, if a governor wants more of your money, they have to propose a tax hike, debate it in the legislature, and face the voters. (It’s called accountability.) But Pritzker found a loophole: The Automatic Inflation Tax. Years ago, he signed a law tying the state gas tax directly to inflation. That means when inflation spikes and your budget is stretched to the breaking point, your taxes automatically go up. The result? The four biggest tax hike years in Illinois history have all happened under this one administration. In practice, it's taxation on autopilot. Now, they are taking this exact same playbook and aiming it at the Illinois toll roads. If they succeed, your toll bills will automatically increase every time inflation ticks up. And they are relying on you being too distracted to notice the automatic deductions draining your bank account. But! There is a window to stop it. The toll board hasn't finalized this yet.
Illinois Policy15,467 次观看 • 2 个月前
ICYMI: Brandon Johnson announced a property tax hike to avoid a fight with the city's public sector unions. His former employer is the Chicago Teachers Union, which bankrolled his candidacy. Here's a supercut of him lying through his teeth, vowing not to raise property taxes.
Illinois Policy52,540 次观看 • 1 年前
Chicago can’t tax its way out of this. That ship has already sailed. How do we know? Because its tax base is already leaving. And it's not just Chicago residents. The city has lost four corporate headquarters in the last few years alone. The truth that no one in Springfield or City Hall will say out loud: When a pension fund goes insolvent, courts can’t order money that doesn’t exist to be paid to retirees. Either Illinois and Chicago's political leaders find the spine to stand up to public sector unions for the sake of the state and city as a whole. Or jeopardize the future retirement security of today's public servants by continuing to exchange unkeepable promises for votes.
Illinois Policy17,004 次观看 • 6 个月前
1/ She sent her son to private school... While helping kill the program that let poor kids do the same. That’s just one of many scandals that have plagued Stacy Davis Gates since heading the Chicago Teachers Union. Ahead of her election, here are some of her greatest hits. 🧵
Illinois Policy27,656 次观看 • 1 年前
🚨NEW EPISODE If your city had to spend 30-35% of its revenue on pensions and retiree benefits, what would you prefer that it cut first: 🚩infrastructure 🚩police and fire 🚩schools 🚩services for the needy In Chicago, this question is no longer a mere thought experiment. On the latest episode of the Illinois Policy Podcast, JPMorgan's Michael Cembalest breaks down Chicago's current crisis and explains how municipal debt, crime, and fiscal policy influence a city's long-term competitiveness. It boils down to this: Political leaders can either stand up to public sector unions and manage pensions with discipline, or allow them to cannibalize public safety and basic services. Check it. ⬇️
Illinois Policy11,049 次观看 • 6 个月前
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