Recent News About Wirepoints.org
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$144 billion and counting: New report shows Illinois pension debts up again
Illinois lawmakers continue to ignore pension reform so, not surprisingly, Illinoisans are on the hook for billions more in pension debts. -
Illinois unconcerned as communication and 'science' behind COVID policy slip toward chaos
The Illinois Department of Public health took no time at all deciding last week to say it “fully aligns” with new masking guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control, including universal masking in schools, regardless of vaccination status. IDHP’s announcement came only hours after the CDC announcement on Tuesday. -
Who will own economic populism? Biden's new competition order, antitrust policy and their future
“This is from the Biden Administration?” If you’re a believer in free enterprise and the virtues of robust competition, that may be your initial reaction if you read through the fact sheet on President Biden’s new executive order to promote competition in the economy. -
Illinoisans would pay 40% less in property taxes if the state spent at levels where students perform better: Florida
Illinois lawmakers have a lot of explaining to do regarding K-12 education spending and their continuous demands for billions more in state funding. -
Beware Illinois' relative position as other states cut taxes and improve services
Illinois would be wise to remember that “everything is relative,” as Einstein’s theory might be simplistically stated. -
Don’t fall for Pritzker administration’s misleading comments on Illinois’ population losses
A recent tweet by Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s press secretary shows the administration either doesn’t understand the state’s out-migration problem or it’s deliberately attempting to mislead Illinoisans. Jordan Abudayyeh’s dismissive response to a Fox 32 tweet tries to shoot down the argument that Illinois has a people-loss problem. -
Illinois 2022 budget: The state’s financial cliff will be waiting after the federal largesse runs out
Illinois lawmakers this week passed a $42 billion budget for fiscal year 2022 that does nothing to improve the fiscal and economic trajectory of this state. Missing were the many spending reforms Illinois needs to bring down its pension debts and high property tax rates. -
Wirepoints finds more than half of Illinois cities get 'F' grades for local pensions; Alton and East Alton among them
Rising costs for Illinois’ 650 local pension funds are wreaking havoc on city budgets, taxpayer wallets and the retirement security of hundreds of thousands of police, firefighter and municipal workers and retirees, according to the independent, non-profit economic research group Wirepoints. -
Strong 2020 revenues, reserves and previous stimulus show states don’t need additional federal aid
Recent state financial data shows actual calendar year 2020 revenues came in far stronger than expected for most states. -
Political Indoctrination In Illinois Schools Would Be Mandatory Under Pending Rule
ISBE, the Illinois State Board of Education, has proposed a rule for Illinois schools titled “Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading Standards.” -
Will COVID-19 lead to 'pension intercepts' and cuts to core city services across Illinois?
Financial damage may drive local pension funds closer to insolvency, forcing funds to utilize the state’s “pension intercept” law. That could force struggling Illinois cities to fund local pensions at the expense of vital public services. -
Every Illinois school parent, teacher should know these COVID-19 facts
Many Illinois school districts are shutting down in-class learning due to the jump in COVID cases, but another set of numbers argue that schools should stay open – and in fact, open even more. -
Illinois’ own COVID-19 data reveals the state’s coronavirus policy is upside down – Wirepoints
A Wirepoints review of last month’s COVID-19 data reveals just how flawed Illinois’ response to the coronavirus continues to be. The recent spike in cases has the government shutting down large parts of the state again in a brute-force approach, when its efforts should, instead, be hyper-focused on the elderly and opening up the economy for everyone else.