Opinions
Illinois continues to ignore federal immigration laws and it is costing taxpayers dearly
Illinois’s immigration policies are having an impact on public safety. Illinois continues to enact laws to make it virtually impossible for local law enforcement to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in any meaningful way. The end result is people who would normally be detained due to their immigration status are let go and are essentially free to commit crimes if that is their intent.
Posturing and double-talk on Illinois’ new authorization for undocumented immigrants to become police
One immigrant group expressly included for eligibility to become police officers under Illinois’ new law are DACAs — immigrants who are here under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
No election? No break on Illinois back-to-school supplies
Iowa, Missouri, Ohio and Tennessee are all having back-to-school sales tax holidays. Not Illinois, where state leaders saw the need during the 2022 election.
An irresponsible and wrongheaded op-ed on racial preferences by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul published an op-ed last week in Crain’s ridiculing the view that the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on racial preferences has implications for the private sector. His message to the private sector was essentially to keep doing what it has been doing on diversity, equity and inclusion, and to disregard the Court’s decision.
What to expect when cash bail ends in Illinois
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled ending cash bail is constitutional. What does that mean for Illinois? It means ready or not, the system changes Sept. 18.
Prenzler: School district's $2.4 million tax increase is backdoor referendum PTELL seeks to prevent
Chairman Kurt Prenzler is critical of the East Alton-Wood River High School District's $2.4 million backdoor referendum and collected signatures to put the tax increase on the 2024 ballot for voters to decide.
Very clever, Mr. Moorman
St. Peter’s reply: “Very clever Mr. Moorman. Very clever indeed. We haven’t had a Yale man up here since George Bush Sr. Take a seat.“
Illinois nation's 5th-worst state for jobs in June, 258K Illinoisans without work
The latest labor report for June shows Illinois still has the nation’s 5th-worst unemployment rate in the country. A 4.0 percent jobless rate means 258,000 Illinoisans were still unemployed as of June.
Unhappy anniversary: Illinois income tax hike is 6 years old
Six years after state lawmakers made history by passing Illinois’ largest permanent income tax hike, residents in every tax bracket are leaving.
Union control: 9 of 10 Illinois lawmakers have received money from unions
Current lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly have received nearly $133 million in contributions from unions since 2010. Most of that cash went to Democrats.
Ameren monopoly over Illinois transmission lines up to Pritzker
The union-backed legislation would grant Illinois’ second-largest electric utility a temporary monopoly over the construction of new transmission lines across nearly three-quarters of the state. Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised to veto it.
Illinois economy stalls out to begin 2023
We wrote recently about Illinois’ poor economic growth and how Illinoisans are taking a hit under the state’s failed policies. Since Gov J.B. Pritzker took office in 2019, Illinois has had the 10th-worst GDP growth rate in the country, the number of people employed has dropped, and Illinois has consistently had one of the worst unemployment rates in the country (currently 5th-worst).
Response by Illinois progressives to Friday's Supreme Court rulings was shameful, irresponsible and dishonest
The U.S. Supreme Court delivered three historic decisions Friday. The response by leading Illinois progressives insulted not just the Court but most Americans — who side with the Court. The progressive’s comments were intended to inflame division and undermine the Court’s legitimacy. They were brazenly hypocritical, and many comments included flat-out lies.
$6.6B gap in Illinois reserve funds is far from 'fiscal responsibility'
Illinois’ rainy-day fund is at an all-time high, but remains $6.6 billion less than recommended by state budget experts. Illinois state government can operate for fewer than 13 days on what it’s saved.
Illinois lawmakers get $4,250 raise just months after $12,000 raise
Illinois state lawmakers had tried to bump their pay by 5.5%, but that violated the state constitution. The must settle for 5%, meaning they will make nearly $90,000 a year.
Many racial preferences across Illinois may be invalidated after Friday's Supreme Court ruling
Friday’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has consequences far beyond college admissions. While the ruling arose out of affirmative action admissions at Harvard and the University of North Carolina, the strict, new limitations laid down by the Court put countless racial preferences at risk in both the public and private sectors. In fact, the new limitations may be harder to circumvent in areas other than college admissions.
It's not just people; Illinois suffered the nation's 3rd-worst loss of business in 2021
Illinois’ constant bleed of residents to other states has been well documented by the Census Bureau, the IRS, U-Haul, United Van Lines and others.
Illinoisans get 2nd gas tax hike of 2023 just before Independence Day
Illinoisans face the second gas tax hike of 2023 on July 1. The 3.1 cent hike doesn’t need lawmaker approval, thanks to state leaders implementing automatic gas tax hikes.
Time to defund the Illinois GOP
If Republicans refuse to face that we are no longer playing chess in the parlor but on the ground fighting against both financial and social tyranny, then there is no reason to donate any money to any Republican politician or the party until they can demonstrate what they have done to deserve your hard-earned money.
Wall Street brains contemplate Biden dropping out of race and Pritzker as replacement
Top executives in the financial world and research reports by financial advisers are saying it’s clearly plausible that Pres. Joe Biden could drop out of the race and be replaced, perhaps, by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker or California Gov. Gavin Newsom, two possibilities mentioned by name.