ASSESSING POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF IN ILLINOIS

The Project for Middle Class Renewal investigated ways to flatten the growth property of taxes in Illinois. The report discusses the present situation in Illinois, the regressive nature of property taxes as a form of public revenue, and the importance of property taxes for k-12 public education. Local schools are responsible for about two-thirds of … Read more

ALTERNATIVE STATE AND LOCAL OPTIONS TO FUND PUBLIC K-12 EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS 

Illinois needs to revamp its system of funding public education. Currently, school districts receive the bulk of their revenue from property taxes. With relatively high property tax rates and funding inequities across the state, raising property taxes in Illinois is often not an option for school districts. There are alternative policies that can be enacted … Read more

Policies that Support Employment: Investments in Public Education, Investments in Public Infrastructure, and a Balanced State Budget

Governments utilize policies to impact the efficiency of labor markets. These policies are designed to increase employment by encouraging people to look for work, make it easier for people to get to work, provide support for people who are working, create opportunities for employment, and help people become qualified to work. This report, conducted by … Read more

A Weakened State: The Economic and Social Impacts of Repeal of the Prevailing Wage Law in Illinois (Full Report)

PERPETUAL STATE BUDGET DEFICITS and mounting debt have re-ignited claims that repeal of Illinois’ prevailing wage provisions will cut public construction costs and save taxpayers money. Critics of prevailing wage laws (PWLs) assert they inflate the costs of government contracts by compensating labor at levels higher than market wages. Contrary to opponents’ claims, findings from … Read more

The Impact of Tax Increment Financing on Chicago Public Schools

For the past three decades, tax increment financing (TIF) has been the primary public financing tool used by the City of Chicago to spur local economic development. During this time period, TIF advocates and opponents alike have attempted to understand TIF’s impact on taxing jurisdictions that overlap TIF district boundaries. Interested parties have raised important … Read more