Explore our content

All types | All dates | All authors
Taxes
Quick Hit
by Ellyn Fortino
4:59pm
Mon Mar 18

Duckworth, Lipinski Back Bill To Help Families Cope With Disability-Related Expenses

U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) announced her co-sponsorship of the bipartisan Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act today, which would allow individuals with disabilities to have tax-deferred savings accounts in order to fund health care, housing and other essential expenses.

The ABLE Act, introduced in the Senate, S. 313, and House, H.R. 647, in February, aims to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to create the tax-free accounts.

“Disabled Americans deserve every opportunity to achieve their dreams,” Duckworth said in a statement today. “The bipartisan ABLE Act would allow disabled Americans to invest in saving accounts without having it count against their federal benefits.”

Read more »

Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
2:48pm
Mon Mar 18
1 comment

Town Hall Meeting Illustrates Lack Of Communication With Taxpayers On TIF Projects

Taxpayers are largely kept out of the loop when it comes to how their property taxes are used by tax increment finance (TIF) districts, according to Tom Tresser, co-founder of the Civic Lab.

Aiming to promote transparency in government and give residents background information on neighborhood TIF projects, the Civic Lab and the TIF Ad Hoc Committee of the Washington Park Community hosted a town hall meeting at the Washington Park Field House Saturday.<--break->

Read more »

PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
6:19pm
Fri Mar 15

Illinois Congressmen Push Bills On DOD Audit, Future Of U.S. Physicians & Fracking

Congress

Three bills in Congress received co-sponsorship from Illinois legislators this week ranging from a call to audit the Pentagon to an investigation of the environmental and health consequences of fracking. We take a closer look at the bills.

Quick Hit
by Steven Ross Johnson
4:41pm
Tue Mar 12

Rally On Social Policies Morphs Into Protest At Ald. Moore's Home (VIDEO)

What started out as a neighborhood gathering in support of various public policy changes quickly turned into a march, which culminated into a rally outside the front doorstep of the home of 49th Ward Chicago Alderman Joe Moore.

A diverse crowd of hundreds that included college students, residents, community activists as well as several elected officials, attended the public meeting held Sunday evening in the Willye White Field House in Rogers Park.

The event, held by the community group Northside P.O.W.E.R., brought together various interests under a common theme of what they described as the “corporatization” of such public concerns as education, healthcare, affordable housing and taxes.

“This is a fight against corporate power and greed,” said Northside P.O.W.E.R. Chairwoman Beth Lanford. “This is a fight against the corporatization of our society. We must stop the process of turning our common good into their private gain.”

Read more »

PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
6:39pm
Wed Mar 6
1 comment

Quinn's Budget Address Pits Pensions Against Education, Social Services

Springfield

Gov. Pat Quinn turned up the rhetoric on pension reform during today’s state budget address, largely putting the blame on lawmakers for their failure to act.

Quick Hit
by Nathan Greenhalgh
5:33pm
Wed Mar 6
1 comment

State Budget Needs To Be Simplified For More Transparency, Public Understanding

Improving the public’s understanding of how the Illinois state budget works will contribute to better policy decisions by elected officials, according to a new policy brief from the Fiscal Policy Center at Voices For Illinois Children.

Read more »