CTBA experts are available to provide insight, analysis, and data to the press on a wide range of public policy issues. In addition, CTBA disseminates new research and timely updates on policy developments to the media.
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- Strategic leadership in coalitions
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CHICAGO - A case scheduled to go before the Illinois Supreme Court this week is challenging the law that allows the state's not-for-profit hospitals to skip paying property taxes.
Applications for hospital property tax exemptions have been in limbo for about a year while the courts
Last week, Gov. Bruce Rauner called for a meeting with the four legislative leaders to negotiate a General Fund budget for Illinois. Normally, that wouldn't generate headlines or news coverage.
Of course, nothing's normal when it comes to state budgetary matters, given that 18 months have transpired — including one full fiscal year — without a comprehensive General Fund budget having been passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor.
Certainly, the governor and General Assembly should come together and enact a comprehensive General Fund budget. After all, doing so is the very essence of their responsibility to the public, given that more than 90 percent of General Fund spending on current services covers the four core areas of education, health care, human services and public safety. Oh, it also happens to be their constitutional obligation, so there's that. Moreover, based on what happened last year (fiscal year 2016), failing to enact a General Fund budget generates numerous consequences, none good.
Solving the school funding problem is simple. The state needs to raise taxes. Simple. Problem solved.
That was the message delivered by Ralph Martire, an expert on school funding, at a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County on Oct. 20 at the Batavia Public
Voters on Tuesday approved an amendment to the Illinois Constitution requiring that gas taxes, license plate fees and other transportation-related revenue be spent only on transportation expenses.
The amendment, which creates a so-called “lockbox” for transportation funds, had broad
With Election Day just around the corner, public policy organizations are urging voters to proceed with caution on a proposed amendment to the Illinois Constitution that would create a “lockbox” for transportation funding.
As one example, the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability,
While the presidential race dominates headlines, important things are happening at the state and local
Almost lost in the battle over how to close Illinois' $8 billion budget hole is the fact that the state effectively gives away even more than that amount each year in tax breaks.
A plethora of 257 separate categories of breaks -- called tax expenditures by experts -- cost Illinois $9.4
Illinois' credit rating was recently reduced to BBB from BBB+ by S&P Global Ratings, increasing interest on its borrowing and lowering the value of its bonds.
Mike Amrozowicz, the Republican candidate for the District 31 state Senate seat, considers this to be a real black eye for the
Crossing the line separating Indiana and Illinois sometimes means dealing with different laws and customs. Readers are asked to share ideas for this weekly feature. This week: Unpaid bills.
Illinois is set to spend $6 billion to $8 billion more than the $31.8 billion in
One key to the 11th-hour settlement in negotiations with the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday night was Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s decision to declare a $175 million surplus in the city’s tax increment funds – $88 million of it to help plug Chicago Public Schools’ budget gap. But his decision raised