It is tax season once again. By this time next week, millions of Illinois households will file their state and federal income tax forms. With Tax Day one week away, the Illinois Economic Policy Institute asks: How did you do in 2017? Continue reading “Filing Taxes this Week? See Where You Stand in Illinois”
A recent Illinois Policy Institute article doesn’t tell a complete story. Continue reading “3 Simple Responses If You See a Post Claiming that 60,000+ Public Sector Workers in Illinois Make $100,000+”
A new Economic Commentary provides the latest data on full-time workers in Illinois’ labor market, allowing you to see how you compare.
The first item that Illinois voters will see on the ballot on Tuesday is the Safe Roads Amendment. The Amendment would protect– or “lockbox”– all revenue contributed by drivers through motor fuel taxes, tollways, licenses, and vehicle registration fees and require that the money is used solely for transportation purposes.
I surveyed 110 of 578 economics and public policy academics at accredited universities and colleges in Illinois with publicly-available email addresses in August 2016. Among the many topics addressed, I presented the professors and instructors with the following question on the Safe Roads Amendment: Continue reading “More Economists and Policy Experts in Illinois Support the Safe Roads Amendment than Oppose It”
A change is undoubtedly upon Illinois’ energy sector. As illustrated in a new Economic Commentary by the Illinois Economic Policy Institute, the recent proliferation of natural gas, the development of renewable energy policies at both the federal and state level, and increased regulations on coal should inspire the state to pursue alternative energy sources to address the state’s energy production deficit and support the environment. Continue reading “Illinois’ Changing Energy Sector”
Female workers continue to experience inequality and discrimination in the Illinois labor market. Continue reading “Not There Yet: The Status of Female Workers in Illinois”
Obesity costs residents and taxpayers billions of dollars every year. Adult obesity alone costs Illinois $4.5 billion a year. To reduce adult obesity, Illinois should adopt policies that promote middle-class jobs, support high levels of education, advocate for a healthy lifestyle, and provide subsidies for healthy foods. These actions would have positive health, well-being, and economic benefits for the state. Continue reading “Reducing Obesity Benefits the Economy”
Both Texas and Illinois have crumbling roads and bridges that require revenues to repair their current transit systems. Which state does it better? It is sometimes claimed that Texas has better infrastructure than Illinois, but a new ILEPI Economic Commentary finds that … Continue reading Transportation Infrastructure in Illinois vs. Texas
A new Economic Commentary [PDF] by the Midwest Economic Policy Institute demonstrates how school construction and water quality improvements are both vital to Iowa’s economy.
Investments in school construction allow students to learn in a positive environment, which can improve educational outcomes over the long run. Investments in water quality projects improve health outcomes for Iowa citizens, which can lower healthcare costs over the long run. Continue reading “Iowa Needs Investment in Both School Construction and Water Quality Projects”
Labor economists have explained that lower job turnover is one of the reasons why raising the minimum wage has very little impact on employment, contrary to classical economic theory. A higher minimum wage makes it easier for employers to recruit … Continue reading Prevailing Wage States Have Fewer Job Separations in Construction
If Motor Fuel Taxes had been adjusted for inflation over the past 23 years, the state would have generated $10 billion in additional transportation revenues, according to a new report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute [PDF]. Despite the 25 … Continue reading $10 Billion Lost Over 23 Years
Frank Manzo IV is the Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI). Visit ILEPI at www.illinoisepi.org or follow ILEPI on Twitter @illinoisEPI. This is part of the “Frankonomics” series.
Illinois’ middle class is relatively strong in 93 of the state’s 102 counties, according to the Measure of America by the Social Science Research Council.
One of the many outcomes included in the Measure of America is the Gini coefficient for every county across America. Gini coefficients are the most commonly used measure of income inequality. The coefficient ranges from 0, which represents complete equality, to 1, which reflects complete inequality (i.e., one person has all the income).
For the United States, the national average Gini coefficient is 0.469. Fully 93 out of 102 counties in Illinois have a Gini coefficient below the national average.
Continue reading “93 Out of 102 Counties in Illinois Have Low Income Inequality”
The Illinois Update 