Would a progressive income tax cause the wealthy to leave for other states? How would it impact small businesses and the economy? The Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have jointly released a one-page fact sheet with answers to these and other common questions.
Continue reading “Addressing Common Concerns About Switching to a Progressive Income Tax”
The Illinois Economic Policy Institute and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have jointly released a one-page fact sheet on the impacts of switching to a progressive income tax in Illinois. Continue reading “Progressive Income Tax in Illinois: Fact Sheet”
New Study: State’s Current Flat Tax System Overcharges Middle Class, Strains Public Budgets Continue reading “Graduated Rates Would Provide Tax Relief, Shrink Deficits, and Boost the Illinois Economy”
On Tuesday, February 27, the Labor and Commerce Committee in the Illinois House held a hearing titled “Impacts of Repealing the Prevailing Wage.” Frank Manzo IV, MPP, Policy Director of the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI); Robert Bruno, Ph.D., Director of the Project for Middle Class Renewal at the University of Illinois; and Kevin Duncan, Ph.D., Professor of Economics at Colorado State University-Pueblo submitted testimonies.
The following article provides condensed versions of those testimonies.
Continue reading “Illinois House Testimonies on the Consequences of Repealing Prevailing Wage”
A new study finds that the introduction of “right-to-work” laws has reduced the unionization rate by 2.1 percentage points and lowered worker wages by 2.6% in Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Continue reading ““Right-to-Work” Laws in the Midwest Have Reduced Unionization and Lowered Wages”
The Brookings Institution and the Wilson Center entertainingly show that repealing the Davis-Bacon Act would not save taxpayer dollars.
Continue reading “Two Top U.S. Research Organizations: Repealing Davis-Bacon Act Would Save 0%”
Episode 10 of the For A Living Podcast is now available on Soundcloud and on iTunes. Continue reading “Podcast: 10 Ways Unions Benefit the Economy”
Episode 6 of the For A Living Podcast is now online!
This episode continues last week’s conversation about class, discussing class and the 2016 elections and trends affecting the working class. Continue reading “Podcast: Class and the 2016 Elections with Stephanie Farmer”
The For A Living Podcast is back! This episode asks the question, “What is class?” The podcast is available on iTunes and on SoundCloud. What is class? How do we think about class? What is the working class in the United States? Did U.S. workers … Continue reading Podcast: What Is Class? with Stephanie Farmer, PhD
Repealing Kentucky’s prevailing wage law would weaken the state’s economy, according to a new study.
Eliminating prevailing wage would cause a pay cut for middle-class workers, qualify more workers for public assistance, slash apprenticeship training, and result in more of Kentucky’s tax dollars going to out-of-state or foreign contractors. Veterans, who populate construction trades at a higher rate than non-veterans, would be particularly impacted if Kentucky were to repeal its prevailing wage standards.
Continue reading “Prevailing Wage Repeal Would Hurt Kentucky’s Economy”
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”
This report is the third in a five-part series on the “State of the Unions” for Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. All five reports will be available at this link over the next month. A new study released today … Continue reading The State of Iowa’s Unions in 2016
The Illinois Update 