You’d think the irony of an income tax increase that’s generating new revenue for Illinois while it’s being derided in the press and hated by the public would be enough. But no, when it comes to Illinois politics, there are more ironies to be found at the 2011 Veto Session of the General Assembly. more

Everybody loves to hate a tax increase. The 2011 Illinois income tax increase is no exception. It has attracted negative news articles and disgruntled constituents all across Illinois. Businesses have lined up to demand a reduction in the corporate tax or “we’ll go somewhere else.” The irony, of course, is that the income tax increase is working. It’s contributing to a better Illinois. more

Most of us encounter minimum wage workers every day. We benefit from their work, and yet, they—and their work—are undervalued. Learn more about Illinois’ Minimum Wage Campaign and how you can get involved and make a difference. more

On August 16, 2011 the Illinois Department of Revenue (DOR) issued denials on tax-exemption applications for new construction at three major not-for-profit hospitals in Illinois—Northwestern Memorial’ s Prentice Women’s Hospital in Chicago, Edward Hospital in Naperville, and Decatur Memorial Hospital in down-state Decatur. This is an important step in the quest for fair charity care in Illinois. more

With President Obama’s signature, the Budget Control Act of 2011—passed by the U.S. House on August 1st and the U.S. Senate on August 2nd—became law on Tuesday, August 2nd, just in time to avoid defaulting on our nation’s obligations. The bill raises the debt limit, avoids new revenues altogether, and relies solely on budget cuts to reduce the federal deficit. more

The August 2nd deadline for raising the debt ceiling and preventing the federal budget going into default looms ever closer. A vote on a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution has been put off apparently, but new demands for deeper cuts “right now” are now being heard in Washington. Illinois schools, health care, human services and public-safety efforts are still at grave risk. more

The current debate about the federal budget negotiations and deficit-reduction strategies demands that we pay close attention to what’s going on in the U.S. Congress, especially since the results of those negotiations will have a dramatic impact on Illinois, given our long-standing fiscal crisis. more

We had hoped that the June 22, 2011 special session of the IL General Assembly would bring a different conclusion to the not-quite-settled 2012 state budget. That, to our great disappointment, does not appear to be the case. more

Looking for a way to inject a billion dollars in new consumer spending into Illinois’ economy? Raising the state’s minimum wage will do just that. Low-wage working families will spend those higher wages on necessities, and they will make those expenditures immediately and locally. more

PCG’s advocacy staff welcomes opportunities to train people of faith in the ways and means of grassroots lobbying at the State Capitol. more