IIFS Blog Archive: July 2009

07.28.09

Sharpest State Revenue Decline in 46 Years

A new study from the Rockefeller Institute of Government in Albany, New York reports that total state tax collections for the first quarter of 2009 declined by 11.8% from the same quarter last year. This is the largest decline since 1963 and can be attributed in large part to the impact of the...

07.28.09

Governor Postpones Decision on Closing Howe Developmental Center

  As Governor Pat Quinn searches for unaffordable programs to cut from the state budget, the fate of the troubled Howe Developmental Center in Tinley Park deserves close attention.

07.22.09

New Borrowing Worsens Future Budget Strains

 Over the years, Illinois’ poorly funded retirement systems have put an enormous strain on the State’s budget. At times, the State has chosen to simply avoid the burden by making smaller contributions to the pension funds than required under a 1995 pension funding law.

07.21.09

The IIFS' New Look

Welcome to the redesigned Civic Federation and Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability website. This new site ushers in a new era for the Civic Federation as we embrace additional ways of communicating to the public, government officials, and the media our analysis of government...