-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
"If Illinois Gov. Jay Pritzker were to trim his state’s per resident spending to match Texas’, he would save his taxpayers $22.3 billion a year—and there would be no need for any income-tax increase.... Taking the scalpel to state agency budgets will create angst for governors, lawmakers and the lobbyists hired to defend unnecessary spending. But policy makers have a responsibility to make the most effective use of taxpayer money. Congress, likewise, should understand that bailing out profligate state and local governments will only ensure more of this bad behavior in the future."
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WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES
Audio and summary Illinois bill would override local law to allow homeless living in all public parks – Wirepoints
April 14, 2026
27 Comments
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago Fiscal Crisis Worse Than Pre-Bankruptcy Detroit, HIV Surge and Public Health Threat From Open Borders Goes Unreported
April 10, 2026
2 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago pension buyout plan mostly shifts debt rather than eliminating it, property tax surge doubles inflation over three decades
April 3, 2026
9 Comments
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times falsely blame Texas Gov. Abbott for 2020 to 2024 surge in Chicago Latino HIV, AIDS infections – Wirepoints Quickpoint
March 31, 2026
11 Comments
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Ha!
The State of Illinois has a massive spending problem because the State of Illinois exists to serve the Public sector unions. The state spends massively and inefficently to “employ” AFSCME, SEIU, CTU and IFT members (plus the legion of ghost payrollers). The taxpayers can all go to hell.
Big Government does not exist to serve the masses. It exists to grow Big Government. Cutting spending does not grow Big Government, therefore it will not happen.
The worst thing about Illinois is it is a high tax burden state, but provides little in the way of services to the people. All the revenue is designated for friends and family of our state leaders. JB is in way over his gigantic head.
I read the journal article and I am in full agreement that before more tax is grabbed from us there are many things the state could implement to reduce our debt. But State vs. State comparisons fall short when they fail to consider location and population. The formerly great economic engine known as ChicagoMetropolitan Area must account for snow removal from transportation arteries: highways, rail, airport runways. Iowa has snow storms too but warns drivers to be careful, that is all. Coastal states have little snow but FEMA picks up a big part of the tab when weather disasters hit.… Read more »
Our ‘so called’ leaders don’t care. Sad. I fear for my beloved State.