You might celebrate the holiday season by indulging in not-so-healthy habits. State lawmakers are encouragingly discouraging you for the sake of their budget.
In 2015 Chicago became the first city to add its 9% amusement tax when you streamed your favorite holiday shows or Christmas carols. It was one of the nation’s highest. But in 2025 it increases to 11% as the city tries to squeeze another $12.9 million from viewers.
Holiday scratch-off tickets are a popular stocking stuffer. Illinoisans dropped about $2 billion on tickets in a year, and it’s the biggest moneymaker for the Illinois Lottery.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was denied a $300 million property tax hike, then a $150 million property tax hike, then a $68.5 million property tax hike. He got his 2025 city budget, and aldermen forced him to keep his campaign pledge not to raise property taxes.
AAA estimates nearly 120 million people will travel 50 miles or more this holiday season. Most of those will travel by car, so Illinois’ gas taxes will make it an expensive ride for them.
“My husband and I own a couple hundred acres. When I heard about the tax on wooded acreage going up, I emailed the assessor. My previous tax bill was $756. I found out that was going to go up over $10,000.” “What I’ve learned from [state Rep. Wayne] Rosenthal is that when this law passed...
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson failed to rally the votes for a record $17.3 billion budget imposing $68.5 million in property tax hikes. City leaders have another chance to fix the budget. Here’s how they can do it.
The current owners of Kevin McCallister’s house from the “Home Alone” movie will pay nearly $50,000 in property taxes this year. Illinoisans pay more than twice as much as the typical American in property taxes.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed budget includes $233.9 million in tax hikes including rideshare prices and streaming services. It has already passed a key committee in the city council.
Chicago’s 2025 budget is facing a nearly $1 billion gap. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to close it: increase taxes. The city’s rising non-personnel costs, now at $6.6 billion, will outpace its grant funding, squeeze taxpayers and increase regressive fees.
Chicago speed cameras sent drivers $28 million less in tickets through September than during the first nine months of 2023. Annual revenues could spike again under proposals to drop the citywide speed limit or boost the number of cameras.
Montgomery County notified some residents they will not be facing 1,400% property tax hikes as originally planned. The sticker shock stemmed from a 2007 law.