Budget + Tax
Watching ‘Elf’ or ‘Home Alone’ costs $300M more in Chicago
Chicagoans pay extra to stream holiday movies on Netflix or Hulu because of the city’s 10.25% streaming tax. The cost was nearly $300 million in 2025. Watching classics such as “Elf,” “Home Alone” or “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”…
Chicago adopts $16.6B budget, adds $535M in taxes
Chicago aldermen for the first time pushed through their own budget, rejecting the mayor’s…
Property taxes rob ‘Home Alone’ house of nearly $52,000
The owners of Kevin McCallister’s house from the “Home Alone” movie will pay nearly $52,000…
Gassing up in Illinois pricey during record holiday…
AAA estimates 5.7 million Illinoisans will travel this holiday season. Most will be driving,…
Judge rules Cook County tax sale illegal; lawmakers yet…
A federal judge ruled Cook County is illegally settling minor property tax debts by seizing…
High sales taxes suck a little joy out of Illinois holidays
Illinois sales taxes on holiday purchases rank No. 8 in the U.S., but Chicago charges shoppers as much as 10.25% with plans to go higher. Whether making their purchases in a store or online, Illinois holiday shoppers pay some of the…
Report offers $1B in fixes as Chicago budget talks…
The Chicago City Council rejected Mayor Brandon Johnson’s economically harmful tax proposals,…
Most Chicagoans, aldermen oppose Johnson’s 2026 budget
Most Chicago City Council members and residents oppose Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget,…
$1B, unneeded tax hike coming to a tollway near you?
Chicago-area drivers could end up paying $1 billion more in tolls each year as part of a deal…
Transit sales tax hike makes suburbs pay for Chicago…
Chicago-area transit riders deserve safe, reliable service. But the Regional Transportation…
TRENDING
