Home

What's New

Report | Illinois PIRG | Higher Ed

Issue Brief: Student Loan Debt in Illinois

The resolution of the on-going national debate about whether or not to extend the low interest rate on federal student loans will have a sizable impact on Illinois’ economy.  Without a new plan, on July 1 the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans will double, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. 

> Keep Reading
Media Hit | Tax

Questions remain on infrastructure trust

A few days ago, the City Council passed an ordinance to establish the Chicago Infrastructure Trust — a nonprofit that will leverage private, for-profit investment for public infrastructure projects. Much of the recent attention has been on the lack of strong public protections to make the trust transparent and accountable to citizens. But there is a more fundamental question: Do we really need it?

> Keep Reading
Media Hit | Higher Ed

The New Student Battle Cry: Don't Double My Rate!

The media and the country are just waking up to the alarming fact that unless Congress acts by July 1, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Congress must not let that happen.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Odd Bedfellows Oppose the Tenaska Tax | Brian Imus

Illinois PIRG joined with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to oppose Senate Bill 678 – legislation that would force Illinois consumers to pay for a proposed coal plant the Tenaska Corporation wants to build

> Keep Reading
News Release | Illinois PIRG | Tax

Infrastructure Trust Approved Without Proper Taxpayer Protections

Today the Chicago City Council voted 41-7 to establish the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, despite many continued, substantial concerns from aldermen, Illinois PIRG and other advocacy organizations, and members of the public.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Media Hit | Tax

Questions remain on infrastructure trust

A few days ago, the City Council passed an ordinance to establish the Chicago Infrastructure Trust — a nonprofit that will leverage private, for-profit investment for public infrastructure projects. Much of the recent attention has been on the lack of strong public protections to make the trust transparent and accountable to citizens. But there is a more fundamental question: Do we really need it?

> Keep Reading
Media Hit | Higher Ed

The New Student Battle Cry: Don't Double My Rate!

The media and the country are just waking up to the alarming fact that unless Congress acts by July 1, the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans will double from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. Congress must not let that happen.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Illinois PIRG | Tax

Infrastructure Trust Approved Without Proper Taxpayer Protections

Today the Chicago City Council voted 41-7 to establish the Chicago Infrastructure Trust, despite many continued, substantial concerns from aldermen, Illinois PIRG and other advocacy organizations, and members of the public.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Illinois PIRG | Budget

Offshore Tax Havens Cost Average Illinois Taxpayers $508 a Year, Each Illinois Small Business $2,556, New Study Finds

With tax day approaching, a new study released by Illinois PIRG found that the average Illinois taxpayer in 2011 would have to shoulder an extra $508 tax burden make up for revenue lost from corporations and wealthy individuals shifting income to offshore tax havens. The report “Picking up the Tab” also found that to cover the cost of the corporate abuse of tax havens in 2011, small businesses in Illinois would have to foot a bill of $2,556 on average.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Illinois PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

New Report: Long-Term Drop in How Much People Drive

A new report released today by the Illinois PIRG Education Fund demonstrates that Americans have been driving less since the middle of last decade. The report shows that young people in particular are decreasing the amount they drive and increasing their use of transportation alternatives.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Result | Consumer Protection

KIDS’ SCHOOL LUNCHES NOW SAFER

For years, America’s schoolchildren have been eating beef, chicken and other foods that would have been rejected as substandard even by fast food chains. Thanks in part to our advocacy, the U.S.D.A. has stopped buying such low-quality meat for school lunches.

> Keep Reading
Result | Health Care

Young People Now Covered

This year, the federal health care reforms that Illinois PIRG worked to win have started to pay off for young people. In the past, teens saw their premiums soar or were denied coverage when they turned 19, even if they’d been insured their whole lives. Now, they can remain on their parents’ plans until age 26. 

> Keep Reading
Report | Illinois PIRG | Higher Ed

Issue Brief: Student Loan Debt in Illinois

The resolution of the on-going national debate about whether or not to extend the low interest rate on federal student loans will have a sizable impact on Illinois’ economy.  Without a new plan, on July 1 the interest rate on subsidized Stafford student loans will double, from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent. 

> Keep Reading
Report | Illinois PIRG | Budget

Picking up the Tab

Some U.S.-based multinational firms or individuals avoid paying U.S. taxes by transferring their earnings to tax haven countries with minimal or no taxes. These tax haven users benefit from their access to America’s markets, workforce, infrastructure and security; but they pay little or nothing for it—violating the basic fairness of the tax system and forcing other taxpayers to pick up the tab.

> Keep Reading
Report | Illinois PIRG Education Fund | Transportation

Transportation and the New Generation

From World War II until just a few years ago, the number of miles driven annually on America’s roads steadily increased. Then, at the turn of the century, something changed: Americans began driving less. By 2011, the average American was driving 6 percent fewer miles per year than in 2004. And the trend away from driving has been led by young people.

> Keep Reading
Report | Illinois PIRG | Budget

Loopholes for Sale

Loopholes for Sale pursues the intersection of corporate campaign contributions to members of Congress and the absence of Congressional action to close corporate tax loopholes and raise additional revenue from corporate taxes.

> Keep Reading
Report | Illinois PIRG Education Fund | Tax

Following the Money 2012

This report is Illinois PIRG Education Fund’s third annual ranking of states’ progress toward “Transparency 2.0” – a new standard of comprehensive, one-stop, one-click budget accountability and accessibility.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Odd Bedfellows Oppose the Tenaska Tax | Brian Imus

Illinois PIRG joined with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to oppose Senate Bill 678 – legislation that would force Illinois consumers to pay for a proposed coal plant the Tenaska Corporation wants to build

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Democracy

Disempowered Bankers Start Super PAC, Reveal Plans for World Domination | Brian Imus

Members of the American Bankers Association recently announced that after years of being ignored in the halls of power, the industry will at last be creating its own super PAC to serve as its proverbial "big stick."

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Tax

Can we trust the Infrastructure Trust? | Celeste Meiffren

The City Council is set to vote on the creation of the Infrastructure Trust at the City Council meeting on April 18, 2012. But right now, the ordinance that creates the Trust lacks basic public protections.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Budget

Budget Address: Close Corporate Tax Loopholes | Celeste Meiffren

In his budget address today, Governor Pat Quinn called for closing corporate tax loopholes, saying ‘For too long, we’ve had a revenue code that looks like Swiss cheese, with plenty of loopholes for the powerful." With tough budget decisions facing the State, closing tax loopholes that serve no public purpose, is the right thing to do...

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Financial Reform

Today, CFPB to announce overdraft fee investigation, unveil "penalty box" disclosure, possibly end $39 lattes. | Ed Mierzwinski

Would you knowingly agree to pay a $35 fee each time you used your debit card at point of sale, simply to allow you to purchase a $4 latte with only $2 in your account? Even the banks didn't think so, that's why they made “standard overdraft protection” a feature of your checking account that you didn't need to choose...

> Keep Reading

Pages

Tools & Resources

  • Reining In The High Cost Of Care
    It’s time for health insurers to get serious about lowering the cost of care instead of raising deductibles and hiking premiums.
    Learn More
  • YOUR TAX DOLLARS BECOME TWINKIES
    Billions of taxpayer dollars have subsidized the ingredients in junk food. We're calling on Congress to end agribusinesses handouts.
    Learn more
    Take Action
  • No Backroom Deals
    To plug budget gaps, it seems that local governments will consider selling anything — from parking meters to airports. Read more on our blog, Tax Dollars and Sense.
    Learn more
    Latest updates
  • STOP TAX DODGERS
    Corporate tax avoidance cost taxpayers $100 billion last year. We're working to close the loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying the taxes they owe.
    Learn more
    Take Action

Support us

We’ve got a chance to clean up the health care industry in Illinois, but with lobbyists lining the halls of the state capitol, we need your support.

Donate today

Consumer Alerts

Join our network and stay up to date on our campaigns, get important consumer updates and take action on critical issues.