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How would a Public Infrastructure Trust work?
The 2008 parking meter lease remains one of Chicago’s most debated fiscal decisions — widely regarded as a raw deal that traded long‑term public revenue for short‑term budget relief. Facing severe financial strain at the time, the City of Chicago agreed to lease its parking meters for 75 years to Chicago Parking Meters LLC in…
The State Pension Fund with the lowest funded ratio: GARS
The General Assembly Retirement System (GARS) was established in 1947 to provide lawmakers and certain members of the executive branch with a mechanism to save for retirement. Like Illinois’ other four state‑run pension systems, GARS is structured as a defined benefit plan, offering guaranteed lifetime pensions based on salary and years of service. Because the…
U of I Flash Index continues to trend upward
The University of Illinois’ Flash Index, a measure of the overall performance of the Illinois economy, recently reported an increase for the second month in a row in June. The Flash index is “the weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending, and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income,…
The Illinois municipality with the worst bond rating
Riverdale, a small municipality of roughly 10,000 residents, is in trouble. In April of this year, Fitch Ratings downgraded Riverdale’s Issuer Default Rating (IDR) from B‑ to CCC‑, citing reasons such as low margin for servicing obligation, weakened financial profile, negative general fund reserves, very limited liquidity, and deferral of pension spending. With Fitch’s downgrade,…
Mid-year update on the State Pension System
Illinois pensions remain significantly underfunded, but the trajectory has improved over the last several years due to full statutory payments, supplemental contributions, and strong investment markets. Earlier this year in February, Gov. Pritzker announced a path to full funding by 2048, building on a 2024 multi-tiered pension plan and recent credit upgrades. The administration plans…
The Rise and Regulation of Prediction Markets
The growing popularity among states to legalize sports gambling has led way to another growing phenomena, prediction markets. These markets—platforms where users trade on the outcome of future events—have transitioned from academic curiosities to a multi-billion dollar industry. The concept of participating in prediction markets is simple: a user pays a sum of money to…
U of I Flash Index shows uptick in Illinois economy for May
The University of Illinois’ Flash Index, a measure of the overall performance of the Illinois economy, recently reported an increase after four straight months of decline. The Flash index is “the weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending, and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income, and…
The economics of Chicago’s Italian Beef Sandwich
Italian beef sandwiches have been a staple of Chicago cuisine, but with the popularity of the tv show The Bear it has elevated its presence on the national scene. So much so that there has been a growing appetite within the General Assembly to make it the national sandwich of Illinois. The origin of the…
Hello NITA, Goodbye RTA
The Illinois General Assembly has adjourned from the Spring Legislative Session and one of the newest governmental entities that was created is the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA). Established under Public Act 104-0457, the NITA replaces the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) beginning on September 1st, 2026, and will oversee the three main transit entities – …
The Dow turned 130 years old. Here are some Illinois based companies formally part of the Index
The Dow Jones Industrial Average, a price-weighted stock market index tracking 30 large companies listed on U.S. exchanges, turned 130 years old on May 26. Currently, there are no Illinois based companies listed on the Index. However, there have been some notables over the years. Kraft Foods Most Americans grew up recognizing the iconic blue-boxed…
Memorial Day Weekend Gas Tracker
The average price for gas in the United States is currently above $4.50, with some states posting higher amounts than others. This has been the highest recorded since the summer of 2022. Here in Illinois, gas prices are on the higher end – nearly approaching $5.00 on average. However, because most of the population in…
Illinois lagged behind rest of nation in manufacturing output in April
Federal Reserve data recently reported that industrial production in the United States increased 0.6 percent in the month of April. Remarkably, this was the fourth straight month showing a gain. While this news presents optimism for the nation as a whole, recent data from the Chicago Purchasing Managers’ Index (CPMI) indicates a contraction of the…
The enigma of high prices and consumer spending
A recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted that prices increased 0.6 percent in the month of April, mainly due to oil supply disruptions from the War in Iran. At that pace, prices are expected to increase by about 3.8 percent annually. The growing concern isn’t just how high prices (especially gas…
April economic numbers for the Illinois economy
The University of Illinois’ Flash Index, a measure of the overall performance of the Illinois economy, recently reported a decline for the fourth month in a row. The Flash index is “the weighted average of Illinois growth rates in corporate earnings, consumer spending, and personal income as estimated from receipts for corporate income, individual income,…
Our Recent Publications
- How would a Public Infrastructure Trust work?
- The State Pension Fund with the lowest funded ratio: GARS
- U of I Flash Index continues to trend upward
- The Illinois municipality with the worst bond rating
- Mid-year update on the State Pension System
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