Illinois Chamber President & CEO Doug Whitley featured on WTTW's Chicago Tonight to discuss tax breaks for CME Group. Watch the full discussion here. ...

The fate of the Illinois Health Benefits Exchange could be determined, in part, when the General Assembly returns next week to begin its two-week fall veto session, but challenges and questions still abound. The Exchange Legislative Study Committee authorized by P.A. 97-142 wrapped up its series of hearings, but has yet to finalize its findings and recommendations despite the September 30 report deadline re ...

"Fiscal reality is beginning to sink in," he said. "The only way out of this is to grow the economy." But, he added, the departure of impeached and now convicted ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich is a plus. "It didn't help, he said, "that the state was a laughingstock on the late night shows." Whitley said that despite being chamber president for all of the Blagojevich years, he never had even one conversation with B ...

A Crain's analysis of the factors most important to a healthy business climate shows that Illinois outranks Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri and Iowa. Dozens of interviews with CEOs, entrepreneurs and experts in corporate site selection confirm that Illinois has more of what businesses need to thrive. ...

The Illinois Chamber will soon be offering the Council’s Unemployment Insurance Committee's legislative proposals to address fraud and eligibility. The US Department of Labor released data indicating that Illinois had overpaid approximately $1.2 billion in benefits the past three years ending June 30, 2011. Illinois ranked 3rd highest in total of improper paid benefits and 16th highest in terms of its perce ...

Congratulations to the Illinois companies that made the Inc. 500|5000 list. These companies represent the fastest growing, privatly held companies in not Illinois, but from across the country. Their companies are creating new jobs and pushing innovation and competition to a new level. The Illinois Chamber was on hand in Washington DC last month to support the award winners from our state. Please visit http: ...

Issues concerning the sourcing of local sales tax dollars continue to draw headlines.   The city of Chicago is now pursuing litigation against Kankakee and Channahon for recovery of local sale taxes the city believes were improperly sourced.  The controversy began earlier this year with Department of Revenue assessments against taxpayers who they claimed were improperly reporting taxes from sales offices in ...

Up on the Hill, health reform repeal is having a small renaissance. Congressional Republicans held a repeal press conference earlier this week; on Thursday, Rep. Denny Rehberg urged the Supercommittee to strip away key parts of the law’s funding. “Every day I get up, I do at least something to fight Obamacare,” Rep. Steve King boldly declared at a Wednesday press event. But at an insurance industry conferen ...