Illinois quick hits: Report shows rate of businesses leaving state

August 12, 2025/

Spread the love

By The Center Square
The Center Square

Report shows rate of businesses leaving state

Illinois businesses are moving to other states at triple the rate they did before the pandemic, according to new research from the Illinois Policy Institute.

In 2023, 218 businesses left Illinois, more than any state in the country after New York and California.

Despite having the most business applications filed in the Midwest, only 5.6% of applicants in Illinois actually opened a business and became operational within 12 months.

Former mayor sentenced for corruption

A federal judge has sentenced former McCook Mayor and Cook County Commissioner Jeff Tobolski to four years in prison for public corruption.

Tobolski pleaded guilty to extortion conspiracy and tax charges in 2020. Tobolski admitted that he abused his elected positions to benefit individuals who paid him more than $250,000 in bribes.

Towns make crowd-free boating list

Three Illinois towns made the list of Best Small Towns for Crowd-Free Boating.

BoatBooker’s 2025 study reviewed online reviews of small boating towns nationwide and found Port Barrington, Illinois came in at No. 6, Morris at No. 10 and Warrenville at No. 18.

Latest News Stories

Hochul blames congressional Republicans for delay in fuel assistance funding

By Chris WadeThe Center Square New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wants Congress to release federal funding to support New York’s Home Energy Assistance Program, which has been delayed by the...

Tribal nations ask U.S. Supreme Court to return lawsuit to state court

By Elyse ApelThe Center Square Ten Native American tribal nations are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to send a legal challenge to the Great Lakes Tunnel Project back to the...

Illinois House backs controversial ‘Equality for Every Family’ bill after Pritzker changes

By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Illinois House concurs with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s amendatory veto to the Equality for Every Family...

WATCH: Trump admin asks SCOTUS to lift Guard restraints; Pritzker opposes ‘head tax’

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – In today's edition of Illinois in Focus Daily, The Center Square Editor Greg Bishop reviews the latest...

Poll: Voters trust local governments more than feds to address crime, other issues

By Andrew Rice | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – A majority of Americans say the federal government should not decide policing and crime policy in their...

Illinois quick hits: Secretary of State accuses ICE of plate swapping; Treasurer celebrates LGBTQ+

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Secretary of State accuses ICE of plate swapping Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias says his office is investigating U.S. Customs...

Lincoln-Way to Purchase New Buses, Add Smaller Vehicles to Address Driver Shortage

LW210 Board of Education Meeting | October 16, 2025 Article Summary: Lincoln-Way District 210 plans to update its transportation fleet by purchasing 28 new gasoline-powered school buses, three activity buses,...

WATCH: Pritzker ‘absolutely, foursquare opposed’ to Chicago mayor’s head tax

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The governor of Illinois says he is against the Chicago mayor’s plan to impose a head tax...

Illinois quick hits: Elections board splits on Harmon fine; busiest summer at O’Hare

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square Elections board splits on Harmon fine The Illinois State Board of Elections delivered a tied vote of 4-4 on state Senate...

Trump administration asks Supreme Court to toss stay in National Guard case

By Brett Rowland | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – The Trump administration on Tuesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to drop a stay preventing the president...

GOP candidates: Illinois families struggle while Pritzker wins in Las Vegas

By Jim Talamonti | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker was a big winner in Las Vegas, but his Republican rivals say the governor’s...

WATCH: Pritzker wants immigration enforcement, just not Trump’s way

By Greg Bishop | The Center SquareThe Center Square (The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he is not for open borders and wants immigration law enforced, just...

‘Legal minefield:’ Biometrics reforms needed to keep IL tech biz growing

By Jonathan Bilyk | Legal NewslineThe Center Square For the past year, business leaders, attorneys and others in Illinois and beyond have watched to see how the courts and the...

Chicago transit violent crime at 7 year high, funding concerns persist

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributorThe Center Square (The Center Square) – With federal authorities now threatening to cut Chicago Transit Authority funding due to rising violence across...

WATCH: National Guard case before SCOTUS; Trump insists China soybean deal coming