Inside these posts: Illinois

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Indiana steps up efforts to lure Illinois business

Indiana is cranking up its push to lure Illinois businesses in the wake of tax increases here, rolling out a $250,000 marketing campaign that tries to position the Hoosier state as a lower-tax option.

“Feeling Squeezed by Taxes?” is the tagline on a Northwest Indiana campaign launching Monday in Chicago print and electronic media, and it dovetails with a broader Indiana push rolled out late last month, using the tagline, “Illinnoyed by Higher Taxes?” Get the full story »

Illinois AG calls out Ally on foreclosures

The Illinois Attorney General’s office said Friday that it was “demanding” a meeting with Ally Financial, commonly known as GMAC Mortgage, to determine how many Illinois homeowners may be involved in an investigation of the company’s foreclosure procedures and whether the state’s Consumer Fraud Act had been violated. Get the full story »

AT&T puts $350M into Illinois wireless upgrades

AT&T said it has invested nearly $350 million in its wireless network in the first half of 2010 to improve customer service in Illinois.

It’s part of an capital investment of nearly $700 million in AT&T’s wireless and wireline networks in Illinois in the first six months of the year. Get the full story »

Construction strike skews Illinois jobless numbers

Illinois lost 20,200 jobs in July, but the numbers look worse than they are because of last month’s construction strike that shut down projects across the state.

The 19-day work stoppage ended around July 20 but not before the Illinois Department of Employment Security took its survey of the labor force. Get the full story »

6 gas station owners charged in sales-tax crackdown

Six Illinois gas station owners have been indicted on charges of pocketing sales taxes customers paid when they fueled up.

The fraud investigation has recovered nearly $13 million in unpaid sales taxes, according to the Illinois attorney general’s office and state department of revenue. The indictments were the first in an ongoing probe of businesses that fail to pay taxes, Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan said Thursday. More charges against other tax frauds are expected in coming months, she said. Get the full story »

What items qualify for Illinois sales tax holiday

In the wake of the lackluster sales national chain stores posted for July, the Illinois sales tax holiday couldn’t have come at a better time.

Illinois’ first sales tax holiday, which starts Friday, waves the 5 percent state sales tax through Aug. 15, focusing on basic school supplies from backpacks to uniforms. With unemployment high and consumer spending stalling again, retailers are latching onto the deal with bargains in hopes of igniting a spark under increasingly reticent shoppers.
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No state sales tax on school gear starting Friday

Back-to-school bargain hunters will want to get their shopping lists ready.

Illinois’ sales-tax holiday starts Friday and continues through Aug. 15 for shoppers who are buying select items. Some Chicago-area retailers plan to open as early as 6 a.m. Friday in honor of the tax holiday.

Shoppers should remember that the sales-tax holiday means they won’t have to pay the 5 percent state sales tax on qualifying school supplies, clothing and shoes. County and city sales taxes remain in effect, and items such as computers and most sports equipment aren’t included.

Illinois No. 5 in HIRE Act eligibility

Approximately 260,000 unemployed workers in Illinois are eligible for employment under the HIRE Act, according to a state-by-state breakdown released today by the Treasury Department, placing Illinois fifth in the nation for states with the largest number of workers whose employers could qualify for HIRE act tax exemptions and tax credits. Get the full story »

Illinois sues Countrywide over subprime loans

The state of Illinois sued former mortgage giant Countrywide Financial Corp. on Tuesday for allegedly using discriminatory lending practices for minority borrowers.

The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, said an investigation revealed that African-American and Latino borrowers were much more likely to be given risky subprime loans by the lender than similarly situated whites from 2005 to 2007.