The Prairie State Wire Podcast

Jack Salmon: How High Taxes Are Driving Wealth Out of Blue States

Jack Salmon, a Gibbs Scholar and research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, joins the Prairie State Wire Podcast to examine how aggressive tax policies in states like California, Washington, and New York are contributing to an exodus of high earners and shrinking tax bases. Salmon focuses on federal fiscal policy, including spending, deficits, debt, and taxation, and explains how state-level tax increases on high earners can lead to unintended consequences. He outlines how capital gains and wealth tax proposals may drive billions in potential revenue out of states as residents relocate to lower-tax jurisdictions like Florida and Texas, and discusses the broader economic implications for long-term state revenues and fiscal stability.

LyLena Estabine: Why Illinois Property Taxes Are Driving Residents Out

LyLena Estabine, senior policy analyst at the Illinois Policy Institute, joins the Prairie State Wire Podcast to break down why Illinois has the highest property taxes in the nation and what's fueling the crisis. She explains how rising pension costs, government spending, and policies like TIF districts are pushing taxes higher while delivering fewer public services. Estabine also discusses the legal and financial consequences for homeowners, including cases where residents lose their homes over relatively small tax debts, and outlines potential reforms needed to address the root causes. The conversation highlights how these pressures are contributing to population loss and raising questions about long-term sustainability in Illinois.

Corey DeAngelis: Chicago's 'Ghost Schools' Reveal a Broken Education System

Education policy expert Corey DeAngelis joins the Prairie State Wire Podcast to discuss what he calls a systemic failure in public education, highlighting under-enrolled "ghost schools" in Chicago where spending remains high despite poor student outcomes. DeAngelis argues that lack of competition and accountability allows inefficiencies to persist, pointing to schools operating at a fraction of capacity while producing no measurable academic success. He outlines the economic case for school choice, shares insights from national policy trends, and explains how parental demand and political pressure could reshape education systems in Illinois and beyond.

Diane Benjamin on NGO Spending, Childcare Funds, and Accountability Gaps in Illinois

Diane Benjamin, founder of BLN News and a longtime local government watchdog in Illinois, appears on the podcast to discuss her reporting on public money flowing through nonprofit childcare networks. She focuses on the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, arguing that large sums have been channelled through opaque NGO structures that make oversight difficult and raise questions about accountability, including spending tied to services for undocumented migrants. Benjamin also reflects on why she created BLN News, describing it as a response to what she sees as selective or inadequate legacy media coverage. The discussion links local reporting to wider concerns about political disengagement, one-party dominance, and weak scrutiny of state spending.

Kevin Sabet on Marijuana Legalisation and the Public Health Costs of Cannabis Policy

Kevin Sabet, president and CEO of Smart Approaches to Marijuana and a former White House drug policy adviser, joins the podcast to assess the expansion of marijuana legalisation in the United States. He argues that the movement succeeded by reframing cannabis first as a medical issue and later as an adult-use policy, but says the outcomes in states such as Illinois have fallen short of public promises. Sabet cites concerns about youth use, high-potency products, psychosis, poison-control calls, and the persistence of illicit markets, while dismissing claims that tax revenues outweigh social costs. The conversation casts marijuana policy as a broader test of how public health, commerce, and regulation intersect.