A new analysis shows that Illinois homeowners continue to deal with crippling property taxes.

The personal finance website SmartAsset analyzed 342 cities across the country with populations greater than 100,000. Specifically, cities are ranked by the median real estate taxes paid (by homeowners with a mortgage) as a proportion of the median annual housing payments.

Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates adamantly defended the union’s teachers’ contract proposals in a press conference Monday, despite Chicago Public Schools facing significant financial headwinds because of the unaccounted-for costs of a controversial pension payment that covers non-teaching CPS staff.

That $175 million municipal pension payment, historically made by City Hall, was moved to CPS under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot. But in the middle of ongoing contract negotiations, Davis Gates deflected CPS’ responsibility for the payment back to the mayor — a former teacher and a close ally.

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker began the new year the way they ended the old one, on a political collision course — this time, over whether and how to regulate delta-8 and other hemp-derived products.

Sales of the weedlike substances have increased, in part thanks to a loophole in federal law, prompting smoke shops that sell unregulated products to minors to pop up.

Instead of the “windy city,” Chicago is now the congested city, tying with New York for worst gridlock in the U.S., according to a Monday report.

Analytics firm INRIX found drivers in both metropolises wasted an average of 102 hours in traffic in 2024, compared to 43 hours nationwide.

The public is getting a first look at the city of Springfield budget while departments will lay out particular programs in workshops beginning Jan. 14.

The overall ask is $350,232,993 by agencies outside of City, Water, Light & Power. The utility is seeking $318,611,749.