How to vote in the 2023 Chicago election

By Hannah Max

01/18/2023

Late January is the start of voting for the Feb. 28 Chicago municipal elections for early, in-person voting and for those who’ve requested mail-in ballots. Here’s your guide to voting in Chicago for mayor, alderman and other city offices.

TAGS: Chicago, election

Which Chicago aldermen received donations from Chicago Teachers Union?

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

01/01/2023

TAGS: Chicago, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago Teachers Union contributions to Chicago aldermanic candidates

By Mailee Smith, Jon Josko

01/01/2023

TAGS: Chicago, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago issues over 1M parking tickets in 6 months

By Patrick Andriesen

10/11/2022

Three years after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot campaigned on a pledge to reduce fines and fees, the city issued over 1 million parking tickets in the first half of 2022 – a 25% bump from the same period a year earlier.

TAGS: Chicago, speed cameras

Experts: Expect future Chicago property tax hikes without pension reform

By Patrick Andriesen

10/06/2022

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot earmarked $442 million to help pay down Chicago’s $46.9 billion pension debt. The Civic Federation said stop-gap measures will only delay future property tax hikes unless there’s statewide pension reform.

TAGS: Chicago, property taxes

Tyson Foods 6th company to leave Illinois in 2022

By Dylan Sharkey

10/06/2022

Tyson Foods is relocating 500 employees from Chicago and Downers Grove offices to the corporate headquarters in Arkansas. The meat processor is the sixth company to leave Illinois this year.

TAGS: Chicago, Tyson Foods

Chicago taxpayer contributions to pensions could spike due to recession

By Patrick Andriesen

10/05/2022

A new financial report predicts residents in the nation’s largest cities will pay more for pensions next year as inflation and recessionary fears “erase” 2021 gains. Chicago topped the big cities for pension debt.

TAGS: Chicago, pensions

Illinois to legalize internet gambling, executives predict

By Patrick Andriesen

09/27/2022

A new report predicts legalized internet gambling would generate $273.3 million a year in new revenue for Illinois. A safer bet for Illinois’ state workers would be constitutional pension reform.

TAGS: Chicago, gambling

Chicago pension funds still among nation’s worst funded

08/16/2022

Over-promised benefits continue to sink Chicago’s finances as the recent bear market eats into 2021 stock market gains. Investments gaining 25% last year plus federal aid didn’t offer much help to city pension systems, which have more debt than 45 states.

TAGS: Chicago, pensions

Chicago parents spend $886 per child on school supplies

By Dylan Sharkey

08/09/2022

Chicago parents spend one-third more than the national average on school supplies. A 5% state sales tax holiday does little to help those struggling with back-to-school costs.

TAGS: Chicago, education spending, parenting, public schools, school, teachers

Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

Illinois is home to one of the worst pension crises in the country.1 At 39% funded, according to the nonpartisan Pew Charitable Trusts, Illinois has the worst pension funding ratio of any state.2 By contrast, neighboring Wisconsin’s pension system is 103% funded.3 In fiscal year 2022, Illinois’ total general funds pension costs, including pension bond...

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Fixing Illinois pension crisis by amending nation’s most-restrictive pension law is legal, effective

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Cathy Stuehmeier

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students