Former Ald. Willie Cochran sentenced to 1 year in prison

By Ben Szalinski

06/24/2019

A federal court sentenced former Chicago Ald. Willie Cochran to one year in prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, corruption, Willie Cochran

Chicago rolls out e-scooter pilot program

By Joe Barnas

06/21/2019

Thousands of electric scooters have arrived in Chicago as part of a four-month pilot program.

TAGS: Chicago, e-scooters, scooters, transportation

Lightfoot moves to reform infamous Chicago workers’ comp program

By Joe Barnas

06/21/2019

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot called out Ald. Ed Burke after corruption indictments. Now she is reforming the city’s mismanaged workers’ compensation program that a lawsuit said Burke used to build a political army.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, Ed Burke, Lori Lightfoot, workers compensation

Lightfoot must pursue pension reform, reasonable labor contracts to fix Chicago’s budget

By Bill Reveille

06/17/2019

Persistent budget deficits, enormous and growing pension obligations, a high debt burden and labor contract negotiations all await Lori Lightfoot as she settles into office.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, Chicago City Council, Lori Lightfoot, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Lightfoot calls for independent commission to redraw Chicago’s 50 wards

By Joe Barnas

06/13/2019

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot voiced support for establishing a fair mapmaking process in Chicago ahead of the 2020 census.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, gerrymandering, Lori Lightfoot

Chicago Ald. Ed Burke indicted on 14-count corruption charge, pleads not guilty

By Ben Szalinski

06/04/2019

Chicago’s longest-serving alderman pleaded not guilty to a host of new federal corruption charges.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago City Council, corruption, Ed Burke

Chicagoans could pay nearly $1 per gallon in taxes alone under Pritzker capital plan

By Joe Barnas

05/31/2019

Drivers filling up in Chicago could see an effective per-gallon gas tax burden of 39% under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed capital spending plan.

TAGS: Chicago, gas tax, JB Pritzker, taxes

Illinois Supreme Court upholds controversial Chicago food truck restrictions

By Joe Barnas

05/29/2019

The Illinois Supreme Court sided with the city of Chicago following a yearslong court battle over some of the nation’s toughest food truck restrictions.

TAGS: Chicago, food trucks, Illinois Supreme Court, regulations

Chicago’s new mayor inherits taxpayers facing biggest public debts of nation’s top 10 cities

By Joe Barnas

05/18/2019

Each Chicago taxpayer is on the hook for $119,110 worth of unfunded state, city, county and other local government debt. Many of the pensions driving those debts become Lori Lightfoot’s problem on Monday.

TAGS: Chicago, debt, Lori Lightfoot, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions, property taxes, Rahm Emanuel, taxes

Forget doubling gas taxes, Illinois lawmakers want to rev it even higher

By Vincent Caruso

05/02/2019

Two new proposals in the Illinois General Assembly would give state drivers the highest gas tax burden in the nation.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, excise tax, fuel cost, gas tax, sales tax, taxes