Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson stares down a $1 billion city budget deficit

By Bryce Hill

08/30/2024

Updated budget forecasts show a $982 million shortfall for the upcoming 2025 budget as Chicago grapples with $223 million remaining deficit this year. Mayor Brandon Johnson refuses to rule out property tax hikes.

TAGS: budget, Chicago, property taxes

Violence up 7.2%: robberies, aggravated assaults, batteries hit 5-year highs

By Patrick Andriesen, Jon Josko

08/29/2024

Chicagoans experienced 7.2% more violent crime between August 2023 and July 204, with cases of robbery, aggravated assault and aggravated battery at five-year highs.

TAGS: Chicago, crime

Democratic National Convention to tout education policy near Chicago school where no kids read at grade level

By Dylan Sharkey

08/16/2024

Education will be a major platform piece during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Too bad the party will meet near a Chicago school where spending $27K per student yields none who can read at grade level.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education

Chicago has more public pension debt than 43 states

By Ravi Mishra

08/15/2024

Chicago’s pension systems for city workers have $51 billion in debt, so much that they are in worse shape than 43 states. Fixing them requires Chicago’s mayor to push for a change in the Illinois Constitution.

TAGS: Chicago, pensions

Chicago unemployment is highest in nation

By Bryce Hill

08/15/2024

Nearly 100,000 Chicago-area residents are out of work, and at 6.2% the Chicago metro area has the highest unemployment rate of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. Illinois as a whole isn’t doing much better, with a 6.1% unemployment rate.

TAGS: Chicago, unemployment

VIDEO: What will keep Chicago’s 2024 Democratic National Convention from looking like 1968?

By Jess Plowman

08/07/2024

In an election year reminiscent of 1968, Chicagoans hope to avoid a repeat of history when the Democratic National Convention comes to town Aug. 19-22.

TAGS: Chicago, DNC: Democratic National Convention, Illinois

VIDEO: Chicago prepares for Democratic National Convention. Is it ready?

By Jess Plowman

08/05/2024

The Democratic National Convention is Aug. 19-22 in Chicago. But after a year and a half of planning, the political backdrop of the event is radically different than the one organizers started with and that Chicago leaders promised.

TAGS: Chicago, crime, DNC: Democratic National Convention

The Policy Shop: 3-in-10 seats empty at Chicago Public Schools

By Hannah Schmid

07/24/2024

Hundreds of Chicago Public Schools buildings have a space-use problem – they’re too empty. Nearly 60% of schools are underutilized while 5% are overcrowded. Only 37% are at ideal capacity. The Chicago Teachers Union wants to add staff to the empty schools.

TAGS: Chicago, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education

VIDEO: Why housing is so pricey in Illinois

By Jess Plowman

07/19/2024

Government restrictions on zoning and land use are making Illinois housing and rents more expensive then they need to be.

TAGS: affordable housing, Chicago, regulations

Vallas: 10 things you should know about Chicago crime today

By Paul Vallas

07/18/2024

Independence Day weekend was bloody in Chicago. City leaders are doing little other than pointing fingers. Here are 10 things Chicagoans should know about the current crime problem.

TAGS: Chicago, crime

Building not permitted: Building permits in Illinois are a barrier to housing affordability

Illinois is in the midst of a housing affordability crisis. Over a third of residents are considered “burdened” by housing costs, meaning they pay over 30% of their income on costs related to housing. That is a greater portion of residents burdened by housing than any other state in the Midwest. The state fell 113,000...

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Building not permitted: Building permits in Illinois are a barrier to housing affordability

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Sam Goldman

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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