Chicago student enrollment dropped by 6,000, but union blocks closing schools

11/22/2019

The new contract continues a moratorium on school closings despite plummeting student enrollment.

TAGS: Chicago, contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, credit rating, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, enrollment, funding guarantee

Illinois cellphone taxes are highest in nation, average $374 a year

By Brad Weisenstein

11/18/2019

Taxes alone hike the average Illinois cellphone bill by 31%.

TAGS: 911 fee, 911 tax, cell phone tax, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Chicago, Connecticut, constitutional amendment, emergency fee, excise tax, exit tax, Illinois, Illinois Constitution, JB Pritzker, Lori Lightfoot, middle class, municipal pensions, pensions, progressive income tax, Rahm Emanuel, sales tax, taxes, wireless tax

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

11/15/2019

Many Illinois municipalities have voted to ban or restrict marijuana sales when it becomes legal for sale. Here’s a list of where pot will, won’t and might be legally bought.

TAGS: Arlington Heights, Bolingbrook, Buffalo Grove, cannabis, Carbondale, Carol Stream, Chicago, City of Springfield, collar counties, Collinsville, Danville, Decatur, Downers Grove, DuPage County, Edwardsville, Elmhurst, Grayslake, Highland Park, Joliet, Lake Forest, Lake Zurich, legalization, Libertyville, Lombard, marijuana, Mundelein, municipal government, Naperville, Northbrook, Oak Park, Plainfield, prohibition, Schaumburg, Urbana, Waukegan, Wheaton, Winnetka

Former Chicago official had side job with red-light camera company

11/15/2019

The former deputy aviation commissioner had an undisclosed position as a sales representative for SafeSpeed LLC. The red-light camera vendor keeps emerging in federal probes.

TAGS: Board of Ethics, Chicago, Chicago Board of Ethics, Chicago City Hall, Chicago Department of Aviation, Cook County, Cook County commissioner, department of aviation, federal investigation, IDOT: Illinois Department of Transportation, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, investigation, Jim Edgar, Martin Sandoval, red light cameras, SafeSpeed, Springfield

Striking Chicago teachers have the right to go to work and get paid

By Mailee Smith

10/30/2019

Teachers in Chicago Public Schools who are not union members cannot be punished for going to work during a union strike.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Chicago teachers recover pension contributions 5 months into retirement

By Adam Schuster

10/29/2019

After retiring at age 55, the average Chicago teacher just takes five months to get back everything they contributed toward their pension during their career.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, municipal pensions, pension guarantee, pensions

Chicago school worker says she was assaulted for crossing picket line

By Austin Berg

10/27/2019

Yedidah Reuben said two union members attacked her for trying to work.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, labor, unions

Chicago teachers who don’t want to be on strike have options

By Mailee Smith

10/23/2019

The Chicago Teachers Union walked out on strike Oct. 17, but teachers who are not members of the union have more freedom to decide whether to return to their students.

TAGS: Chicago, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Downtown diners would pay 11.75% tax on restaurant bills under Lightfoot proposal

By Vincent Caruso

10/23/2019

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has proposed a $20 million tax on dining out to help fill the city’s $838 million budget shortfall.

TAGS: Chicago, McPier, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, restaurant tax, sales tax, taxes

Lightfoot can’t fix Chicago’s finances without pension reform

By Adam Schuster

10/22/2019

City pension contributions are set to spike by $1 billion over just four years. Taxpayers cannot afford the entire burden of fixing city finances.

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

Chicago

Chicago student enrollment dropped by 6,000, but union blocks closing schools

Illinois cellphone taxes are highest in nation, average $374 a year

Where you can and can’t buy recreational marijuana in Illinois

Former Chicago official had side job with red-light camera company

Striking Chicago teachers have the right to go to work and get paid

Chicago teachers recover pension contributions 5 months into retirement

Chicago school worker says she was assaulted for crossing picket line

Chicago teachers who don’t want to be on strike have options

Downtown diners would pay 11.75% tax on restaurant bills under Lightfoot proposal

Lightfoot can’t fix Chicago’s finances without pension reform

Chicago Forward 2026: A pro-growth plan to end city budget deficits

Report Archive

Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

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