South and West Side aldermen believe that an increase in the tobacco tax will lead to an increase in black-market sales and violence. They're right.

Special Service Areas levy taxes on Chicagoans over and above the already steep taxes and fees imposed by the city.

The district’s borrowing does take pressure off of the district’s immediate cash-flow problem. However, it does nothing to solve the CPS’ long-term financial crisis and its structural imbalances – in fact it only makes things worse.

Mere months after passing the largest tax hike in modern Chicago history, Mayor Rahm Emanuel vows to hit residents with even higher property-tax bills, this time to bail out pension mismanagement by Chicago Public Schools officials – behavior tacitly endorsed by the Chicago Teachers Union.