Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval drops to 14%, unfavorable reaches 80%

By Patrick Andriesen

02/04/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval rating is down to 14%, the lowest in Chicago mayoral history. Nearly 80% of those polled hold an unfavorable view of Johnson.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson

Mayor Brandon Johnson would benefit from CPS contract he’s negotiating

By Dylan Sharkey

01/31/2025

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is on leave from Chicago Public Schools while his administration negotiates its new contract. If Johnson were to return to CPS, he would be guaranteed a six-figure job.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

What you need to know about whether Chicago Teachers Union will strike in April

By Mailee Smith

01/30/2025

The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools entered the “fact finding” phase of negotiations in January 2025. Here’s what that means, whether Chicago students might be out of class, when and what it all could do to taxpayers.

TAGS: CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago violent crime trends up as arrests trend down

By Patrick Andriesen

01/29/2025

Chicago residents reported 28,443 violent crimes during 2024. Attacks and threats were both up, with aggravated assaults hitting a 20-year high.

TAGS: Chicago, crime

3 ways to balance Chicago’s next budget without tax hikes

By Ravi Mishra, Lauren Zuar

01/20/2025

Chicago might have just avoided a property tax hike, but city leaders couldn’t figure out how to pass the 2025 budget without other tax and fee increases. Here’s what the city should do to avoid repeating the same budgeting mistakes next year.

TAGS: Chicago

Vallas: What new school board members should know about Chicago Public Schools

By Paul Vallas

01/16/2025

Chicago’s first elected school board was just sworn into office. Here’s what members should know about what the Chicago Teachers Union has done to damage Chicago Public Schools and the city’s children, plus eight steps to undo the damage.

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

Proposed law would let Chicagoans recall Mayor Johnson in special election

By Mailee Smith

01/14/2025

House Bill 1084 would provide relief to the 70% of voters disapproving of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson by creating a process to recall the mayor.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago

4,098 Chicagoans killed in gang crime in 20 years

By Patrick Andriesen

12/30/2024

Chicago gang crime declined to its lowest level in the past two decades in 2023, but the numbers may be more about gangs fracturing and police losing their gang database. Still, more than 1-in-5 homicides were suspected of being gang related.

Chicago Teachers Union took over Acero charter schools to stifle parents’ rights

By Mailee Smith

12/23/2024

The Chicago Teachers Union played a long game with Acero charter schools: unionizing them, undermining them and then taking them over. Now students and parents are left without the charter schools they chose.

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

Chicago shorts pensions by over $440M a year despite $2.3B hike in spending

By Bryce Hill

12/23/2024

Chicago’s public pension contributions remain lower than what actuaries say is needed to pay benefits despite a nearly six-fold increase in spending since 2014. Pension problems are driving high property taxes ever higher.

Brandon Johnson

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s approval drops to 14%, unfavorable reaches 80%

Mayor Brandon Johnson would benefit from CPS contract he’s negotiating

What you need to know about whether Chicago Teachers Union will strike in April

Chicago violent crime trends up as arrests trend down

3 ways to balance Chicago’s next budget without tax hikes

Vallas: What new school board members should know about Chicago Public Schools

Proposed law would let Chicagoans recall Mayor Johnson in special election

4,098 Chicagoans killed in gang crime in 20 years

Chicago Teachers Union took over Acero charter schools to stifle parents’ rights

Chicago shorts pensions by over $440M a year despite $2.3B hike in spending

Taxed out: 10 reforms to stop Illinois from losing people and jobs

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