Lawmaker sponsors Airline Passenger Protection Act in wake of United Airlines incident

By Eric Kohn

04/19/2017

The legislation would prohibit airlines from “involuntarily removing” seated passengers, and the state from doing business with airlines that do.

TAGS: Chicago, regulations, United Airlines

Madigan has spent nearly $170,000 in campaign funds on baseball tickets in 2017

04/19/2017

Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan reportedly uses his large quantity of Cubs and White Sox tickets as gifts for his political volunteers, but his history with professional sports teams in Chicago isn’t so generous.

TAGS: Chicago Cubs, Mike Madigan

Illinois politicians dub March 8 ‘Cubs Day’ despite contentious history

03/09/2017

Springfield lawmakers passed a ceremonial resolution March 8 congratulating the Chicago Cubs on winning the 2016 World Series. But that pat on the back doesn’t make up for the adversarial relationship politicians have held with the Cubs and other professional sports franchises in Chicago.

TAGS: Chicago, Chicago Cubs, ILGA: Illinois General Assembly, Mike Madigan, regulations

Rauner memo: Use TIF funds to save Chicago Public Schools

By Chris Lentino

03/06/2017

Gov. Bruce Rauner has suggested funding CPS with tax increment financing, or TIF, funds; this would temporarily bail out the district, but more needs to be done to address serious concerns about Chicago’s TIF program.

TAGS: Bruce Rauner, budget, Christine Radogno, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, education, grand bargain, Illinois Senate, John Cullerton, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Chicago officials announce $325K in TIF spending … on batting cages

By Chris Lentino

02/23/2017

The city’s latest taxpayer-funded development project reinforces the need to eliminate tax increment financing in favor of honest and transparent city budgeting.

TAGS: Chicago, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Tax increment financing: A primer

By Chris Lentino

02/21/2017

Local governments create TIF districts to encourage development in “blighted” areas; but TIFs often don’t deliver on promised economic benefits, while they do divert tax dollars from other uses and create opaque slush funds for the mayor to reward insider developers.

TAGS: Chicago, property taxes, taxes, TIF: Tax Increment Financing

Madigan’s millions: How the speaker sells his sway

By Austin Berg

02/08/2017

The speaker’s law firm makes millions in the clout-heavy game of Cook County property tax appeals.

TAGS: Mike Madigan, property taxes

Illinois has highest combined sales tax burden in Midwest, seventh-highest in U.S.

By Brendan Bakala

02/02/2017

Illinois politicians burden the state’s residents with the highest combined state and average local sales tax rate in the Midwest, along with numerous other taxes and fees.

TAGS: sales tax, taxes

Illinois Supreme Court ends Chicago tax on suburban car rentals

01/23/2017

The Illinois Supreme Court shut down a tax Chicago was imposing on car rentals outside city limits, noting the potentially chaotic nature of the policy.

TAGS: Chicago, Illinois Supreme Court, taxes

2016: Chicago’s year of the tax hike

12/31/2016

To address the city’s worsening financial crises, Chicago politicians turned up the dial on their usual answer to budgetary woes: raising taxes.

Chicago City Council

Lawmaker sponsors Airline Passenger Protection Act in wake of United Airlines incident

Madigan has spent nearly $170,000 in campaign funds on baseball tickets in 2017

Illinois politicians dub March 8 ‘Cubs Day’ despite contentious history

Rauner memo: Use TIF funds to save Chicago Public Schools

Chicago officials announce $325K in TIF spending … on batting cages

Tax increment financing: A primer

Madigan’s millions: How the speaker sells his sway

Illinois has highest combined sales tax burden in Midwest, seventh-highest in U.S.

Illinois Supreme Court ends Chicago tax on suburban car rentals

2016: Chicago’s year of the tax hike

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