A violent Independence Day weekend has Chicagoans worried about violent crime, but it was a spike and not a trend. Crime is falling, thanks to new law enforcement efforts.
Chicagoans reported the highest number of aggravated batteries through February in the past five years, with Black residents accounting for 3 in 5 victims.
Published Feb. 10, 2025 Even though federal COVID relief funds provided an unexpected windfall, that one-time jolt of cash could leave many Illinois localities even worse off than they were before. That boost in revenue allowed local governments to put off difficult budgeting decisions, and as that revenue dries up, municipalities will have to contend...
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 Transit Authority Green Line riders were the most likely to be crime victims for the 12 months ending in September. The most dangerous CTA stop had nearly 7 crimes per 100,000 riders compared to 1.3 systemwide.
A current dispute with SEIU and militant stances against police are just two reasons other city unions have reason to believe the Chicago Teachers Union cares little about solidarity and a lot about its own interests.
Chicago’s 2025 budget is facing a nearly $1 billion gap. Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to close it: increase taxes. The city’s rising non-personnel costs, now at $6.6 billion, will outpace its grant funding, squeeze taxpayers and increase regressive fees.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.