CTU president Karen Lewis calls employee-pension contribution issue “strike-worthy”

By Ted Dabrowski

08/10/2015

The president of the Chicago Teachers Union defied the school board to require teachers to pay more of their own retirement costs.

TAGS: Chicago, CTPF: Chicago Teachers Pension Fund, Fitch Ratings, Karen Lewis, strike

Chicago and Detroit: Trading places?

By Ted Dabrowski

07/30/2015

As Chicago slides toward insolvency, the Motor City is trending upward.

TAGS: Chicago, credit rating, Detroit

Trashed again: Fitch joins Moody’s in declaring Chicago Board of Education credit ‘junk’

By John Klingner

07/28/2015

If the district can’t get its finances in order, expect more teacher layoffs, school closings and large tax increases on Chicagoans.

Hidden bill: Chicago taxpayers and the Windy City crisis

By Ted Dabrowski

07/21/2015

Each Chicago household is on the hook for more than $63,800 in future tax bills – much of it for services already rendered.

TAGS: sales tax

Growing tax burden will push people out of Cook County and Chicago

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

07/15/2015

City officials are pushing property-tax hikes, sales-tax hikes, and even a commuter tax and financial-transaction tax.

TAGS: sales tax

Onslaught of Chicago debt downgrades continues

By Ted Dabrowski

07/09/2015

The pension shortfall per Chicago household stands at $33,500 each.

TAGS: Chicago, debt

School’s out of options: 7 things you should know about Chicago’s teacher pension system

By Ted Dabrowski

06/25/2015

As contract negotiations heat up this summer, the facts are hard to stomach.

TAGS: budget, contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, pensions, taxes

Chicago’s idea for ending ‘unsustainable financial practices’? Billion-dollar borrowing

By Ted Dabrowski

06/15/2015

The city’s long-term borrowing is akin to a Chicagoan taking on a mortgage to pay down credit-card bills she will never be able to pay off anyway.

TAGS: Chicago

5 things you need to know about Chicago’s credit downgrades

By Austin Berg

05/19/2015

Talk of the next Detroit rings truer now than ever before.

Corruption Watch: April 2015

By Shawn Tonge

05/08/2015

April saw two major players in Illinois education ensnared in charges of cronyism, among more than 60 other corruption-related stories.

TAGS: good government

Chicago Public Schools

CTU president Karen Lewis calls employee-pension contribution issue “strike-worthy”

Chicago and Detroit: Trading places?

Trashed again: Fitch joins Moody’s in declaring Chicago Board of Education credit ‘junk’

Hidden bill: Chicago taxpayers and the Windy City crisis

Growing tax burden will push people out of Cook County and Chicago

Onslaught of Chicago debt downgrades continues

School’s out of options: 7 things you should know about Chicago’s teacher pension system

Chicago’s idea for ending ‘unsustainable financial practices’? Billion-dollar borrowing

5 things you need to know about Chicago’s credit downgrades

Corruption Watch: April 2015

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