Chicago

Chicago Finds Savings in Traffic Control Aide Program

08/02/2011
by Mark Cavers The Chicago Tribune reports that the City of Chicago has made progress in reigning in a traffic control aide program that is costing the city millions: “Fewer traffic control aides will be posted at downtown intersections during rush hour after the city laid off about half of Chicago’s full-time brigade to save money.”...

Raising the Bar: A Performance Review of Downstate and Suburban Charter Schools

By Collin Hitt
07/21/2011
Summary This report focuses on the seven downstate and suburban charter schools that enrolled K-12 students during the 2009-10 school year. Charter schools that focus exclusively on reenrolling high school dropouts are excluded from the analysis. Also not included in the analysis are Peoria’s Quest Academy, Rockford’s CICS Patriots Charter School and Southland College Prep,...

Pain at the Pump: How Illinois Taxes Drive Up the Cost of Gas

06/28/2011
The Problem As families make their Fourth of July travel plans, motorists in Illinois are feeling the pinch especially hard. National surveys continually find that Chicago tops the list of highest average gas prices in the country. Latest numbers show that as of June 27, the average gasoline price in Chicago is $3.98, compared to...

Quinn’s Corporate Handouts Hold No Promises

06/24/2011
by Alex Miller Representative Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, took the House floor on Wednesday, fervently criticizing the lofty tax exemptions that Governor Quinn has granted to large corporations who have threatened to leave the state due to Illinois’s poor economic outlook.  Franks insisted that he could not, in good conscience, watch so many millions fly into the hands of...

There Is Hope: Youth Connection Charter School

06/15/2011
by Mark Cavers Youth Connection Charter School  is a hybrid school that combines direct classroom instruction (think traditional school) with an online curriculum and enrolls students who have dropped out of other high schools. This unique learning environment allows teachers to tailor individual lessons to meet each students’ needs. Here is a short film detailing YCCS...

How much does Mayor Rahm Emanuel make?

By Chris Andriesen
06/09/2011
by Mark Cavers Mayor Rahm Emanuel has decided to put salary information for all 34,218 city of Chicago employees online for the public to see, analyze, and download. In the past, the information has been provided through news organizations and non-profits but this is the first time the data is available directly from the city. This level...

TAGS: Rahm Emanuel

Chico Takes on Job Ripe with Opportunities

06/07/2011
by Mark Cavers Earlier today, Governor Quinn announced his appointment of former mayoral hopeful Gery Chico to the head of the Illinois State Board of Education. Chico will face a challenging job as he oversees schools in communities as diverse as Chicago and Sparta. He is charged with overseeing all 868 school districts, 2.1 million...

Mr. Governor, Back Away from the Shiny Trains

06/03/2011
by Kristina Rasmussen Governor Pat Quinn is spending more of your money to study the feasibility of “high speed” rail lines in Illinois. Not daunted by the $8 billion budget deficit he’s failed to balance, yesterday the governor announced $1.25 million to study high speed rail between Chicago and Champaign. Over a billion dollars are already pouring into...

Government Mandated Housing: Intentions and Outcomes

06/02/2011
by Sameer Warraich A recent news headline on Housing Action Illinois’ website reads: “Recession over, but poor renters still at risk of homelessness” After proposed state budget cuts for shelters, Housing Action Illinois has advocated maintaining federal and state funding for affordable housing programs. The ultimate irony, however, is that government intervention in the housing market has...

Spring 2011 Legislative Session Summary

06/01/2011
by Collin Hitt The General Assembly has adjourned for the summer. A budget was passed that contained real cuts, but it was still too big. Significant school reform sits on the governor’s desk. Illinois government will be more transparent. And yet so much more remains to be done. Here are the highlights of the spring...
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4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

Causes, costs, how to set the state free

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Diana Graham

Process for unionizing non-state workers raises red flags

By Paul Kersey
06/19/2014

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students

By Ted Dabrowski
05/02/2016