West Frankfort’s local union and school board have been at the negotiation table for more than five months. If an agreement is not reached, teachers in West Frankfort could strike as soon as Oct. 26.
Illinois home prices have jumped 48% since 2018 while available housing inventory has plummeted across all 26 tracked metro areas, creating a housing crisis driven largely by restrictive zoning laws and the nation’s highest property taxes.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson describes the 2026 budget as “Protecting Chicago,” but his plan seems to do the opposite. Taxes on Artificial Intelligence, Uber rides and companies with 100+ employees are the biggest revenue sources.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker told the Chicago Economic Club Oct. 21 that he absolutely opposes Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to revive the corporate “head tax” as part of his new budget proposal.
The scandal-plagued president of the Chicago Teachers Union will now also be leading the Illinois Federation of Teachers, which has affiliates in at least 200 districts across the state.
Pensions and debt dominate Chicago’s spending increases, crowding out core services. Without reform, rising obligations will drag the city into deeper financial trouble.
More than 2,000 special education students in Chicago Public Schools are denied support they’re legally guaranteed. Federal scholarships could help pay for service, but only Gov. Pritzker opts Illinois into them.
Charter schools are intended to offer families more options in the public school system, but Illinois law often restricts and undermines the autonomy with which they were designed.