Chicago

Ameren monopoly over Illinois transmission lines up to Pritzker

By Patrick Andriesen
07/05/2023
The union-backed legislation would grant Illinois’ second-largest electric utility a temporary monopoly over the construction of new transmission lines across nearly three-quarters of the state. Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised to veto it.

5 years after Janus v. AFSCME, unions are smaller but more militant

By Mailee Smith, Patrick Andriesen
06/26/2023
The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of Illinois state worker Mark Janus in 2018 gave government workers the ability to stop funding government union politics. Chastened unions could have reformed. Instead, they got extreme.

Vallas: The truth about the 2013 school closures the Chicago Teachers Union doesn’t want you to hear

By Paul Vallas
06/22/2023
In 2013, Chicago closed 50 nearly empty schools. Since then, the CTU has barred charters and other schools from using these empty buildings to provide schooling options for local students. After railing against these school closures, CTU leadership locked students out of full-time, in-person learning for 17 months during 2020-21.

TAGS: CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Illinois’ pension bonanza: invest $166K, take home $5.5M

By Patrick Andriesen
06/15/2023
Being in the top 10 of Illinois’ five statewide pension systems is an investor’s dream and a taxpayer’s nightmare. The median investment is shy of $166,000, but the estimated lifetime payout is $5.5 million.

NASCAR ticket price up to $272 higher thanks to Chicago tax

By Patrick Andriesen
06/13/2023
The typical racing fan will pay an extra $22 for general admission to Chicago’s NASCAR “Street Race Weekend” thanks to the city’s amusement tax. Luxury seating could cost residents more than the price of a standard ticket in taxes alone.

TAGS: NASCAR

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FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

Illinois students could soon benefit from scholarship money to help them find a tutor, attend ACT or SAT prep sessions, pay tuition, get special education services or assist with other academic needs. That will happen in Illinois only if Gov. J.B. Pritzker lets the state’s schoolchildren benefit from the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit program, established...

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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