Illinois Federation of Teachers spends $46.1M on state politics

By Patrick Andriesen

03/19/2025

The Illinois Federation of Teachers spent $46.1 million on Illinois political committees since 2010. Campaign cash went to nearly three-quarters of sitting lawmakers in the Illinois General Assembly.

TAGS: IFT: Illinois Federation of Teachers

Report: Chicago Teachers Union is new Chicago political machine

By Mailee Smith

09/25/2024

Years of exorbitant political spending in Illinois – more than $24.3 million since 2010 – has secured an enormous amount of political influence for the Chicago Teachers Union. It is now the main political player not just in Chicago, but across the state.

Illinois government workers’ union dues being diverted to swing-state politics

By Mailee Smith

09/19/2024

Illinois government workers’ union dues fund Democratic Party campaign committees, which are now seeking to tip the presidential election outcome in swing states. That fails to align with at least 40% of members’ politics.

TAGS: SEIU: Service Employees International Union

Black and Hispanic students thrive in school model Chicago Teachers Union wants to eliminate

By Hannah Schmid

08/27/2024

Black and Hispanic students are around six times more likely to be proficient in reading at selective enrollment high schools compared to traditional public schools in Chicago. But the Chicago Teachers Union wants to eliminate these schools that are a lifeline to the city’s minority students.

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

Illinois leaders who pushed pro-union amendment thwart their own staffers

By Dylan Sharkey

05/22/2024

Illinois House Speaker Chris Welch and Illinois Senate President Don Harmon are taking heat from staffers for killing legislation allowing the workers to unionize. Statehouse leaders are big on union rights, as long as it’s not in their offices.

Red-light cameras take another $500M from Illinois drivers in 5 years

By Patrick Andriesen

05/09/2024

Local governments generated $500 million from red-light camera tickets since 2019, with Chicago alone collecting $223.8 million. Total since 2008: $1.56 billion.

TAGS: red light cameras

Editorial: State lawmakers in Springfield pass bill to cut off competition in 78 races

By Hilary Gowins

05/06/2024

Why did SB 2412 need to pass on May 2, in the middle of the election cycle, weeks after the primary election but still well ahead of the November general election? Many candidates had already started the complicated process of petition gathering and paperwork under the old rules. What justifies changing those rules in the middle of the game?

TAGS: election laws

Vallas: Want democracy in Chicago Public Schools? Elect all 21 board members

By Paul Vallas

02/12/2024

The Chicago Teachers Union for decades pushed to elect the school board, but with their former employee in the mayor’s office they rather he choose most of the board for a little while longer.

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

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.

Lawmakers scrap scholarship program for 9,000 working class families in new budget

By Dylan Sharkey

05/26/2023

The Illinois General Assembly is poised to pass a budget without extending the Invest in Kids tax credit scholarship program, which allows 9,000 low-income students to attend a school of their choice. The program expires Dec. 31.

TAGS: Invest in Kids

Don Harmon

Illinois Federation of Teachers spends $46.1M on state politics

Report: Chicago Teachers Union is new Chicago political machine

Illinois government workers’ union dues being diverted to swing-state politics

Black and Hispanic students thrive in school model Chicago Teachers Union wants to eliminate

Illinois leaders who pushed pro-union amendment thwart their own staffers

Red-light cameras take another $500M from Illinois drivers in 5 years

Editorial: State lawmakers in Springfield pass bill to cut off competition in 78 races

Vallas: Want democracy in Chicago Public Schools? Elect all 21 board members

Ameren monopoly over Illinois transmission lines up to Pritzker

Lawmakers scrap scholarship program for 9,000 working class families in new budget

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