Out-of-state cannabis sales fell to $31 million in February, the lowest since February 2021. Missouri starting recreational pot sales at a lower cost is a major factor.
Despite claims of Chicago’s improving financial condition, the $48 billion in pension debt for the city’s core retirement systems continues to loom over its fiscal future.
Mayoral candidate and Chicago Teachers Union organizer Brandon Johnson is eligible to collect an estimated $1.1 million pension through the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund despite only teaching for four years. His future path could yield a public pension worth over $2.8 million.
All 11 major industries in Illinois were among the worst in the nation for job growth from January 2019 to January 2023, with each of them ranking in the bottom half in the nation.
A new WalletHub study found the typical household in Illinois pays 15% of its income to state and local taxes, the highest in the nation. That’s an average of $10,463 – a 22% hike since 2017.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced a Teacher Pipeline Grant Program to address teacher vacancies, but getting more money into classrooms rather than it chasing retirement debt is a better solution.
The “gift room” scandal, a botched police raid and a smokestack implosion underscore how the head of Chicago’s Law Department, also known as the corporation counsel, too often lacks independence from the mayor’s office. Chicago’s corporation counsel is appointed by the mayor and can be removed at the mayor’s discretion. Experience in other major cities...