Publicly funded stadium agreements can involve questionable incentives for politicians. The megaprojects bill in Illinois would drive up neighbors’ property taxes.
The state’s housing inventory is at just 31% of pre-pandemic levels, driving up prices. Restrictive zoning and the nation’s highest property taxes must be addressed.
State unemployment insurance could withstand less than three months in an economic downturn. The taxes that support the fund are among the highest in the country.
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...