Illinois again ranks No. 2 in U.S. for highest property taxes

By Lisa Rigoni

03/04/2021

Illinois again ranked second for highest property tax rates in the nation in 2021, behind only New Jersey.

TAGS: pensions, population, property taxes

Chicago speed cameras write 1 ticket every 12 seconds

By Patrick Andriesen

03/03/2021

Revenue projections estimate red-light cameras will generate 2.7 million $35 tickets in a full year, bringing in $95.5 million for the city.

TAGS: Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, speed cameras, ticketing

Chicago’s higher property taxes hit March 2

By Brad Weisenstein

03/01/2021

Cook County’s first property tax payments are due March 2. In Chicago, property taxes have grown more than 3 times faster than inflation for 20 years.

TAGS: Chicago, Cook County, pensions, property taxes

Chicago’s speed cameras start churning out $35 tickets March 1

By Patrick Andriesen

03/01/2021

Chicago’s mayor said speed cameras will enforce a lowered tolerance March 1 as a way to curb traffic fatalities. Critics see the $35 tickets as a money grab when residents are still reeling from the COVID-19 economic downturn.

TAGS: Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, speed limit, ticketing

Chicago had $41,100 in debt per taxpayer before COVID-19, second to New York

By Justin Carlson

02/11/2021

A new report from government finance watchdog Truth in Accounting gave the Windy City an “F” for financial health. Chicago’s massive $36 billion net debt stems primarily from pensions.

TAGS: Chicago, COVID-19, debt, pensions

Illinois’ U.S. Senators urge Biden to keep public corruption-fighting prosecutor

By Patrick Andriesen

02/11/2021

Former Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and Chicago Ald. Ed Burke are among the politicians curbed by Chicago’s current U.S. Attorney. A bipartisan group is trying to keep him in place to continue public corruption prosecutions.

TAGS: corruption, Dick Durbin, Joe Biden, John Lausch, madigan, Tammy Duckworth

Where are Chicago parents at the bargaining table?

By Mailee Smith

02/09/2021

With the Chicago Teachers Union finally deciding students can return to classrooms, parent groups are clamoring to be heard. Unfortunately, Illinois law prohibits them from having much say about schools reopening.

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

Chicago students falling behind as city, teachers’ union squabble

02/05/2021

The Chicago Teachers Union has more demands before it will tell members to return to classrooms. Chicago’s mayor says the teachers’ union has a final offer.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Illinois lawmakers to vote on controversial ‘culturally responsive’ education rule

By Amy Korte

02/02/2021

The Illinois General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules will vote Feb. 16 on whether to suspend a rule that would require Illinois teacher training programs to adopt ‘culturally responsive teaching and leading’ standards.

TAGS: activism, ISBE: Illinois State Board of Education, JCAR: Joint Committee on Administrative Rules, progressive

Chicago teacher strike threat grows as elementary students miss return

By Brad Weisenstein

02/01/2021

With an agreement close but the Chicago Teachers Union refusing to budge, elementary students missed what was to be their first day back in 10 months. Now the fourth strike in nine years is imminent.

TAGS: COVID-19, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, strike

Lori Lightfoot

Illinois again ranks No. 2 in U.S. for highest property taxes

Chicago speed cameras write 1 ticket every 12 seconds

Chicago’s higher property taxes hit March 2

Chicago’s speed cameras start churning out $35 tickets March 1

Chicago had $41,100 in debt per taxpayer before COVID-19, second to New York

Illinois’ U.S. Senators urge Biden to keep public corruption-fighting prosecutor

Where are Chicago parents at the bargaining table?

Chicago students falling behind as city, teachers’ union squabble

Illinois lawmakers to vote on controversial ‘culturally responsive’ education rule

Chicago teacher strike threat grows as elementary students miss return

4 ways to break out of Illinois’ pension trap

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