Combating fare evasion could help lagging CTA ridership

By Ravi Mishra

03/31/2026

Fare evasion leads to lower revenue and higher crime. Two cities have found a way to fight it.

TAGS: CTA: Chicago Transit Authority

Pritzker proposes reducing burdensome housing regulations

By Josh Bandoch

03/03/2026

The state needs to add 227,000 homes by 2030 to meet demand

TAGS: JB Pritzker

Transit sales tax hike makes suburbs pay for Chicago problems

By Dylan Sharkey

12/09/2025

Chicago-area transit riders deserve safe, reliable service. But the Regional Transportation Authority board might soon ask the wrong people to pay for it.

TAGS: RTA: Regional Transportation Authority

Illinois House Democrats push first-in-the-world wealth tax, streaming, concert taxes

By Dylan Sharkey

10/29/2025

State lawmakers are rushing a first-in-the-world wealth tax on billionaires. They also want taxes on streaming services such as Netflix and Spotify and steep surcharges on concerts and ticketed events.

Chicago-area Transit crisis: 7 principles to guide Illinois transportation reform

By LyLena Estabine

10/28/2025

Transit reform can support Illinois riders and taxpayers. These seven principles outline a path to affordability, accountability and efficiency.

Lawmakers push DoorDash, Uber Eats delivery tax statewide for Chicago transit

By LyLena Estabine

10/17/2025

Lawmakers may approve a statewide delivery tax on Doordash and Uber Eats to fund Chicago transit, hitting all Illinoisans who shop online, even those who don’t use CTA, Metra or Pace.

DoorDash, Uber, Ticketmaster and toll road hikes: $1.5 billion in potential taxes explained

By Ravi Mishra

10/15/2025

Prices for DoorDash, Uber, Ticketmaster and Illinois tolls might go up now to cover $1.5 billion for Illinois transit agencies. A real estate transfer tax for homes in the Chicago suburbs is also on the table.

Vallas: How to improve Chicago’s billion-dollar transit crisis

By Paul Vallas

10/15/2025

Chicago Transit Authority ridership is still below pre-pandemic levels. Crime and a budget shortfall make matters worse, but there are cost-effective ways to make it safer.

TAGS: CTA: Chicago Transit Authority

5 years later, Metra, CTA, Pace nowhere near pre-COVID levels

By Ravi Mishra, Dylan Sharkey, Charlotte Rotkis

07/25/2025

Ridership on Metra, the Chicago Transit Authority and Pace is still down 30% from pre-pandemic levels. The agency overseeing all three needs to look at spending before demanding $1.5 billion from taxpayers.

Testimony: Chicago cuts parking minimums near transit to boost housing affordability, availability

By LyLena Estabine

07/16/2025

The Chicago City Council will allow residential developments near public transit to build without imposing parking space minimums, offering a major boost for affordability and the city’s housing supply.

TAGS: Chicago City Council

Metra

Combating fare evasion could help lagging CTA ridership

Pritzker proposes reducing burdensome housing regulations

Transit sales tax hike makes suburbs pay for Chicago problems

Illinois House Democrats push first-in-the-world wealth tax, streaming, concert taxes

Chicago-area Transit crisis: 7 principles to guide Illinois transportation reform

Lawmakers push DoorDash, Uber Eats delivery tax statewide for Chicago transit

DoorDash, Uber, Ticketmaster and toll road hikes: $1.5 billion in potential taxes explained

Vallas: How to improve Chicago’s billion-dollar transit crisis

5 years later, Metra, CTA, Pace nowhere near pre-COVID levels

Testimony: Chicago cuts parking minimums near transit to boost housing affordability, availability

FAQ: How the federal scholarship program would help Illinois students

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