Illinoisans expected to bet $300 million on holiday football

By Dylan Sharkey

12/29/2023

Illinoisans will have wagered more than $300 million on football during December, or roughly $25 a person. Illinois is the second-largest sports betting market in the nation.

Illinois population drop, departures among worst in U.S.

By Bryce Hill

12/29/2023

Illinois lost 83,839 residents who moved to other states, one of the highest rates in the U.S. and driving a 10th consecutive year of population decline. It ranks near the bottom on multiple other population measures, too.

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

By Hannah Schmid

12/26/2023

Research shows income and adult literacy are strongly related. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show 20% of Illinois adults are “functionally illiterate.” Cook County’s rate is 25%.

TAGS: Cook County

‘This Christmas’ your gift from Chicago is 9% tax, even if ‘Home Alone’

By Dylan Sharkey

12/21/2023

Streaming holiday movies or music? Chicago taxes it as the same rate as enjoying the same thing in person. The 9% amusement tax has included streaming services since 2015.

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

By Joe Tabor

12/04/2023

Employment is the clearest path out of poverty, but these five low-income professions face more occupational licensing burdens than others in Illinois.

Testimony begins in former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke corruption trial

By Patrick Andriesen

11/20/2023

After serving more than half a century as a “fixture” on the Chicago City Council, former Ald. Edward Burke now faces 14 counts of federal corruption charges for allegedly abusing his finance chair position and aldermanic powers for personal gain.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, Ed Burke

What power do Illinois, Chicago have to fix migrant crisis?

By Joe Tabor

11/06/2023

The increase in asylum seekers arriving in Chicago is stressing communities and exhausting resources. What exactly can states and local governments do?

Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union’s new attack on charter schools

By Paul Vallas

10/26/2023

Chicago Public Schools’ decision to significantly shorten the number of years charter schools are allowed to operate before their charters are up for renewal is the latest Chicago Teachers Union effort to destroy public school choice.

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

Chicago poverty higher than San Francisco, Los Angeles

By Bryce Hill, Dylan Sharkey

09/27/2023

Chicago has one of the highest poverty rates among the nation’s biggest cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles.

TAGS: Chicago

Vallas: Chicago needs tools, transparency for responsible budgeting

By Paul Vallas

09/27/2023

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is continuing the mayoral tradition of giving the City Council and public too little time and too little information before a deficit city budget is passed. There’s little chance that will change soon, but it could be fixed.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago

New York

Illinoisans expected to bet $300 million on holiday football

Illinois population drop, departures among worst in U.S.

1 in 5 Illinois adults is illiterate, but it’s 1 in 4 in Cook County

‘This Christmas’ your gift from Chicago is 9% tax, even if ‘Home Alone’

5 jobs Illinois imposes heaviest licensing burdens on

Testimony begins in former Chicago Ald. Ed Burke corruption trial

What power do Illinois, Chicago have to fix migrant crisis?

Vallas: Chicago Teachers Union’s new attack on charter schools

Chicago poverty higher than San Francisco, Los Angeles

Vallas: Chicago needs tools, transparency for responsible budgeting

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