Chicago Fact Sheet

08/28/2023

Chicago is one of the nation's greatest cities, but it has challenges. An outline of four of the most significant problems.

Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation

By Dylan Sharkey

11/23/2022

AAA predicts nearly 55 million people will travel for Thanksgiving this year, only 2% less than Thanksgiving travel in 2019. Illinoisans hitting the road should try to fill up in other states.

TAGS: gas tax, Thanksgiving

Chicago issues over 1M parking tickets in 6 months

By Patrick Andriesen

10/11/2022

Three years after Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot campaigned on a pledge to reduce fines and fees, the city issued over 1 million parking tickets in the first half of 2022 – a 25% bump from the same period a year earlier.

TAGS: Chicago, speed cameras

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

By Austin Berg

11/11/2019

Government corruption is nothing new for Illinoisans. Illinois is the second-most corrupt state in the nation, according to research by the University of Illinois-Chicago. And corruption costs the state economy more than $550 million per year. What is new? Powerful Illinois lawmakers, Chicago aldermen, local mayors and business interests are involved in what appears to be...

Pritzker gas tax to help fund $205.5M ‘exit to nowhere’

10/25/2019

Gov. J.B. Pritzker just bumped up funding for road construction to a non-existent airport to $205.5 million, paid in part with his doubled gas tax. The airport remains a distant idea, but the road will soon be concrete.

TAGS: airport, gas tax, JB Pritzker, Peotone, taxes

Peotone airport gains in new state budget, but history shows taxpayers lose

09/27/2019

Funding for a third Chicagoland airport was included in the latest state budget. The controversial plan brings a risk for more corruption and overspending that will cost taxpayers millions.

TAGS: airport, budget, JB Pritzker, Peotone, taxes

What you need to know about Illinois’ gambling expansion

06/13/2019

Answers to frequently asked questions about new casinos and sports betting in Illinois.

TAGS: gambling, sports betting, sports gambling

Illinois lawmakers set to throw more money at failing Chicago convention center

By Austin Berg

05/30/2019

Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center has been a political money pit for nearly 60 years. And now state lawmakers are considering whether to keep subsidizing failure with more tax dollars.

TAGS: JB Pritzker, McCormick Place, McPier, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, taxes

Theft, solicitation of bribes among misconduct in Chicago inspector general’s report

10/22/2018

Chicago’s inspector general unveiled a litany of misconduct by city employees and contractors.

TAGS: Chicago, corruption

Freeze-out: Government union strike could cripple Chicago this winter

By Mailee Smith

01/04/2018

A potential strike by Teamsters Local 700 – which represents snowplow operators in Chicago – could have a disastrous impact on travel and safety in the city. Unlike neighboring states, Illinois law enshrines this “right to strike,” thereby giving government worker unions enormous power in bargaining.

TAGS: Chicago, collective bargaining, strike, Teamsters

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Chicago Fact Sheet

Illinois Thanksgiving travelers pay 2nd-highest gas taxes in nation

Chicago issues over 1M parking tickets in 6 months

2019-2020 Illinois corruption tracker

Pritzker gas tax to help fund $205.5M ‘exit to nowhere’

Peotone airport gains in new state budget, but history shows taxpayers lose

What you need to know about Illinois’ gambling expansion

Illinois lawmakers set to throw more money at failing Chicago convention center

Theft, solicitation of bribes among misconduct in Chicago inspector general’s report

Freeze-out: Government union strike could cripple Chicago this winter

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