Editorial: Homeless Chicagoans number steady despite 3X city spending on issue

By Hilary Gowins

03/15/2024

The city’s data shows there are 6,139 homeless Chicagoans. That number has barely budged since 2014, when the city counted 6,294 homeless Chicagoans, but city spending on homelessness has jumped from $21.7 million in 2014 to $58 million in 2023.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, Chicago

Common-ground solutions to empower Chicago’s poor: A model for America’s cities

By Josh Bandoch

01/25/2024

Published Jan. 25, 2024

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

Center for Poverty Solutions: How to better assess poverty in Chicago and America

By Bryce Hill

09/26/2023

Published Sept. 26, 2023 America’s War on Poverty has been an abject failure. Nearly $12 trillion and 60 years later, official poverty rates remain basically unchanged. While the nation waged a well-intentioned assault on poverty, it inadvertently launched a far more sinister war: on dignity. While attempting to eradicate poverty, America created countless government welfare...

3 ways Chicago Mayor Johnson is likely to repay unions for bankrolling him

By Mailee Smith

08/24/2023

Nearly 83% of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s funding has been from unions, according to data obtained from Illinois Sunshine. More than half of that came from teachers unions. Here are three ways we could see him pay them back.

TAGS: Brandon Johnson, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union

Chicago households making $100K targeted by Brandon Johnson allies

By Bryce Hill, Justin Carlson

06/06/2023

An ominously titled document by close confidants of new Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson states the new administration’s top priority is to take more money from households making $100,000 or more to fund what they claim is a “just Chicago.”

TAGS: Brandon Johnson

Each Chicago taxpayer on hook for nearly $42,000 of city debt

By Justin Carlson

02/10/2023

Fiscal watchdog Truth in Accounting found Chicagoans are each responsible for the second-most debt in the nation. It again gave the city an ‘F’ grade despite improvements from one-time federal COVID-19 aid and unusually high pension investment returns.

TAGS: Chicago, debt

Building fairness and opportunity: The effects of repealing Illinois’ prevailing wage law

By Orphe Divounguy

12/07/2017

Illinois’ Prevailing Wage Act has no place in the 21st century. Policymakers should enact fair and competitive construction laws that give all individuals who are willing to work a fighting chance.

Philadelphia and Chicago public schools’ experiencing similar fates

09/18/2013

The Philadelphia and Chicago school systems are both in trouble. Decades of mismanagement have left both districts in financial free-fall. Philadelphia has a $304 million deficit. It has already taken some steps to address it – closing 24 schools this summer and laying off more than 4,000 employees, including almost 700 teachers. District leaders tried...

Detroit: A story that must be told

By Ted Dabrowski

08/23/2013

Two weeks ago I took in the demise of Detroit with my own eyes. I was fortunate to be with my colleague, Detroit native Paul Kersey. As we embarked on the trip, he told me “Detroit is a story that must be told.” He was right. I’d seen the pictures and knew the history, but...

TAGS: Detroit

Philadelphia

Editorial: Homeless Chicagoans number steady despite 3X city spending on issue

Common-ground solutions to empower Chicago’s poor: A model for America’s cities

Chicago poverty higher than San Francisco, Los Angeles

Center for Poverty Solutions: How to better assess poverty in Chicago and America

3 ways Chicago Mayor Johnson is likely to repay unions for bankrolling him

Chicago households making $100K targeted by Brandon Johnson allies

Each Chicago taxpayer on hook for nearly $42,000 of city debt

Building fairness and opportunity: The effects of repealing Illinois’ prevailing wage law

Philadelphia and Chicago public schools’ experiencing similar fates

Detroit: A story that must be told

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