Rahm Emanuel

Chicago pension reform ruled unconstitutional

By Ted Dabrowski

07/24/2015

The Illinois Supreme Court’s precedent has made it impossible for Chicago to stave off bankruptcy by making even the most meager reforms to government-worker pensions.

Growing tax burden will push people out of Cook County and Chicago

By Ted Dabrowski, John Klingner

07/15/2015

City officials are pushing property-tax hikes, sales-tax hikes, and even a commuter tax and financial-transaction tax.

TAGS: sales tax

Chicago now home to the nation’s highest sales tax

By Hilary Gowins

07/15/2015

Buying local just got a lot less appealing for Chicagoans. The city reclaimed the highest sales-tax rate of any major city in the nation on July 15, when the Cook County Board, which oversees Illinois’ largest city, voted to raise its portion of the sales tax, bringing Chicago’s combined rate to 10.25 percent from 9.25...

TAGS: Chicago, sales tax

Tamales y temor: The world of Chicago’s shadow chefs

By Austin Berg

07/15/2015

An ordinance that would immediately allow thousands of food-cart street vendors the freedom to serve their communities sits before Emanuel’s City Council, and along with it the potential for explosive growth in the industry.

School’s out of options: 7 things you should know about Chicago’s teacher pension system

By Ted Dabrowski

06/25/2015

As contract negotiations heat up this summer, the facts are hard to stomach.

TAGS: budget, contract, CPS: Chicago Public Schools, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, education, pensions, taxes

Chicago’s idea for ending ‘unsustainable financial practices’? Billion-dollar borrowing

By Ted Dabrowski

06/15/2015

The city’s long-term borrowing is akin to a Chicagoan taking on a mortgage to pay down credit-card bills she will never be able to pay off anyway.

Warning shots fired, Chicago pays $200M penalty for bad reputation in bond issue

By Ted Dabrowski

05/29/2015

The most recent round of city borrowing is a sign of things to come.

TAGS: bonds, Chicago

Corruption Watch: April 2015

By Shawn Tonge

05/08/2015

April saw two major players in Illinois education ensnared in charges of cronyism, among more than 60 other corruption-related stories.

TAGS: good government

Potential tax hike for Illinoisans is staggering

05/05/2015

A new report claims Chicagoans would face property-tax hikes nearing 50 percent to adequately fund city pensions.

Illinois moves to ban red-light cameras statewide

By Hilary Gowins

04/23/2015

Ideally, the state wouldn’t have to get involved, and local governments would act in the best interests of taxpayers. But the latter isn’t happening.

TAGS: ban

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