Chicago one of only two big cities without mayoral, city council term limits

By Grace Hansen

07/01/2026

A city charter could impose them. All other big cities have one

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families  

By Josh Bandoch, Joe Tabor

07/09/2024

Published July 9, 2024 America is facing a housing affordability crisis. According to a 2022 survey, 73% of Americans said the average person could not afford a home in their area, and 69% were worried about their children and grandchildren being able to afford a home. That’s unfair. Everyone deserves a good roof over their...

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

Google Fiber pauses Chicago operations

By Brendan Bakala

10/27/2016

Tech giant suspends plans to bring fiber optics to Windy City in favor of a wireless approach.

TAGS: Chicago, jobs, regulations

Report: Dashcam equipment in Chicago police vehicles ‘intentionally’ destroyed

By Bryant Jackson-Green

01/28/2016

80% of Chicago dashcam audio systems are malfunctioning due "to operator error or in some cases intentional destruction."

TAGS: Chicago, CPD: Chicago Police Department, criminal justice reform, dashcam video, police body cameras

Make body cameras mandatory to improve police accountability

By Bryant Jackson-Green

01/15/2016

Ninety-two percent of Americans support a body camera requirement for police officers; to enhance transparency and accountability, Chicago should require its police to use body cameras.

TAGS: police body cameras

Illinois corruption watch, August 2014

By Brian Costin

09/05/2014

At least 84 corruption-related stories have been reported from across the state of Illinois in August alone. Atop August headlines is the recent revelation that a federal grand jury subpoenaed the emails of Gov. Pat Quinn’s ex-chief of staff in relation to Quinn’s anti-violence grant program. The case, which has been referred to by some...

TAGS: Chicago, corruption, cronyism, transparency, waste

Taxpayers on the hook for risky investments in state pension systems

08/15/2014

Politicians have made a mess of Illinois’ finances, in large part through their mismanagement of state and local pension systems. With most of the state’s pension funds heading toward insolvency, it’s no surprise that politicians’ actions – from using government-worker retirements as slush funds, to trading retirement benefits in exchange for union support, to taking...

The problem with fake or partial pension reforms: the crisis never goes away

By Ted Dabrowski

02/28/2013

Late last year California passed a bill that implemented what some would like to call sweeping government worker pension reforms.

Chicago has second highest taxes on meals in restaurants

03/29/2012

Ever notice that going out to eat seems more expensive in Chicago than other cities? One of the reasons is that on top of the very high sales tax in Chicago, there are additional taxes on meals in restaurants: 0.25 percent Chicago restaurant tax and 1.0 percent Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA) food and...

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Chicago one of only two big cities without mayoral, city council term limits

Regulatory reform can make housing more affordable for Illinois families

Vallas: Chicago needs tools, transparency for responsible budgeting

Google Fiber pauses Chicago operations

Report: Dashcam equipment in Chicago police vehicles ‘intentionally’ destroyed

Make body cameras mandatory to improve police accountability

Illinois corruption watch, August 2014

Taxpayers on the hook for risky investments in state pension systems

The problem with fake or partial pension reforms: the crisis never goes away

Chicago has second highest taxes on meals in restaurants

Fighting poverty with employment: Chicago block clubs

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