When Brandon Johnson ran for mayor two years ago, he did so on the strength of an expansive progressive agenda. His vision for equity in housing, schools, neighborhoods and downtown […]
David Greising
David Greising is the president and chief executive of the Better Government Association, joining the BGA in 2018. For nearly a century, the BGA has fought for honest and effective government through investigative journalism and policy advocacy.
Posted inOpinion
Greising: With its own mayor in office, CTU makes Pedro Martinez its fall guy
It’s a long-standing Chicago tradition that the Chicago Teachers Union president, in the heat of contract negotiations, begins demonizing Chicago’s mayor. Karen Lewis so befuddled Mayor Rahm Emanuel — to […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: How prepared are Chicago police for the 2024 DNC?
Now as then, it makes sense to look with caution on the calm before the convention. Then was early August 1968. Now is just a few days before the opening […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: Merging teachers’ pension funds may help increase CPS revenues
Chicago Public Schools has a new “balanced” budget for the coming year. Of course, the $9.9 billion CPS budget can be considered balanced only through willful disregard for gaping holes that still […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: The Mayor Learns Who Is Really Calling the Shots on CPS Budget
Within a few years Chicago’s Board of Education will be fully elected. For now, though, Mayor Brandon Johnson appoints the city’s school board, which in theory should mean he is […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: When Will CPD Root Out Police Officers With Extremist Ties?
The Chicago Police Department has a problem with racist, anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim and anti-democratic police officers on the force. The Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Three Percenters and other extremist groups are […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: Aldermen Gain Upper Hand Over ShotSpotter’s Future
The lengthy and intense City Council debate this week over the future of ShotSpotter, the heavily hyped and deeply flawed policing technology, came at a fitting time: just before Memorial Day […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: Bears Pitch for a Lakefront Stadium Fizzled. Here’s How They Can Move Forward.
The Chicago Bears’ epically inept unveiling of plans for a new indoor stadium to replace Soldier Field will go down in Chicago lore as one of the loudest backfires in […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: Illinois Tier 2 Pension Promise Needs To Be Fixed
In the debate over how to fix Illinois’ worst-in-the-nation pension problem, the people who argue that retirement pay and benefits need to be protected at all costs have always held […]
Posted inOpinion
Greising: ShotSpotter Missteps Could Be Turned to the City’s Advantage
ShotSpotter is the technology that just won’t go away. At least not yet. Mayor Brandon Johnson intended to allow the city’s contract with the gunshot-tracking system to expire last month, […]
