• Donate
  • Investigations
    • Government Finance & Accountability
    • Education
    • Equity & Economic Opportunity
    • Criminal Justice & Public Safety
    • The Madigan Rule Podcast
  • Solutions
  • Opinion
  • Databases
  • Newsletters
    • The Answer
    • Point of Information
    • The Solution
  • About
    • Illinois Answers Project
    • Updates
    • Better Government Association
    • Leadership & Staff
    • Work With Us
    • Support Our Work
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Investigations
    • Government Finance & Accountability
    • Education
    • Equity & Economic Opportunity
    • Criminal Justice & Public Safety
    • The Madigan Rule Podcast
  • Solutions
  • Opinion
  • Databases
  • Newsletters
    • The Answer
    • Point of Information
    • The Solution
  • About
    • Illinois Answers Project
    • Updates
    • Better Government Association
    • Leadership & Staff
    • Work With Us
    • Support Our Work
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
Skip to content
Illinois Answers Project

Illinois Answers Project

Investigations. Solutions. Impact.

  • Donate
Donate
  • Investigations
    • Government Finance & Accountability
    • Education
    • Equity & Economic Opportunity
    • Criminal Justice & Public Safety
    • The Madigan Rule Podcast
  • Solutions
  • Opinion
  • Databases
  • Newsletters
    • The Answer
    • Point of Information
    • The Solution
  • About
    • Illinois Answers Project
    • Updates
    • Better Government Association
    • Leadership & Staff
    • Work With Us
    • Support Our Work

Investigations

All-gendered restroom.
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity

Illinois Gender-Neutral Bathroom Bill Was Tip of the Iceberg for Trans-Inclusive Legislation Passed This Session

by Alex Nitkin May 24, 2023May 23, 2023

As anti-trans legislation piles up in red states, Springfield is looking to raise a ‘beacon’ for inclusiveness in the Midwest

The building that housed Genevieve Melody Public School in the West Garfield Park neighborhood is one of more than two dozen CPS schools shuttered a decade ago that were never redeveloped. (Credit: Trent Sprague/For Illinois Answers Project)
Posted inEducation

CPS Faces Dwindling Enrollment, Empty Buildings, Soaring Deficits Decade After Mass Closure of Schools

by Jewél Jackson, Kelli Duncan and Casey Toner May 23, 2023May 23, 2023

Top public officials vow improvements as the district marks the 10th anniversary of its decision to close 49 schools.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, seen here at his augural address earlier this month, says he wants to change the way Chicago schools are funded to create greater equity. (Credit: Getty file photo)
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

Mayor Brandon Johnson Says He’ll Reopen the City’s Mental Health Clinics. It Won’t Be As Easy as It Sounds.

by Alex Nitkin May 17, 2023May 18, 2023

The mayor’s top allies say beefing up the city’s direct mental health services will be a long-term project. That means new clinics won’t open overnight.

Senator Robert Martwick is proposing legislation to fix IL Tier 2 pensions law, which may be depriving workers of their retirement benefits.
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

A Pension ‘Fix’ Could Blow a Hole in City Budgets. Here’s Why Supporters Say It’s Worth It.

by Alex Nitkin May 10, 2023May 10, 2023

A group of bills moving through the legislature would balloon Chicago’s and Cook County’s pension benefits at a time when taxpayers are already being pressed.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity

Explained: Chicago’s Migrant Crisis

by Manny Ramos May 5, 2023May 8, 2023

Chicago has been staring down a manufactured migrant crisis for months that has entered a boiling point — leaving vulnerable asylum seekers in despair and struggling to find safe shelter. 

Tax assessments have fallen for the Macy's property at Schaumburg's Woodfield Mall, meaning more of the community's property tax burden will spread elsewhere.
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

Tax Hikes to Ebb for Many North Suburban Businesses, Leaving Homeowners on the Hook

by Alex Nitkin May 3, 2023May 4, 2023

Thousands of homeowners in north and northwest Cook County are in for sticker shock this fall, data shows

Kathleen Campbell, 71, stands on her property where a private company had threatened to seize portions of it through eminent domain and is now an outspoken critic of carbon dioxide pipelines crossing through Central Illinois.
Posted inInvestigations

Naked land grab or a boon to the environment? Proposed ‘carbon-capture’ pipelines across central Illinois trouble land owners

by Manny Ramos April 28, 2023April 28, 2023

Carbon capture and storage is a process to clean dirty industry and reduce emissions, but environmental groups are ringing the alarm that Illinois doesn’t have the proper guardrails in place.

To put more electric vehicles on the road, Illinois will need more charging stations, and it currently lags behind several other states. (Credit: Getty file photo)
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

The Feds Are Pushing for Millions More Electric Vehicles on the Road, But Is Illinois Ready?

by Manny Ramos April 21, 2023May 2, 2023

Gov. J. B. Pritzker’s administration says it welcomes the goal of increasing the number of electric vehicles by 2032 but is still examining the implications of a new proposed EPA standard.

Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability

Brandon Johnson Wants To Raise $800M in New Revenue. Can He?

by Alex Nitkin April 19, 2023April 21, 2023

Johnson has surfaced at least a half-dozen ideas to find more money to close the city’s structural deficit. All will face high hurdles in the way of implementation.

Properties are being reassessed in Chicago's south suburbs this year, including Homewood. Early indicators show homeowners and retailers there could be in for big increases.
Posted inEquity & Economic Opportunity

South-Suburban Homeowners Next in Line for Property Tax Pain

by Alex Nitkin April 12, 2023April 12, 2023

3 years after home valuations were deflated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘we’re going to see the pendulum swing,’ one official says

Posts navigation

1 2 3 … 109 Older posts

Trending Stories

  • CPS Faces Dwindling Enrollment, Empty Buildings, Soaring Deficits Decade After Mass Closure of Schools
  • A Pension ‘Fix’ Could Blow a Hole in City Budgets. Here’s Why Supporters Say It’s Worth It.
  • Explained: Illinois’ Assault Weapons Ban and the Legal Challenges It Faces
  • Illinois Gender-Neutral Bathroom Bill Was Tip of the Iceberg for Trans-Inclusive Legislation Passed This Session
  • South-Suburban Homeowners Next in Line for Property Tax Pain

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube

Here at the Illinois Answers Project, our team of reporters work every day to uncover waste and wrongdoing in government, hold public officials accountable, and lift up solutions to Illinois’ most pressing problems.

NEWSLETTERS
DONATE

  • Investigations
  • Solutions
  • Opinion
  • Databases
  • Newsletters
  • About
  • Better Government Association

223 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 300 Chicago, IL 60606

(312) 427-8330

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
© 2023 Illinois Answers Project. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube