The Republican governor visited Elmhurst in what was pegged as a pro-police rally where he compared crime rates of Chicago to the whole state of Florida
Investigations
Posted inSolutions
Here are 4 ways the Bears could score public funding for a move — and why they’d all be controversial
The Bears say they aren’t looking for a handout, but they want ‘property tax certainty’ and public infrastructure spending in Arlington Heights. Here’s what that could look like.
Posted inInvestigations
Big talk, slow progress from Mayor Lightfoot on anti-violence programs
City Hall touts its $410M plan to fight crime but has spent little money; some cash goes to street outreach groups with no experience or troubled leadership.
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability
Ald. Rod Sawyer did legal work for firm that bought Beverly home for $32K from man with dementia
A judge later invalidated the sale, but Sawyer, who is running for mayor, notes he was dismissed from the court case involving the purchase, with no finding of wrongdoing
Posted inSolutions
Is Lightfoot’s Signature Housing Policy Working? Depends on Who You Ask
One visible metric shows a big slowdown in housing construction since the 2021 Affordable Requirements Ordinance took hold. But a deeper look shows a more complex picture.
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability
A Revived Push for a Labor Peace Agreement With City Nonprofits
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd) told the Illinois Answers Project she was disheartened by nonprofit leaders who showed their opposition for an ordinance that would bar employers from interfering in union organizing efforts.
Posted inCriminal Justice & Public Safety
Explained: Illinois’ Assault Weapons Ban and the Legal Challenges It Faces
A new law banning assault weapons is facing an uphill legal battle with scholars hesitant to say it will survive challenges
Posted inGovernment Finance & Accountability
Chicago Boards the ‘Social Bonds’ Bandwagon — And Gets Results
The trendy debt maneuver has been tried in other major cities with some success
Posted inInvestigations
Cook County Board Commissioner’s Campaign Got $300K From a Nonprofit with a Murky History
Sean Morrison, who is also chairman of the Cook County Republican Party, raked in the money in a tight reelection race from a nonprofit that has financial ties to a PAC funded by billionaire Ken Griffin.
Posted inSolutions
Update: Pritzker signs bill shielding abortion patients, providers from out-of-state legal threats
Legal scholars say without those protections abortion opponents in other states might be able to sue or prosecute Illinois residents.