Opinion

The new governor so far has shown little tendency toward fiscal austerity, and initial moves like the catch-up on union pay hikes and a privately funded boost to his staff’s salaries both seem to augur more spending ahead.

Chicago mayoral candidate Bill Daley proposed a bold plan to shrink the City Council from 50 to 15 aldermen. Would it help end corruption?

The execs on the receiving end of Ed Burke’s alleged shakedown attempt delayed and deflected the alderman’s unyielding pressure, coming off as part brave, part stubborn and just crafty enough to stay one step ahead of him.

Burke’s multiple conflicts of interest were tolerated for decades by mayors, voters, council members, reporters and even good-government advocates. And that’s because — well, that’s just the way it has been. The Chicago way.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel has proposed important pension reform for the city and Illinois. He should keep up the fight, even after his mayoral term ends.

One candidate—Lori Lightfoot—touched on a topic during a debate last month that merits more attention: the issue of regressive taxation in the city of Chicago.

The community is pushing Mayor Rahm Emanuel to slow down his ambitious plans to work with Sterling Bay on the Lincoln Yards development. He should listen.

Running for mayor is a game of numbers. The date of announcement is a number. The money in the kitty is a number. The cold calculations about constituencies, canvassers, endorsements and timing are all about numbers.

During his successful campaign for governor, J.B. Pritzker revealed little about his tax and spending plans. Now that he’s won, slogans parading as a campaign platform won’t do anymore.

Illinois gubernatorial candidates Gov. Bruce Rauner and J.B. Pritzker had some explaining to do regarding residences, however neither candidate provided voters with strong positions on issues that would send them to the polls.