EXCLUSIVE
$141M in Pritzker Projects Have Close Ties to Governor’s Allies But Face Serious Questions
Three projects under Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois program, including a proposed port in beleaguered downstate Cairo, have benefited his friends or political allies. Pritzker insists the projects were funded on their merits.
A LEGACY OF FAILURES
What’s the Cost of a Labor Peace Agreement?
Human services providers claim the new ordinance would have a financial burden, but the agreement has no associated costs
Chicago Police’s Foot Pursuit Policy Explained
A police officer seemingly adhered to the Chicago Police Department’s foot pursuit policy — still cost him his life
Lightfoot Made Headway on Pensions, but the Next Mayor Still Faces a Gaping Crisis
Mayoral candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson have given few hints on how they’d replenish the city’s severely depleted pension funds.
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more from Illinois answers
A new proposal would give cyclists more legal rights to Chicago’s streets. Here’s how.
A proposed ordinance is the latest step in Chicago’s lagging effort to make streets safer for bikers.
Greising: Mayoral Runoff Candidates Are Overlooking a Major Public Safety Problem — Fatal Fires
Violent crime is an urgent problem in Chicago. But fires are killers, too, preying on people of color in poor neighborhoods.
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Solutions
Officials Search for Legislative Fixes To Cook County’s Convoluted Tax Sale System
The Cook County treasurer, a lawyers’ association and a local housing nonprofit have offered different ideas on how to revive delinquent properties.
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.
Investigations
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Claims That Illinois and Chicago Cut Police Spending Are False
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
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.
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Opinion
Greising: If Vallas and Johnson Can Stick With the Issues, Chicagoans Will Be Better Off
Chicago mayoral runoff candidates Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson clearly are ready to play hardball, not beanbag.
Greising: Annual Budget-Making Won’t Solve Illinois’ Pension Crisis. We Need a Far-Reaching Fix-It Plan.
Illinois structural budget imbalances call for something more strategic than can be accomplished through annual budget-making alone.
Greising: With Laurence Msall’s Passing, Chicago Has Lost a Noble Fighter for Fiscal Responsibility
The Civic Federation under Laurence Msall argued that fiscal responsibility was a prerequisite for all the other goals in Chicago and Illinois.
Greising: Are Chicago’s Mayoral Candidates Conjuring Up Useful Solutions for the City’s Challenges?
Are Chicago’s mayoral candidates conjuring up useful solutions for the city’s challenges? Mayor Lori Lightfoot hasn’t come up with simple fixes to the city’s problems. That may be because she knows how tough the job can be.