Illinois structural budget imbalances call for something more strategic than can be accomplished through annual budget-making alone.
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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 inInvestigating Responses
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 inOpinion
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.
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 inInvestigating Responses
Would Transit Ambassadors Improve the CTA?
Transit ambassadors are being introduced in transit systems from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Cleveland and Philadelphia but evidence of its effectiveness remains limited
Posted inOpinion
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.
Posted inInvestigating Responses
City Plan To Ticket Drivers Who Block Bike Lanes Downtown Draws Mixed Reaction From Cycling Advocates
Even though it only applies to the Downtown area, some cycling advocates say the pilot program is a step in the right direction. Others say it’s light on details and doesn’t address pressing safety concerns.
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
