Illinois unemployment rate in July hits 2nd highest in U.S.
Illinois unemployment rate in July hits 2nd highest in U.S.
July unemployment hit 5.2% in Illinois, ranking second worst in the nation. It equated to 341,630 workers looking for a job.
Democratic National Convention to tout education policy near Chicago school where no kids read at grade level
Democratic National Convention to tout education policy near Chicago school where no kids read at grade level
Education will be a major platform piece during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Too bad the party will meet near a Chicago school where spending $27K per student yields none who can read at grade level.
Illinois No. 2 in nation for highest gas taxes
Illinois No. 2 in nation for highest gas taxes
Only California has higher gasoline taxes than Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s automatic gas tax boost just bumped the rate to 47 cents per gallon. It was 19 cents before Pritzker took office.
Johnson’s loyalty to Chicago Teachers Union clear as he pushes out schools chief
Johnson’s loyalty to Chicago Teachers Union clear as he pushes out schools chief
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is reportedly working to get rid of Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez. Martinez has been fighting financial ploys by Johnson and the mayor’s former employer, the Chicago Teachers Union.
Chicago has more public pension debt than 43 states
Chicago has more public pension debt than 43 states
Chicago’s pension systems for city workers have $51 billion in debt, so much that they are in worse shape than 43 states. Fixing them requires Chicago’s mayor to push for a change in the Illinois Constitution.
Stacy Davis Gates: Lots of ire for Chicago schools, state leaders, corporations, banks
Stacy Davis Gates: Lots of ire for Chicago schools, state leaders, corporations, banks
Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates had words for state lawmakers, the governor, corporations and financial institutions at a public bargaining session over a new union contract. She said union demands are not a money discussion, but rather about culture.
Pritzker scorecard: Illinois’ governor failing on economy, taxes, education
Pritzker scorecard: Illinois’ governor failing on economy, taxes, education
Real-world outcomes for Illinoisans have dropped since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. The nation’s Democrats need to see where he’s taken Illinois before following his lead.
Chicago unemployment is highest in nation
Chicago unemployment is highest in nation
Nearly 100,000 Chicago-area residents are out of work, and at 6.2% the Chicago metro area has the highest unemployment rate of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. Illinois as a whole isn’t doing much better, with a 6.1% unemployment rate.
Chicago’s average rent rises to $2,200, up 46% in 10 years
Chicago’s average rent rises to $2,200, up 46% in 10 years
Rent is unaffordable for half of Chicagoans, averaging $2,200 a month. The key to affordable housing is to build more housing, but that won’t happen until city government reduces its role.
Pension reform vote coming to suburban Chicago township
Pension reform vote coming to suburban Chicago township
Barrington Township will be the first local government in Illinois to give taxpayers a vote on reforming the single-largest property tax driver in the state: public pensions. The advisory referendum will be on the ballot Nov. 5.
3-in-10 Chicago public school teachers send their children to private school
3-in-10 Chicago public school teachers send their children to private school
Nearly 31% of public school teachers in Chicago send at least one of their kids to private school. What does that say about the quality of a public-school education in Chicago?
The Policy Shop: The shrinking city
The Policy Shop: The shrinking city
This episode of The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research. When Democrats come to Chicago Aug. 19-22, they will find plenty of elbow room: people are leaving, and not because of the potential for protests to turn ugly near the United Center. Chicago has lost nearly 130,000 residents since 2014, marking...
Pritzker to show Democrats how he thinks big about taxes, budgets, deficits
Pritzker to show Democrats how he thinks big about taxes, budgets, deficits
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s record $53.1 billion state budget imposes $1.1 billion in new taxes on Illinoisans and still manages to underfund public pensions. He’s boosted state spending by $15 billion in six years. Housing, jobs and population are all suffering.
Democratic National Convention just in time to wave goodbye to Chicagoans
Democratic National Convention just in time to wave goodbye to Chicagoans
The Democratic National Convention is coming to Chicago to highlight the party’s platform. Delegates are likely to see moving vans that highlight what those policies have done to the Windy City and the rest of Illinois.