Nearly 83% of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s funding has been from unions, according to data obtained from Illinois Sunshine. More than half of that came from teachers unions. Here are three ways we could see him pay them back.
This edition of The Policy Shop was written by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research. It’s a good month to be a state worker in Illinois. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has awarded the largest ever American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) contract, which includes 19% pay raises and a $1,200 signing bonus for...
If the slow start of the Johnson administration is any indication, Chicagoans could be looking at four years without any meaningful government reform.
Five Midwest states have enacted or expanded school choice programs since the Invest in Kids Act was enacted in 2017. Now Illinois’ scholarships are set to expire while other programs thrive.
Chicago Public Schools students return to class Aug. 21. Take a look at the state of district proficiency, building utilization, enrollment, student-teacher ratios, absenteeism and finances.
The city of Chicago faces a pension crisis, heightened crime and a failing public school system. New Mayor Brandon Johnson has taken no concrete steps to deal with any of it.
Illinois public school students are at a severe disadvantage. Educational unions here can strike, keeping kids out of school, but that’s not the case in other big cities or neighboring states.
“If it weren’t for the scholarship, he probably would have been home taught. Public school was just not an option for him.”
Larry Snelling, formerly the Chicago Police Department’s counterterrorism bureau chief, was selected Aug. 13 to become CPD’s next superintendent. Now, the city needs clarity on his plans to address Chicago’s crime problems.
The state finally surpassed January 2020 job levels after 37 states had already done so, including all of Illinois’ neighbors except Michigan.
This edition of The Policy Shop is brought to you by Josh Bandoch, head of policy. Politicians love to make promises. Here’s one: Your property taxes won’t go up! Mayor Brandon Johnson has made that vow. Many of his predecessors had, too. That won’t help anyone who owes Cook County property taxes for the remainder...
Contracts at 35 Chicago charter schools represented by the Chicago Teachers Union are up for negotiations this year. CTU, with the help of Gov. J.B. Pritzker and House Bill 1120, is positioning itself to grow its power by diminishing charter schools as an alternative for parents and students.