Illinois’ comeback story starts here.

The Policy Shop: Springfield’s big budget crunch

The Policy Shop: Springfield’s big budget crunch

This week’s The Policy Shop is by Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic research at the Illinois Policy Institute. With just a week left of session and a hard deadline of July 1 (the beginning of the new fiscal year) to pass a state budget, Springfield politicians are running out of time. As of...

Larry Roberts

Larry Roberts

Larry Roberts is a Chicago barber who helps former inmates reclaim their lives and dignity through jobs training.  We first spoke to him in 2021. His school ran a barber shop inside the Chatham neighborhood Walmart until this spring, when Walmart abruptly closed that location and three others. Larry is looking for a new location...

Johnson makes union labor a Chicago priority

Johnson makes union labor a Chicago priority

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has created a new deputy mayor position for labor relations, but the job description is about boosting labor power rather than fostering relations and safeguarding taxpayers.

By Dylan Sharkey