Latest News from Chicago City Wire

CivicLab co-founder: TIF funds should be redistributed to governments

By Claudia Balthazar | Nov 27, 2017

The tax increment financing (TIF) program is nothing more than a slush fund controlled by Democratic Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago, according to Tom Tresser, civic educator and public defender, who said TIFs are sitting on $1.4 billion.

Collective bargaining described as plaguing schools with absent teachers

By Claudia Balthazar | Oct 15, 2017

Schools might want to reconsider their collective bargaining agreements (CBA) after reading an article by a former teacher that links chronic teacher absences to unionized schools.

'They deserve the right to be children'; CPS police brutality curriculum raises parental concerns

By Claudia Balthazar | Sep 21, 2017

A new city-mandated curriculum on police brutality in Chicago schools involving former Police Cmdr. Jon Burge and his torture victims has no place in the classroom, some former educators and parents say.

GOP precinct committeemen hopefuls: Start your petitions

By Claudia Balthazar | Sep 11, 2017

It's signature-gathering time for anyone interested in becoming a Republican precinct committeeman, a two-year post that is performed on a volunteer-only basis, according to Illinois Family Action.

Emanuel keeps up spin as Chicago goes down drain, group suggests

By Claudia Balthazar | Aug 21, 2017

Mayor Rahm Emanuel has a simple way of getting rid of Chicago's poor financial management, the Better Government Agency (BGA) says: Don't mention them.

Watchdog group: Chicago's TIF 'shell game' proves reform, probe required

By Claudia Balthazar | Aug 21, 2017

A fiasco involving the Chicago officials and the funneling of tax increment finance (TIF) district money away from where it was intended is proof that reforms and even an investigation are needed, the president of the Better Government Association (BGA) contends.