Chicago City Wire

Records show taxpayers paid $100K for CPS student trips to Costa Rica, South Africa, Ireland, Italy

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 25, 2018

Records obtained by Chicago City Wire show that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) spent nearly $100,000 for student and teacher trips to the United Kingdom, Italy, South Africa and Costa Rica last year, as district leaders were asking Illinoisans to pay more in taxes to bail out the insolvent, debt-ridden district.

Edgebrook chamber behind plan to levy higher property taxes under special service area designation

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 17, 2018

Tim Pomaville, a real estate developer and property owner in Edgebrook, said he was shocked when he received a notice just over a week ago that the Edgebrook Sauganash Chamber of Commerce was behind a proposal to raise property taxes as part of a special service area (SSA) designation.

Encouraged by primary success, Northwest Side GOP Club looks to November

By W.J. Kennedy | Apr 3, 2018

In the Republican primary election for governor, four wards in the Northwest Side bucked the voting trend of the nearby wards by favoring Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton) over Gov. Bruce Rauner.

Chicago GOP threatens CPS with lawsuit over students' anti-gun protests

By W.J. Kennedy | Mar 23, 2018

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) face the threat of a lawsuit from the Chicago Republican Party over recent student anti-gun protests, which were supported by school administrators.

From North Cook News

Silverstein re-election bid aided by 'ghost candidate' McAteer-Fournier

By W.J. Kennedy | 7 years ago

The primary campaign of embattled incumbent State Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), who faced sexual harassment charges late last year, is being helped by a third candidate in the race, Caroline McAteer-Fournier, a source close to the race told North Cook News.

Chicago Public Schools paid for student trips to Costa Rica, expense records show

By W.J. Kennedy | Mar 16, 2018

Expense records obtained by Chicago City Wire show that Chicago Public Schools spent nearly $100,000 on international student trips booked through a Chicago-based travel agency over the past year.

Silverstein re-election bid gets $55,400 boost from State Democratic Victory Fund

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 19, 2018

The State Democratic Victory Fund provided $55,400 in campaign funds to state Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), according to the Illinois State Board of Elections.

Irish-American blog blasts Rauner politicking at slain officer's funeral, cites growing support for Ives

By W.J. Kennedy | Feb 19, 2018

A Feb. 18 post on Citizens Report American Irish Culture's website said Gov. Bruce Rauner “takes the cake for having the nerve to turn a dead cop’s funeral into a campaign stop.”

From Prairie State Wire

Cook County GOP's endorsement of Rauner may not be what it seems

By W.J. Kennedy | 7 years ago

Republicans from at least one township in Cook County said that Tuesday's endorsement of Gov. Bruce Rauner was the outcome of a rigged process and not a reflection of grass-roots support within the party.

Rauner state schools' chief calls for $1,500 per household tax hike

By W.J. Kennedy | Jan 23, 2018

Governor Bruce Rauner's handpicked state schools superintendent is calling for a massive, $7.2 billion tax hike to fund higher school administrator and staff salaries.

Photo of SNAP recipient's fridge indicative of upcoming debate over food-assistance program

By W.J. Kennedy | Jan 16, 2018

A photo of a welfare recipient’s nearly bare refrigerator, containing a few sodas and other sugary drinks, taken by WTTW-TV reporter Amanda Vinicky and posted on Twitter is emblematic of the upcoming debate in Congress over the nation’s Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), poverty experts say.

Catholic universities lack consistent policies covering religious practices of students of other faiths

By W.J. Kennedy | Dec 21, 2017

Catholic universities in America have no set, across-the-board policy for handling the religious practices of students of other faiths, according to comments Chicago City Wire received from the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) and the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU).

Lockport VFW post's ban on NFL broadcasts stands despite players' Veterans Day gesture

By W.J. Kennedy | Nov 15, 2017

Commander Ernest "E.J." Errico of the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 5788 in Lockport says that despite the gesture made by National Football League players this past Sunday to honor veterans in light of Veterans Day makes no difference – Post 5788 will continue to ban broadcasts of NFL games.

'This will never, ever end'; Chicago schools demand more even as they hemorrhage students

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 19, 2017

Such is the lament of Mark Glennon, founder of WirePoints Illinois Financial News, when speaking to Chicago City Wire about the fiscal black hole that the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system has apparently become.

No breathing room at the inn: Chicago hotels feel squeeze as city piles on more costs

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 18, 2017

The Chicago City Council recently added two more surcharges to its Chicago hotel bill, putting an industry already enduring the highest tax rates on hotel rooms in the country at an even bigger disadvantage against similar convention host cities.

Socialist state rep. demands Chicago "rent control;" would be a boon to capitalist landlords

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 16, 2017

Far left-leaning State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-Chicago) frequently pitches concepts in Springfield that would be better described as socialist. However, his latest idea-- a state law that would repeal Chicago's 1997 law banning "rent control," or government-imposed limits on residential apartment rents-- would end up enriching many of the city's most ardent capitalists.

Chicago Teachers Pension Fund described as bottomless pit into which Illinois dumps fortune

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 12, 2017

Fiscal experts are warning that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be back for more once the revenue raised from yet another increase in property taxes disappears into the fiscal black hole that is the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund (CTPF).

Ditka calls oppression statement 'stupid,' spoken without thought

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 11, 2017

Former Chicago Bears coach Mike Ditka recently told the Chicago City Wire that saying "there has been no oppression in the last 100 years" was a case of “his mouth running ahead of his brain.”

With taxes moving up, more Chicagoans are moving out

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 6, 2017

More people left Chicago between May 1 and Aug. 31 -- peak moving season – than any other city in the nation this year.

Fierce backlash follows Las Vegas massacre tweet from Highland Park deli owner

By W.J. Kennedy | Oct 4, 2017

Greg Morelli said it was the “understatement of year” when a caller to his deli asked if he hoped to hear an order for a roast beef sub rather than a comment on Morelli's Twitter post about the Las Vegas massacre on Monday.