Hardly anyone believes a casino operator would pay an effective tax rate of 72 percent to operate a Chicago casino. But how high could the rate be and still attract bidders?

It’s a fair question after a financial analysis released Aug. 13 by the Illinois Gaming Board suggested that the much-anticipated gambling house could be dead on arrival because of “onerous” taxes on the facility imposed by state lawmakers—new taxes that would be so high as to make it impossible to finance the project. The consultancy hired by the Lightfoot administration to analyze five

In June, Obama beat a federal lawsuit to stop him from building his Center in Jackson Park. But he and the Obama Foundation didn’t have much time to celebrate: This month, he’s facing a report from the city’s Department of Planning and Development claiming the project will have an “adverse effect” on the park and Midway Plaisance.

A year ago, the mayor and the city council would have ignored that report. No longer — Obama doesn’t have that kind of clout anymore.