-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Unlike commercial-scale solar farms, community solar gardens are no more than five megawatts. It’s a way for people to get their power from solar, even if they can’t install panels on their home or business. The company estimates more than $1 million in property taxes over the 20 to 30-year lifespan of the project.
Roughly a year and a half since the program’s creation, the city has issued tens of thousands of warnings and citations under the program and has issued nearly $2.6 million in fines to impeders of bike lanes, bus lanes and bus stops. Vehicles owned by Amazon Logistics, FedEx and UPS were charged a combined $460,000 for bus stop, bus lane and bike lane violations between November 2024 and early this May, according to the data.
“Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union have argued the solution to (Frederick Douglass Academy’s) problems is the Sustainable Community Schools model. But the results are in at eight CPS high schools that have used this model since 2018: proficiency and enrollment have continued to decline, while spending and absenteeism are up.”
“You will see a sign that says ‘toll ahead’ or ‘paid toll,’ but it does not define what the cost of that toll is going to be on the majority of tollways,” state Rep. Martin McLaughlin said. “If you’re going to continue to charge us for the tolls, the least you should expect would be to get an exact exact dollar amount before you enter a toll point, and that’s not happening today.”
Jim Dey: “Rep. Carol Ammons, 54, simultaneously is confronting problems with Democratic legislators in Springfield. House Speaker Chris Welch has barred her from any association with the Democratic caucus, effectively leaving her isolated as a member of the House.”
The advisory referendum will ask voters whether Illinois should adopt the proposed Millionaire Amendment for Property Tax Relief and Education, a constitutional amendment that would establish a 3 percent income tax surcharge on individuals earning more than $1 million annually.
“Chicago possesses assets that most U.S. cities envy: O’Hare and Midway international airports, a dense network of rail and highways, a highly educated workforce, several world-class universities, and a diversified economic structure. These endowments should make it a natural hub for innovation and commerce. … The root of this paradox is that Chicago has failed to translate its hardware advantages into policy competitiveness.”
Conference rooms were temporarily named by conference organizers for political figures and activists, including Fidel Castro, Nicolás Maduro, Cilia Flores, Rasmea Odeh, Ibrahim Traoré and Patrice Lumumba. Speakers addressed attendees from behind a podium draped in a Palestinian flag. A critic said, “you’re going to see that playbook essentially happen in other cities,” adding, “It’s not as though we think it’s going to happen. They’re saying, it’s going to happen.” More details are in this earlier Free Beacon article.
“In a late 2025 poll, Gallup found that Republicans’ confidence in the media was at 8 percent, independents’ was at 27 percent, and Democrats’ was at 51 percent. These numbers are terrible, but it was a bit surprising to see that only half of Democrats believe the media is dominated by their viewpoint.”
“If a Wall Street private-equity firm…thinks Chicago’s meter contract is such a great investment, why shouldn’t Chicago’s own suffering pension funds benefit?” So Chicago or its pensions should consider buying the parking meters, says the Tribune.
Northeastern Illinois University’s enrollment in its gender studies degree program has remained below 10 students for five years running, the school’s data shows; Nine other NEIU undergraduate degree programs had fewer than 10 students enrolled in spring 2025. The low-enrollment programs come as some universities are raising tuition or reducing staff while citing broader enrollment declines.
“The decrease in aggressive patrolling is not the only reason for this deplorable situation, but it is one of the causes. … What (Mayor Brandon) Johnson calls a ‘sickness’ goes a long way toward reducing the number of violent crimes in American cities.”
Note: This bill would have enormous implications for hiring processes, as explained in this earlier Forbes column.
Another issue brought to light in that report: some of House Speaker Chris Welch’s own behavior. The victim from 2023 showed comments Welch had made on her personal Instagram on posts featuring her in different outfits. Those included emojis of a face with hearts for eyes, and one of a face drooling. It’s something the victim said made her uncomfortable.
“The only real, long-term answer is a comprehensive clean sweep at the top. It is time to replace the management team and seat a board committed to transparency, basic economics, and absolute accountability. Until that happens, the structural chaos will continue—and the children will keep paying the price.”
The governor answered questions about the potential for an upcoming presidential bid, a new White Sox Stadium, his weight loss journey, whether he’s worried President Trump and the Department of Justice are going to target him, and the situation surrounding embattled U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros.
Stonepeak, a New York investment firm with a pending $2.53 billion bid for the infrastructure, previously threatened to sue the city to recoup legal fees if the council rejected the sale.
Alabama (-21 percent), Illinois (-15 percent) and Pennsylvania (-16 percent) showed the largest year-over-year declines in business growth, according to the report.
