Chicago’s Finances in 2024: Where the Money Comes from and Where It Goes – Chicago Contrarian

"Despite its economic strength and broad tax base, the city faces ongoing structural deficits and some of the steepest debt and pension obligations among major U.S. cities. This article offers a full fiscal snapshot, showing how Chicago raises revenue, how it spends, and which taxes are tied to which services."
2 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
mqyl
8 months ago

In states where mismanagement and taxpayer abuse are the norm, the state and its major municipalities are often at or near the top of the country in undesirable categories.

MsT
8 months ago

Excellent information, thank you. Interesting that library spending is close to 50% operations and 50% debt service. I can’t help but wonder where a DOGE style entity would start.

SIGN UP HERE FOR FREE WIREPOINTS DAILY NEWSLETTER

Home Page Signup
First
Last
Check what you would like to receive:

FOLLOW US

 

WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES

Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago pension buyout plan mostly shifts debt rather than eliminating it, property tax surge doubles inflation over three decades

Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.

Read More »

WE’RE A NONPROFIT AND YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DEDUCTIBLE.

SEARCH ALL HISTORY

CONTACT / TERMS OF USE