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David Greising, executive director of the Better Government Association: "To see how badly that can go, consider what has happened since Illinois in 1989 committed to a 3% annual hike to retiree pension payments. Three decades later, the state’s inability to keep up with compounding costs has helped deliver nearly $140 billion in pension underfunding."
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Audio and summary Illinois bill would override local law to allow homeless living in all public parks – Wirepoints
April 14, 2026
29 Comments
If this bill passes, say goodbye to local control over all Illinois parks and expect to see open drug and alcohol use, needles, no sanitation and fire hazards, but no ordinary park users.
Mark Glennon on AM560’s Morning Answer: Chicago Fiscal Crisis Worse Than Pre-Bankruptcy Detroit, HIV Surge and Public Health Threat From Open Borders Goes Unreported
April 10, 2026
2 Comments
Summary and audio linked here.
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
April 3, 2026
9 Comments
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.
WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times falsely blame Texas Gov. Abbott for 2020 to 2024 surge in Chicago Latino HIV, AIDS infections – Wirepoints Quickpoint
March 31, 2026
11 Comments
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
I still don’t understand how/why the value of your property determines the tax you pay for services that are exactly the same for everyone with different home values? You do not get more in services if you have a more expensive home than someone with a less value.
What if gas prices are determined by the value of your auto? Many people have $40 thousand and up vehicles but they pay the same as someone with an older cheaper car. There would be outrage.
Couldn’t agree more. If anything more expensive homes on a similar size lot most likely require less services from the city not more. Statistically I would think these homes are more likely to send any children to a private school. Since about 70% of property taxes are used for education I would think this would help reduce costs. As far as gas prices, they are made up of the actual cost of the good plus taxes. The reason that taxes aren’t charged based on the value of the vehicle or type of vehicle is because they haven’t figured out an… Read more »