-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Lightfoot’s plan relies on $51.4 million in new property taxes. Approximately $16 million of that increase will come from property taxes on new construction, not existing homes and businesses. In addition, the plan calls for Chicago’s 5-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax to rise to 8 cents per gallon, the maximum allowed under the state law.
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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.
How exactly do u save money by waiting 5 months before laying off people explain please
Woo a 94 million dollar property tax increase, comes out to about 56 dollars a year 4.66 dollars a month more. Chicago taxpayers you have it made stop your whining and crying you people pay crap in property taxes. Come out to will county we’re every year property taxes go up on average 350.00 dollars every signal year. Lockport township just never quits, how would you like to live in romeoville and pay taxes to Lockport road funds, park district, town funds what’s wrong with the picture. Chicago you have it made and don’t even realize it.
Agreed 200%. Same here in Rockford if not worse. Tax’s on a $500K home (not too many here) would be $21,524.03 with homeowners exemption or 4.3% of total value. Tax rate is 13.3967% on 1/3rd value. I pay $6,995.10 on value of $174,660. Still never enough money for taxing bodies.That’s $209K over a 30 year mortgage. When Chicago gets to 4% (we were 5% for a while) or more like we have had for years then they can complain. Many in Chicago are less than 2% of value if that. What helped Chicago’s property values are the low rates they… Read more »
I can say Freddy you look at you yearly property tax bill, the biggest problem and we all know it is the school districts portion of the tax bill. There is no oversight committee to oversee what these school districts are doing its a free for all and they know it because it free money it’s not there’s. I can only imagine the misappropriation of funds that is happening behind closed doors, there has to be more accountability.
Such a surprise, they have never done anything like this before.
Get ready for higher and higher taxes and much less services.
Pensions are going to take over 50% of the Schitty and State budget soon.
Most people getting the pensions will live out of state for good reason.
Pension greed has destroyed Illinois and Chicago and the fun has just begun.
There is nothing that Glen and Ted or anyone else can do.
If/When the Illinois Dem politicians are finally forced to implement reform, the state will be so far gone that anyone who stayed will regret it.
TAX is all the Dems know.
Any government in Illinois does not know how to budget even in a pandemic.
Now Lighthead wants to up the tax of gas in the City of Chicago.
Bye By Chicago is all I people will be saying.
Chicago is not worth it. There are other places in the country that are so much better.
Slashing existing positions or slashing projected positions? That’s how they do it in my downstate Democrat County. Threaten to make cuts but the cuts are in projected increases. Funny how things like that are never asked or reported on.
When is a half-truth a lie? If it originates with an elected official or a lobbyist. I support modifying the first amendment to permit courts to censure and fine those who corrupt the voting and legislative process with half-truths. It would be a defense if media called it out with sufficient outrage on a national or statewide platform.
“I support modifying the first amendment to permit courts to censure and fine those who corrupt the voting and legislative process with half-truths.” Wow. That’s probably one of the most dangerous ideas that I’ve read on this site. So if a judge determines that your statements are “lies” then you could be fined and censured? Would that apply to those who don’t believe in man made climate change or the effectiveness of masks? What about the idea that the fair tax will tax retirement income? It actually makes it politically easier to tax retirement income but doesn’t actually cause it… Read more »
A bit of irony was intended but my point, if I have one, is that many aspects of our system are based on an adversarial (partial-truth) system. Particularly in litigation or lobbying where each “side” presents an argument that is partially fact-based but fails to disclose other pertinent considerations. Further, many of the presentations have profound impacts on our lives. Consider the tobacco industry in the 50’s. After a half millennium or so of British Common Law we are perhaps stuck with the adversarial system (or haven’t found a better one) but we seem to be moving backwards — largely… Read more »