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“When Rahm proposed the $588 million property tax increase [for police and fire pensions and school construction], it was tough for him, and he had a good relationship with the City Council. The whole North Side went against him,” recalled one alderman, who asked to remain anonymous. “Lori Lightfoot doesn’t have any friends in the City Council, so it’ll be even tougher.”
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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.
Theme song for politicians is “Taxman” by the Beatles but not for taxpayers. Let me tell you how it will be There’s one for you, nineteen for me. Cause I’m the taxman,yeah, I’m the taxman. Should five percent appear too small Be thankful I don’t take it all. Cause I’m the taxman,yeah, I’m the taxman. If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street. If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat. If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet. Cause I’m the taxman,yeah, I’m the taxman. This is… Read more »
Trump donates all of his salary back to the US Treasury to help out the country.
A $94 MIL property tax increase?
Lighthead should do the same!
Raise Taxes is the answer that has always been used.
Nothing that a new tax couldn’t fix eh Lori?
How many tourists and shoppers want to visit Chicago only to encounter the ongoing weekend BLM protestors and boarded up storefronts?
And pay the 10% city sales tax. . .?
Years of failed Democratic policies broke it, now you Dems get to fix it. Good luck.
Fix it with your money.
Meanwhile, its my understading a large part of Chicagos cut of fed CARES ACT funding, which supposedly has to be spent on covid related expenses , remains unspent. Not only is Chicago & ill only hope a fed bailout ,but a bailout with NO STRINGS ATTACHED to allow them to bailout PRE-COVID DEBT..what will taxpayers in a zero-debt state like Wisconsin think?? no moral hazard hazad?? With over 40% of city workers maken +$100gs and god only knows what in benifits–Shameless
Meanwhile, this report from inspector Ferguson in st from 4 days ago states nearly 1/2 of city workers have had ZERO performance review—i.e. the city has no idea of what all those $six-figure$ city workers are doing ASTOUNDING!!!!
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2020/10/14/21516460/chicago-city-employees-performance-evaluations-inspector-general-report-joe-ferguson
Make Chicago real estate taxes pay the same rate as collar counties. When the hell is last time Chicago Public Schools passed a referendum for school financing? I am tired of collar counties being piggy banks for whole damn state. Get rid of agriculture exemptions for huge corporate farms who get government subsidies for crops anyhow.
Ag can’t afford it right now
Its easy Lightfoot. Its called Chicago bankruptcy.
never gonna happen cause then they will have open up all the books and show that the cities far from broke and where the moneys hidden
Ok, maybe that’s true, can you give me a guess about “where the money is hidden” charlie?