Chicago Teachers Union contract demands are totally divorced from reality – Wirepoints
May 8, 2024
40 Comments
Details emerging about Chicago Teachers Union’s upcoming contract show just how divorced its demands, both extreme and expensive, are from the reality at Chicago schools. It’s not just about massive salary increases, but also about money for migrant students, climate initiatives, abortions and gender-affirming care. About blocking parental notification. Count on CTU’s demands to veer further from reality until the public finally says no.
Weekly crime statistics from the Chicago Police Department: Report through 5/4/2024.
Gov. JB Pritzker calls it “ethics” reform.
It’s rare to see city leaders in Chicago take an open, unabashed stance on the collapse of literacy. To complain is deemed as too political, too racist or too anti-public schools. So it’s refreshing to see Willie Wilson, a successful businessman and leader of the black community, call for a literacy initiative “with the goal of getting 100% of Black students reading at grade level.”
Hmm, I’m only on my 1st beer…….
Some seem too think Rockford is a high crime area…just sayin
https://www.areavibes.com/rockford-il/crime/
The crime problem is mostly in the usual areas involving the usual suspects. However in a very mobile society the problem makers look for hunting grounds in different areas. Those hunters should be aware that the nearby more rural areas have lots of honest citizens who take advantage of their 2nd Amendment rights. It should be noted that this is not Cook County and arrested persons who commit crimes are prosecuted.
Rockford’s turn of fortunes is reminiscent of the fate of Florida swampland in the 1920’s.
We are living through the biggest everything bubble in history.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_land_boom_of_the_1920s
One year ago, Rockford was named one of the best cities for investors…one year later, prices are up 50% YOY. No speculative bubble here folks, move along….
https://www.mystateline.com/news/local-news/rockford-one-of-the-best-cities-to-invest-in-vacation-rentals-study-says/
But it’s still Rockford.
I read the article and found no mention of the pension time bomb that attaches to every Illinois real estate parcel. One would think there should be a disclosure of the situation but, as many who have dealt with Realtor’s before, don’t plan on hidden negative situations to be disclosed.
Do real estate agents in the southwest warn potential buyers about water issues? Does Florida warn buyers about potential hurricanes or high insurance rates?
People need to do their own research as well.
Youre right people should do their own research but you mention “potential” issues and, as you so often point out, and with which I agree, those pensions will be paid so I don’t think it is a “potential” issue and instead rather a certainty.
The potential issue is tax increases or fewer services. That can happen anywhere and certainly not the responsibility of a real estate agent.
I unfortunately do not agree with you on the cut in services. I think the people will demand the services they are used to thus will pay higher taxes to pay off that hidden pension debt. As for realtors I always get a kick out of how they quote monthly payments to a buyer yet, in their calculations, somehow forget to adjust the monthly tax and insurance estimates based upon the new sales price choosing instead to use the seller’s past amounts. When it comes to buying real estate most prospective buyers might consider the old “Caveat Emptor” phrase that… Read more »
If the assessor is doing its job competently, the assessed value is based on current market value and therefore a transaction won’t have much effect on taxes.
I don’t get it. Rockford’s unemployment rate is 6.5% as the full rankings show. That makes homes cheap. So what? And Portland is up there at No. 10. No thank you.
You don’t get it because you are focusing on unemployment rather than housing turn around.
Housing up 51.7 percent from 1 year ago. Considering real estate was weighted at 60 percent for this ranking, it makes perfect sense. I’m not saying the ranking is valid just that it makes sense when you only look at numbers and remove your bias.
On a separate note, with increased housing prices, surely the people of Rockford will be happy that their property taxes represents a smaller percentage of their home value. Probably not the property tax relief people are looking for though.
The headline and the story say it is the “top housing market,” and it’s secondarily about the turnaround. I get the improvement but I don’t get calling it the top market.
I wouldn’t call it a top market either Mark. That’s the problem with list like these. They put out their methodology and crank out the list. Common sense tells you with Rockford’s economic climate that it won’t be a long term situation but at the same time it doesn’t appear that was the main variable to making the list. Headlines are so often misleading but boring headlines like “Rockford tops list for affordable housing that is also growing” doesn’t capture readers. Also, what do you have against Portland? I don’t have much knowledge of the area but have known others… Read more »
It’s a bubble, a massive bubble, and anyone who 1. lived thru the last bubble and 2. follows these things and 3. most importantly, doesn’t earn a living in the bubble….sees the bubble. It’s twice as big as 2007. There are red flags flashing everywhere in the economy…but the party keeps on going…
“When the music stops, in terms of liquidity, things will be complicated, but as long as the music is playing, you’ve got to get up and dance.” – Chuck Prince, CEO of Citigroup, circa 2007, immediately before the Global Financial Crisis…
Re Portland, my error. They had Portland Maine on the list and I thought Oregon.
The main reason is that the housing stock here is about 290 homes a far cry from the 5-7,000 after the 2008 crash. The average price is based on the number of homes on the market but not the real indicator of average price in the entire city. People who refinanced a few years back do not want to give up 2.5%-3% mortgage. Like PPF says the percentage of taxes to value will decrease a little but the taxes will still be the same or more than last year due to Ptell. The 6.5% rate still reflects somewhat the closing… Read more »
I have an acquaintance whose son did not go to college and started at Frito Lay right out of high school. No CDL until 21 so he worked in different positions. Upon getting the CDL, training provided by Frito Lay at no cost to him, he became a driver and was making in excess of $120K a year with overtime. No college debt, SloJoe probably would have forgiven it already, but he is doing very well for a 25 yr old with a good salary and benefits. The Rockford area has a lot to offer but got beat down because… Read more »