Chicago

County Board OK's Union Deals

Tue, 10/18/2011
The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved three contracts with Teamsters Local 700 Tuesday, even as President Toni Preckwinkle continued to push labor unions to agree to eight unpaid days off in the next budget year. Preckwinkle, who is expected to unveil her budget recommendations next week, is working to close an estimated $315 million...
Cook County, Cook County Board, Cook County budget, Environment, Jobs, labor, labor unions, Larry Suffredin, Metro, News, Police, Teamsters, Teamsters Local 700, Toni Preckwinkle, Unions

New Casino Bill Due After Quinn's Proposal

Mon, 10/17/2011
After months of indecision, Gov. Pat Quinn on Monday came out against a statewide gambling expansion bill, sending lawmakers scrambling to rework the controversial legislation. The governor did not reject the legislation outright, instead offering what he called a “framework” for a smaller expansion of gambling that he finds acceptable. Quinn’s...
casino, Chicago Casino, Gambling, General Assembly, Government, Illinois Gambling Bill, Illinois Gaming Board, Illinois Slot Machines, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Metro, News, Pat Quinn, Pat Quinn Gambling Bill, Springfield, Terry Link

Breaking Down Chicago's TIF District Spending

Mon, 10/17/2011
Revenue from Chicago’s TIF Districts As TIF districts have spread throughout Chicago, and the city’s property values have risen, the property taxes they collect have grown dramatically, funneling over $4 billion to the city since 1986. How TIF Dollars Were Spent The bulk of the $1.69 billion in property taxes the city spent between...
business, Chicago TIF Districts, infographic, Loop, News, Property Taxes, South, Tax Increment Financing, TIF, TIF Money

Aldermen Mixed on Budget

Wed, 10/12/2011
As they had done so many times for Mayor Richard M. Daley, aldermen stood and applauded at the end of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first budget speech since he was elected to succeed Daley. And the longest-serving City Council member, Ald. Edward Burke (14th Ward) predicted that a “clear majority” of aldermen would approve Emanuel’s 2012 budget proposal...
budget cuts, business, Chicago 2012 Budget, Chicago Budget Cuts, Chicago Budget Deficit, Chicago City Stickers, Chicago Public Schools, City Budget, City Council, City Hall, Economy, Police, Rahm Emanuel Budget, Richard M. Daley, TIF

City Bike Plan Stuck in Rich Rut

Wed, 10/12/2011
Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to spend nearly $150 million to make Chicago “the bike-friendliest city in the U.S.” That challenge is considerable, given Chicago’s slow start compared to Portland and other bike-centered cities, and Emanuel’s initial plan is drawing complaints about an inequitable distribution of bike-related investment. The Chicago...
Bike lanes, CDOT, Chatham, Chicago Bike Lanes, Chicago Bike Share, Chicago Department of Transportation, Education, Health, Humboldt Park, Jobs, Mark Rank, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Poverty, Rahm Emanuel, Sam Schwartz Engineering, Transportation