Nothing to see here, the Emanuel administration declares at a hastily arranged City Hall hearing prompted by a BGA/Crain’s investigative report of a shell game that shifted blight-fighting tax funds to Navy Pier.
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Posted inAnalysis, Perspective, Policy
Learning From Those Leaving Springfield
Several longtime lawmakers are leaving Springfield. Can we learn from these departures? Can we turn exits into insight?
Posted inAnalysis, Perspective, Policy
Wanted: Straight Talk About Chicago Police Training
The Emanuel administration released plans this month for a state-of-the-art facility for fire and police training. Chicago residents need straight answers about the scope and funding of this project.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Former Alderman, Internet Pioneer Fined In Emanuel Email Lobbying Case
They were among the latest group of five individuals the Chicago Ethics Board said had fined for attempting to influence Mayor Emanuel or other officials through emailed contacts that became public after the settlement of a BGA lawsuit against the city.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Alderman Calls For Hearings In Wake Of BGA/Crain’s Navy Pier Investigation
Third Ward Alderman Pat Dowell has called for public hearings into the diversion of $55 million in city blight fighting-funds to a Navy Pier renovation project.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
How City Power Players Diverted $55 Million In Blight-Fighting TIF Cash To Navy Pier
A $55 million financial shell game linked to the administration of Mayor Rahm Emanuel vividly plays into a frequent complaint that the city often raids a tax piggy bank earmarked for disadvantaged neighborhoods to instead bankroll mayoral vanity projects.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Emanuel Email Case Nets Five More Lobbying Violations
The total of those hit for lobbying the mayor without registering rises to eight in cases that emanate from a BGA lawsuit that led Mayor Emanuel to release thousands of pages of business related emails from his personal accounts.
Posted inAnalysis, Policy
Illinois Budget Post-Mortem: What Remains, What Made It, What Didn’t
While the income tax increase has dominated the news, there’s more in the budget that got done — and didn’t — that you need to know about.
Posted inAnalysis, Policy
15 Good Government Reforms Illinois Lawmakers Approved This Session
The Illinois General Assembly approved several pieces of legislation this session that the Better Government Association backed as good government reforms, including streamlining, accountability and transparency.
Posted inFollow-Up, Investigation
Chris Kennedy Slams Same Property Tax System He Used To Get Big Break
Chris Kennedy, a top Democratic contender for governor, relied on a politically connected tax lawyer to dramatically reduce property tax bills on land he was prepping for development. It appears to mirror the sort of activity Kennedy has been condemning on the campaign trail.