Explainer Understanding The Most Poorly Funded School System in America: Illinois By design, Illinois places an outsized reliance on revenue from local property taxes to fund schools. That has led to dramatic increases in property taxes across the state while also creating a worst in the nation gap in funding between rich and poor districts. Mar 30, 2017 6:00 AM
Explainer Poor In Chicago And Illinois Targeted In Trump Budget Cuts The president’s new budget proposes to do away with several popular aid programs, with the brunt of the pain focused on programs that serve low income residents. Mar 16, 2017 6:00 PM
Explainer Experts: No Evidence Term Limits Cure Political Dysfunction Illinois’ governor demands term limits as part of the price for any budget deal, but experts say capping lawmaker tenure emboldens special interests and is no magic bullet to cure what ails the state. Feb 22, 2017 6:00 AM
Explainer Tax Hike Zigzag At Cook County Draws Mixed Reviews Toni Preckwinkle campaigned for county board president as a tax slasher but later pushed new and increased levies. Debate rages over whether she has imposed enough austerity on county government to justify a course correction on taxes. Jan 24, 2017 5:00 AM
Explainer Rauner Reprieve On Costly Credit Swap Solution May Have Political Timetable Deal to spare the state potentially costly penalties expires the day after the next election for governor in 2018. Oct 23, 2016 6:00 PM
Explainer Illinois Awash In Tax Breaks Rich and poor alike benefit from loopholes worth more than enough to close the state budget deficit. Oct 19, 2016 3:30 PM
Explainer Illinois’ Cash-Strapped Public Golf Courses Turn To Video Gambling Money-losing courses add video poker and video slots, taking advantage of a state law aimed at boosting bar and restaurant owners. Jul 23, 2016 9:05 AM
Explainer Illinois' Historic Problem The state’s monuments to the past are in spiraling disrepair and their communities despair over the ultimate fate of these endangered sites. Jun 22, 2016 5:00 PM
Explainer ‘The 606’: Blazing A Complex Urban Trail Only a year old, the city promenade is energizing Chicago communities but longtime residents worry about being pushed out of their neighborhoods, according to a Rescuing Illinois report. Jun 3, 2016 10:45 AM
Explainer Biz Waits For Illinois To Pay State’s backlog of unpaid bills keeps piling up and its vendors are feeling the pain, a Rescuing Illinois report finds. May 10, 2016 4:30 AM
