Chicago Policy Center
Chicago gets $16.6B budget after mayor signs it
Chicago avoided a city shutdown when Mayor Brandon Johnson accepted the alternative budget aldermen passed despite his wishes. Just in time for Christmas, Chicago aldermen got the 2026 budget they pushed on Mayor Brandon Johnson when he…
Chicago adopts $16.6B budget, adds $535M in taxes
Chicago aldermen for the first time pushed through their own budget, rejecting the mayor’s…
Chicago business activity skid hits two years
A barometer of business health shows Chicago’s decline worsened in November 2025. …
5 ways to end Chicago’s stagnant growth
High taxes, red tape and fiscal mismanagement have stalled Chicago’s economy, but smart…
Legislation buys CTA time to fix itself, but will it?
New taxes buy the Chicago Transit Authority some time, but state lawmakers failed fix…
7 principles to guide Illinois transportation reform
Transit reform can support Illinois riders and taxpayers. These seven principles outline a path to affordability, accountability and efficiency. Illinois’ mass transit system is headed toward a fiscal cliff. Chicago Transit Authority,…
Chicago loosens granny flat rules, still lags…
Chicago just expanded where accessory dwelling units can be built, but California’s sweeping…
Unused office space could mean more Chicago housing
New York City has seen success in converting office space into residences. Chicago should do…
Fines per Chicagoan more than triples since 1996 to…
Chicago’s 2025 budget needed $345 million in fines, forfeitures and penalties. It was $99…
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