The Last Ward

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Why Brandon Johnson’s school board is going broke on purpose

An unbalanced budget backed by Chicago Teachers Union leadership is causing chaos for Chicago Public Schools students and families. That's by design.
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How Chicago stops voters from deciding what matters
No other big city does more to discourage democratic participation in local government.
 • Austin Berg
Chicago is home to the emptiest big-city school in the nation
Just 27 students are enrolled at Frederick Douglass Academy, which was built to serve more than 1,000 kids.
 • Austin Berg
The CPS Excellence Agenda: A platform for Chicago school board candidates
Voters will soon pick the first fully elected school board in Chicago history. Those leaders should be ready to govern on Day 1.
 • Austin Berg
More bureaucracy is not the answer to Chicago violence
Mayor Brandon Johnson created three new government entities related to public safety last week: the 9th, 10th, and 11th city government bodies dedicated…
 • Austin Berg
Illinois' new digital asset tax threatens Chicago's legacy, and its future
A first-of-its-kind transaction tax will drive investment out of Chicago. But there's still time to stop it.
 • Austin Berg
Chicago was right to reject the 2026 World Cup
But the city's governance structure means Chicagoans are always one bad mayor away from a disastrous deal.
 • Austin Berg
Chicago’s ballot access rules hurt democracy and help fraudsters. Here’s how to fix them.
Since 1983, there have been more than 2,100 legal challenges to kick candidates off the ballot in Chicago’s municipal elections.
 • Austin Berg
Chicago can look to D.C. for ‘teen takeover’ reforms
In Washington D.C., the mayor and city council found a way to manage teen takeovers. Chicago should pay attention.
 • Austin Berg
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