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Brandon Johnson’s failing record on ethics reform
The mayor will announce his re-election campaign today. But his record on ethics reform is the weakest of any mayor since the end of the Daley era.
Sep 13
•
Austin Berg
56
2
The Chicago Teachers Union is suing me
Here’s what you can do about it.
Sep 6
•
Austin Berg
47
5
3
August 2026
Guaranteed income isn’t the answer to Chicago poverty
Chicagoans took part in the largest test of no-strings cash in American history. The results are in.
Aug 30
•
Austin Berg
60
5
1
My brief encounter with Mike Madigan
How the most powerful House speaker in U.S. history tried to intimidate his critics in court.
Aug 23
•
Austin Berg
66
5
2
Chicago city government needs more budget brains
The city is unique in how little public finance expertise lives outside the mayor’s office.
Aug 16
•
Austin Berg
69
6
2
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.
Aug 2
•
Austin Berg
78
12
1
July 2026
How Chicago stops voters from deciding what matters
No other big city does more to discourage democratic participation in local government.
Jul 26
•
Austin Berg
80
1
4
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.
Jul 19
•
Austin Berg
81
10
5
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.
Jul 12
•
Austin Berg
66
2
2
June 2026
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…
Jun 28
•
Austin Berg
64
1
1
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.
Jun 21
•
Austin Berg
44
4
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.
Jun 14
•
Austin Berg
71
2
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