Get the latest news from around Illinois.
The Chicago Tribune: Aldermen finally pass Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 Chicago budget
Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 budget plan made it through the City Council on Monday, a hard-fought victory for the mayor that spares City Hall an unprecedented government shutdown after one of Chicago’s most chaotic budget cycles in recent years.
Aldermen voted 27-23 to approve Johnson’s $17.1 billion spending plan for next year after his team proposed a fourth version that completely eliminated his property tax hike in the face of widespread aldermanic objections. The revenue package containing a mix of other tax and fee hikes also passed 27-23.
The Daily Herald: Metra spent almost $1.57 million on an investigation into police misconduct. It’s not releasing the results
Facing troubling allegations including misconduct, racism, promiscuity and cronyism at the Metra Police Department, leaders authorized an investigation that ended up costing about $1.57 million.
But the agency has stayed silent about what a small army of attorneys uncovered after spending months scrutinizing the department, which underwent major reforms a decade ago.
WCIA: Champaign School Board member steps away; third resignation in 10 months
A member of the Champaign Schools Board of Education has resigned as of Dec. 15. This is the third resignation this year.
Sam Banks was appointed to the board in June, following two board member resignations earlier this year.
Banks informed the board of his resignation in a letter sent Sunday night.
American Thinker: Taxpayers get roped into ‘affordable housing’ scheme in Chicago and get a bill for $700k per unit
Chicago’s new “affordable housing” complex—the first of such projects under mayor Brandon Johnson—rings in at nearly $700k per unit, in an area of the city where “existing units sell for $126,583,” according to a new report by Patrick Andriesen and shared via Illinois Policy. Oh, and Johnson negotiated for the units to be built in West Garfield Park, “the most dangerous neighborhood” in Chicago, per an analysis by leading home security provider Cove:
“West Garfield Park is the most dangerous neighborhood in Chicago. The total crime rate in this area is 13,135 crimes per 100,000 people, making it one of the most crime dense populations in the nation. The crime in West Garfield Park is 409 percent higher than the national average. Residents in this neighborhood have a 1 in 8 chance of becoming a victim of crime.”