Inside Chicago Government
378 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 19 ratingsHear government insiders, activists, and journalists dive deep into the dark corners of Chicago government--driving shadowy deeds into the light. If you want to hear voices--voices that clue you to the backstage actors that affect our city--listen closely, because we're Chi!
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Episodes
5/10/12: "Mayor Emanuel's Dumping Ground?"
May 12, 2012 05:23 - 9 minutes - 3.02 MBWhy border-situated land owners can have their land transferred to a suburb; whether landfills necessarily make for obnoxious neighbors; and Mayor Emanuel's calculus. Length 9.4 minutes.
4/26/12: "The Stand-Up Guy"
April 30, 2012 01:58 - 12 minutes - 4.02 MBWho voted against the mayor's proposed infrastructure trust and why; why the early infrastructure trust investors might have gotten involved; and how the city council might end up voting on certain unique infrastructure deals. Length 12.4 minutes.
4/12/12: "The Mayor Has Big Plans for the City's Infrastructure"
April 18, 2012 06:21 - 12 minutes - 4.63 MBWhether the proposed infrastructure trust must actually comply with Freedom of Information Act regulations; how the trust resembles other mayoral proposals; and why some aldermen seem to have rebelled. Length 12.4 minutes.
3/29/12: "How Rahm Emanuel Can 'Save' the Schools"
April 04, 2012 01:17 - 7 minutes - 2.79 MBWhat Mayor Emanuel knows about the school system or, for that matter, the city; why the mayor won't back down regarding a one-size-fits-all longer school day; and how Chicago Public Schools would find the funding for a longer school day. Length 7.7 minutes.
3/15/12: "What's Really Going On in the Primary Elections"
March 19, 2012 20:50 - 10 minutes - 3.7 MBA state legislative district primer; the drama behind the mayor's endorsement in the 39th state rep district; and Ben's picks in the state Supreme Court primary. Length 10 minutes.
3/1/12: "My Property Tax Bill Is Defective--I Want a Refund"
March 07, 2012 06:27 - 8 minutes - 2.54 MBHow local government has already lost money on the NATO summit; a look at an older, and maybe better, form of Chicago school board; and a way to decrease reliance on property taxes. Length 8.1 minutes.
2/23/12: "The Reader Goes to Charter School"
February 29, 2012 22:00 - 6 minutes - 1.93 MBHow Ben and Mick ended up at a UNO school; why charters don't pay their teachers more; and why charters might reject the "public school" label. Length 5.2 minutes.
2/16/12: "Your NATO/G8 Primer"
February 27, 2012 23:12 - 6 minutes - 2.32 MBThe appropriateness of World Business Chicago controlling a major city event; distinguishing WBC from a chamber of commerce; and whether the city council's revocation of its contract-approval power goes beyond the NATO/G8 summit. Length 6.2 minutes.
2/2/12: "With Library Cuts, Emanuel Turns the Page Backward"
February 07, 2012 07:57 - 9 minutes - 3.35 MBWhy librarians have to work six days per week; whether library cuts really have to do with finance; and why Mary Dempsey has no peer in the Emanuel administration. Length 9.5 minutes.
1/19/12: "State Tax Break for the Merc Is More Laughable with Each Passing Day"
January 25, 2012 03:49 - 9 minutes - 3.19 MBOrigin of the mythology around CME Group's tax-burden claim; the possible fairness of CME Group's existing income taxes; and trying to calculate the economic benefit per job. Length 9.5 minutes.
10/27/11: "The Mayor's Millionaire Club"
January 20, 2012 17:15 - 6 minutes - 2.21 MBHow this article differs from much of what Ben writes; how Mayor Emanuel deals with reporters; and contrasting Rahm Emanuel and Richard M. daley. Length 6.3 minutes.
12/29/11: "And the Reward for Achievement in Local Politics Goes To . . ."
January 09, 2012 21:47 - 9 minutes - 3.06 MBThe awards that didn't make the cut; how politics differs from government; and the benefits of having a backbone vis a vis Ald. Sposato's approval of a zoning change for a planned charter school. Length 9.9 minutes.
12/15/11: "All I Want for Christmas Is a City Council with a Backbone"
December 20, 2011 01:29 - 10 minutes - 3.4 MBVeteran aldermen who might not have voted for the mayor's budget proposal; what influenced the "turned" aldermen; and whether term limits' time has come. Length 9.6 minutes.
12/8/11: "How Clout Raised an Uptown TIF Deal From the Dead"
December 12, 2011 17:43 - 10 minutes - 3.73 MBA list of "blighted" suburbs that have TIF districts; defining the model TIF subsidy; and when letting property run down has more value than keeping it up. Length 10.6 minutes.
12/1/11: "The Politics of Pot"
December 09, 2011 06:13 - 8 minutes - 2.64 MBComparing Mayor Emanuel's control of the marijuana issue with Mayor Daley's control of a smoking ban; Ben predicts the future of marijuana laws; and problems with the Sun-Times' recent series on marijuana. Length 8.3 minutes.
11/24/11: "As Mayor Emanuel Cuts, His Hometown Shows How to Invest in a Library"
December 06, 2011 06:12 - 8 minutes - 2.78 MBHow Ben justifies a comparison of Wilmette and Rogers Park; how Chicago could invest more in libraries, rather than cut their budget; and a redundant grocery store in Greektown. Length 9 minutes.
11/17/11: "Senator Kirk Claims That Chicago's Top High Schools Are Charters, but That Doesn't Mean It's True"
November 21, 2011 03:21 - 9 minutes - 3.48 MBDeficiencies of Chicago Public Schools' new report card on school performance; when Ben acted a cheerleader for charter schools; and panicked parents gaming the selective enrollment process. Length 9.5 minutes.
11/10/11: "Water + Sewers = Slush Fund"
November 13, 2011 07:26 - 8 minutes - 2.96 MBA beginner's guide to the city's budget document; the myth that city government can continue without raising fees and taxes; and the king of deceptive budgeting. Length 8.5 minutes.
9/29/11: "Wake Up, Chicago Teachers Union"
November 11, 2011 04:28 - 8 minutes - 2.99 MBOrigins of black patronage at Chicago Public Schools HQ; when new clout replaces old clout; and what causes the electorate to rise up. Length 8.2 minutes.
10/27/11: "What to Tell an Alderman Who Fibs to You About TIFs"
November 05, 2011 16:11 - 6 minutes - 2.35 MBThe first step for true reform of the city's budget process; the bait-and-switch game of raiding TIF reserves; and why TIF works well as a subject for an Occupy Chicago speech. Length 6.5 minutes.
9/2/11: "Mayor Emanuel's Guide to Union Busting: Just Do it for the Kids"
October 15, 2011 01:10 - 10 minutes - 3.54 MBWhat Mayor Emanuel's decision to send his kids to a private school says; recognizing students' developmental disparities as "making excuses" for public schools; and what makes a great Chicago public school. Length 10.2 minutes.
9/8/11: "Mayor Emanuel May Be Breaking Budget Promises, but at Least He's Not Mayor What's-His-Name"
September 13, 2011 04:03 - 8 minutes - 3.26 MBWhy Mayor Emanuel's tax-increment financing reform doesn't constitute reform; Congressman Quigley's disappointing support of Emanuel's reform; and why former Mayor Daley had a more democratic approach to public input. Length 8.9 minutes.
9/1/11: "Wrigley Funding Scheme Is Another Cub Loser"
September 10, 2011 02:12 - 6 minutes - 2.32 MBA review of government subsidies to Chicago's major-league sports teams; the contradiction inherent in removing, then replacing, property-tax revenues for public schools; and how the proposed longer school day results in a teacher pay cut. Length 6.3 minutes.
8/18/11: "The Teacher Who Was Punished Indefinitely for Being Laid Off Once"
August 31, 2011 05:28 - 5 minutes - 1.82 MBWhether Chicago Public Schools' do-not-hire practices have changed under Supt. Brizard; how to change CPS's illogical policies; and how do-not-hire resembles tax-increment financing. Length 5.1 minutes.
8/4/11: "Mayor Emanuel Does the TIF Reform Dance"
August 11, 2011 18:27 - 9 minutes - 2.82 MBRemoving services for the poor as a gentrifying force; why TIF district creators exclude gentrifying areas; and getting beyond the fiction that TIF doesn't divert revenues from Chicagoland's taxing bodies. Length 10 minutes.
7/28/11: "Blogger Crusades Against Education 'Reformers'"
August 04, 2011 17:39 - 8 minutes - 3 MBWhether teachers' 75 percent minimum membership requirement for a strike vote hobbles their union; holding students accountable for their poor performance; and teacher accountability as a bandage on society's economic disparities. Length 8.5 minutes.
7/14/11: "Mayoral Progress Report: There's Room for Improvement"
July 18, 2011 19:32 - 6 minutes - 1.9 MBWhether voters want a strong mayor--for other people; summer as a voter aphrodisiac; and the mayor as an expert in spectacle. Length 6.7 minutes.
7/7/11: "The Grass Gap"
July 08, 2011 21:01 - 5 minutes - 1.54 MBThe double standard that marijuana laws reinforce; making the police superintendent sound smart; and the clever composition ability of police officers. Length 5.5 minutes.
6/30/11: "How a CPS Teacher Went from 'Excellent' to 'Do-Not-Hire' in One Year"
July 01, 2011 23:53 - 9 minutes - 2.75 MBWhat lies behind the motive to get rid of teachers; how Chicago can recruit better teachers in the face of "do not hire" designations and pay cuts; and how the free market encourages teachers to leave Chicago. Length 9.5 minutes.
6/16/11: "Uptown Turns Down a TIF Deal--For the Moment"
June 17, 2011 21:56 - 9 minutes - 2.31 MBThe difference between a tax-increment financing district's budget and the amount of tax dollars it diverts; whether the park district could more easily implement a capital project via regular budgeting or tax-increment financing; and the last major elected official to call a corporation's relocation bluff. Length 9.3 minutes.
6/9/11: "As Daley Cashes In, Ousted Teacher Gets Cut Off"
June 11, 2011 01:38 - 9 minutes - 2.68 MBHow Chicago Public Schools handle the re-applications of teachers in turnaround schools; the link between turnaround schools and cutting well-paid teachers; and expulsion: a teaching tool, or a convenient way to boost performance scores? Length 9.7 minutes.
6/2/11: "Charter School Fights Teacher Organizing-and 'Public School' Label"
June 04, 2011 21:47 - 6 minutes - 1.77 MBHow public school students get into particular high schools; why the state's board didn't enforce the law; and the effect on union organizing of federal versus state jurisdiction. Length 6.5 minutes.
5/26/11: "The 20 Months That Made Mayor Emanuel"
May 28, 2011 05:47 - 6 minutes - 1.84 MBWhat didn't make it into the timeline; the evidence for the manipulation of Carol Moseley Braun; and the list of candidates who might've beat Mayor Daley. Length 6.7 minutes.
5/12/11: "Twilight Zoning in the 43rd Ward"
May 21, 2011 23:00 - 10 minutes - 2.96 MBThe 43rd-27th ward boundary gerrymandered for racial purity; how the city changes property zoning; and why Mayor Emanuel apparently has immediate control of the City Council. Length 10.5 minutes.
5/5/11: "An Open Letter to Our Next Schools Chief"
May 06, 2011 20:40 - 8 minutes - 2.1 MBWhy using tax-increment financing to build new schools works against the school system's interests; whether tax-increment financing affects where and when to build new schools; and imagining an elected school board. Length 8.3 minutes.
4/28/11: "TIF Gifts Just Keep on Giving"
May 02, 2011 19:29 - 9 minutes - 2.4 MBAlternatives to tax-increment financing of well-endowed institutions; whether the city should spend TIF money on both the relocation of Finkl Steel and the redevelopment of its old site; and digging into increased funding of the Garfield Park TIF district. Length 9.3 minutes.
4/14/11: "Stacking the Odds in Favor of Charter Schools"
April 18, 2011 05:53 - 8 minutes - 2.09 MBWhy charter schools' ability to get rid of troublesome kids invalidates comparisons with non-charters; whether non-charters should have this same ability; and what level of unionization signals the demise of charters in Chicago. Length 8.5 minutes.
4/7/11: "Racial Migration in the Strangest Locations"
April 11, 2011 05:22 - 8 minutes - 2.06 MBThe different dynamics of black and Hispanic migration into wards; how moderating a candidate debate differs from interviewing candidates; and Ald. Stone's persistent denial of ward gerrymandering. Length 8.4 minutes.
3/31/11: "Ben Joravsky's Guide to the Aldermanic Runoffs"
April 02, 2011 00:30 - 7 minutes - 2.21 MBWhy Ben moderates aldermanic candidate debates; how ranked-choice voting (RCV) works; and whether Chicago could use RCV in municipal elections. Length 7.9 minutes.
3/17/11: "Getting Along Without Him Now"
March 18, 2011 22:18 - 8 minutes - 2.39 MBThe difference between magnet, charter, and selective-enrollment schools; how state senator Steans' bill essentially deregulates charter schools; and Rahm Emanuel's crush on New York City's education model. Length 8.8 minutes.
3/10/11: "Rickey Hendon: A Loud Act to Follow"
March 13, 2011 04:09 - 9 minutes - 2.93 MBWhy people outside the 5th Illinois senate district should care about Rickey Hendon; the argument for office-holders like Hendon staying in office; and who really will decide on Hendon's successor. Length 9.9 minutes.
3/3/11: "From the Alley to the Council"
March 05, 2011 04:28 - 8 minutes - 2.24 MBWhat inspires Chicagoans to want to learn about their government; the mayoral voting habits of white people; and the subconscious guilt of white voters. Length 8.9 minutes.
2/24/11: "Carving Time Approaches"
February 27, 2011 21:09 - 9 minutes - 2.68 MBA look into the back rooms where aldermen negotiate the remaps of wards; Mayor Emanuel's participation in ward remapping; and the history of and need for supermajority wards. Length 10 minutes.
2/17/11: "Aldermania!"
February 23, 2011 18:49 - 8 minutes - 2.02 MBA short history of near-West-Side ward remapping; what Ben would have written about Rahm Emanuel before the election; and why Ben wants voters to stop whining. Length 8.1 minutes.
2/3/11: "Sic 'Em"
February 03, 2011 22:15 - 7 minutes - 1.87 MBWhich takes more effort: informing candidates about outstanding debts, or contesting their eligibility; whether we should let deadbeats and scofflaws run for public office; and whether overdue library books can keep you off the ballot. Length 7.8 minutes.
1/27/11: "Mr. Nice Guy"
January 30, 2011 23:42 - 9 minutes - 2.88 MBWho Rahm Emanuel talked out of running for mayor; the relationship between Miguel del Valle and Luis Gutierrez; and how del Valle has responded to Daley administration corruption. Length 10 minutes.
1/20/11: "Chico and the Man"
January 21, 2011 01:06 - 8 minutes - 2.16 MBGery Chico's single greatest success with public schools; how Chicago's elimination of social promotion came back to haunt Chico; and whether the Reader's coverage of mayoral campaigns has changed. Length 8.8 minutes.
12/16/10: "How Did We Get to 12,500?"
December 16, 2010 23:28 - 8 minutes - 2.42 MBHow the Chicago Board of Elections originally determined the number of nominating signatures needed; what nominating-signature system Ben favors; and whether Rahm Emanuel has "machine" backing. Length 8.2 minutes.
12/2/10: "The Merc's Manual"
December 03, 2010 15:07 - 8 minutes - 2.49 MBTax-increment financing's cloak of invisibility; how developers justify public subsidies; and how a proposed affordable-housing ordinance could rob funding from public schools. Length 8.9 minutes.
11/25/10: "Do the Math"
November 29, 2010 03:53 - 6 minutes - 1.49 MBHow Cook County's property tax system pacifies the public; who or what should carry the cost of government; and which Illinois party has the right idea about taxes. Length 6.1 minutes.