One industry’s tussle with affirmative action
Affirmative action is one of those “wedge” issues that fair-minded white people tend to support — but don’t advertise because it’s not all that popular. Making sure minorities get a...
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Who will stand up for our property tax deduction?
I met over coffee recently with a first-term alderman looking for advice on how to approach local issues involving planning, development and taxation. He likely figured that, after writing about...
Can the war between red states and blue states end now?
Not to worry, citizens of Margaritaville. Your red state welfare benefits are on the way. OK, I know, there's no such thing as red state welfare benefits. Not technically. Though...
How do we keep traffic moving — even after a tragedy?
There's got to be a better way. I'm not so callous as to urge "tag, bag and remove." But we need a better way to deal with expressway shootings and...
The danger of having ideologues in charge in Springfield
I used to be an ideologue, but I grew out of it. It happened in high school. I was itching to jump into the debates of the day, but like...
Speed up the foreclosure process so real estate can rebound
It's the foreclosures, stupid. No, not you. I'm talking about the blame-gaming over the fact that real estate values in Chicago and many of its suburbs have not fully rebounded...
Balancing a budget the Republican way
At last we can safely forecast how Gov. Bruce Rauner and Illinois Republicans will reduce spending so as to balance our long-overdue state budget. No, they haven't put anything in...
Poking holes at Trump’s tax reform proposal
They want it all. How else to describe tax "reform" that eliminates both the inheritance tax and the alternative minimum tax; slashes business taxes by more than half; then makes...
Plenty of good reasons to remain an Illinoisan
Please. Will the last Chicken Littles to leave Illinois remember to turn off your lights? After all, those of us planning to stay need our sleep. It's been hard to...
High-speed rail to O’Hare? Slow down, Mayor Emanuel
I get Mayor Rahm Emanuel's call for high-speed rail service from O'Hare International Airport to Chicago's booming downtown. I really do. Global cities such as London, Toronto, Hong Kong and...