Inside Chicago Government

Why progressive-caucus aldermen voted for the mayor's tax increases; the budget director's flawed statement about TIFs robbing schools; and why the administration carved out a special tax for school construction. Length 4.9 minutes.

Why the Loop's perimeter basks in development; commercial property windfalls masked by neighborhood investment; and some industrial businesses get a concierge while others get the boot. Length 6 minutes.

Making a smaller mistake on the lake; Rahm's obsession with international visitors; and the administration reprises the racial strategy used for the Obama library. Length 6.5 minutes.

Chicago residents' deliberate lack of voting interest; whether political parties, rather than taxpayers, should bear the cost of primary elections; and why elected officials (and their families) take electoral losses personally. Length 5.5 minutes.

Why Mayor Emanuel might, in summer 2015, have wanted teachers to strike; whether Gov. Rauner wants CPS to go bankrupt, with the mayor's complicity; and why CTU leadership accepted a contract offer that some felt its members would surely reject. Length 5.5 minutes.

The effect of the police union's contract on curbing abusive officers; what to make of aldermen's assertion that the Emanuel administration misled them; and assessing the mayor's claim of what he'd do differently. Length 5.1 minutes.

How go-along taxpayers subsidize DIY taxpayers; why tax-averse building owners like vacancies; and paying for your share in Illinois' 7,000 units of government. Length 5.4 minutes.

Classroom chaos created by the 20th-day student count; the re-imagined Dyett High School as part of the anti-charter backlash; and whether Paul Vallas can take credit for bracing CPS finances. Length 5.9 minutes.

Whether Speaker Madigan has "seen the light" on school funding or simply continues to strategize; the "losing his mind" phase of the Daley administration; and the different pension holidays won by CPS. Length 6.2 minutes.

The validity--and relevance--of the DePaul/Marriott TIF subsidy origin story; prudent life spans for TIF districts; and the questionable benefits of having financial markets in Chicago. Length 5.8 minutes.

Whether Daley or Emanuel should bear greater blame for the city's financial mess; possible collusion between bond raters, investors, and city officials; and Chicago's best sources of new revenues. Length 5.9 minutes.

Examining the "more choice" argument for charter schools; charter schools deployed in poor neighborhoods till the gentry arrive; and whether teachers and principals self-censor, or would actually get hurt by speaking out. Length 5.8 minutes.

Why some candidates got support from both the Rahm-aligned PAC and Rahm-opposing unions; how the appointment of council committee chairs molds the rubber stamp; and the three elected aldermen most likely to resist the dark side. Length 5.6 minutes.

The heart of Chicago public schools' problem; what proponents of school closings have missed; and Rahm's non-stop political campaign. Length 6 minutes.

When the stampede for Rahm began; comparing de Blasio's first year in office to Emanuel's latest year; and the most pathetic contingent of voters in Chicago. Length 5.9 minutes.

Ald. Fioretti's real motivation for endorsing Rahm Emanuel; the validity of the "no plan" criticism of Chuy Garcia; and whether voters deserve the "lemming" label. Length 5.9 minutes.

What recourse citizens have when government won't release info; what police surveillance was actually looking for; and the "many sources" approach to requesting government records. Length 5.3 minutes.

How Mayor Emanuel's perceived financial gravitas might not work in a second term; why Emanuel has targeted some unions and not others; and whether candidates can have a serious budget discussion while ignoring tax-increment financing. Length 5.7 minutes.

Why the mayor opted to exert his personality in candidate forums but not in ads; Rahm's attributes that Obama decided he didn't need after all; and what Obama wants for Chicago. Length 5.8 minutes.

Ricky Hendon urges black voters to "flush the toilet" on some aldermen; which incumbents had ads funded by the Emanuel-tied PAC; and Rahm's 2-prong strategy: re-elect the compliant and defeat the defiant. Length 6 minutes.

Voters panic that they're about to do something stupid; the limited usefulness of mayoral "debates"; and how election campaigns resemble persistent citizen movements. Length 7 minutes.

How the investor-funded scheme demands that some kids not attend pre-K; fine-tuning delivery vs. assessing the value of pre-K; social impact bonds as the finance industry's instrument du jour. Length 5.2 minutes.

The justification for staying in school when you don't learn much; student testing as a result of the administration's obsession with metrics; and how candidates decide whether to challenge their opponents' nominating petitions. Length 5.9 minutes.

How citizens can control their government's risky financing schemes; choosing non-finance professionals to monitor government finance; and school-program funding becomes dependent on test scores. Length 5.4 minutes.

What actions Gov. Rauner might take that affect Chicago; how Rauner might grow the number of charter schools; and lax legislative oversight of school financialization schemes. Length 6.3 minutes.