Inside Chicago Government

Whether 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.

What 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.

A 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.

How 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.

How 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.

The 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.

Why 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.

Origin 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.

How 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.

The 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.

Veteran 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.

A 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.

Comparing 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.

How 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.

Deficiencies 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.

A 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.

Origins 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.

The 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.

What 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.

Why 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.

A 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.

Whether 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.

Removing 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.

Whether 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.

Whether 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.