Inside Chicago Government

Dec 23 2024 375 ep. 8 mins 402
Inside Chicago Government Podcast artwork

Hear 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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12/23/24: "Police workforce study: opacity, budget tricks, and clout"

Dec 23 2024 47 mins  
In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben probed Ben probed Dave's ongoing investigation into police workforce allocation. In the standard and premium versions, Dave and Ben discussed typical budget tactics used in Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed 2025 budget; the past and future challenges of police workforce data; and the "clots of clout" that cou

9/11/24: "Cook County Assessor on Loop buildings: TIF tax gift makes a diff"

Sep 11 2024 4 mins  
In an audio excerpt, Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi revealed the impact of tax-increment financing on the sinking property assessments of Loop office buildings. Length 4.5 minutes.

4/28/24: "Sigcho-Lopez protest invests colleagues' blitzkrieg"

Apr 28 2024 52 mins  
Fifteen City Council members called a special April 1 meeting to oust Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez as housing committee chair. In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben analyzed the raucous gathering. (Subscribers can find the full-length version at chigov.com.) Length 52.1 minutes.

3/1/24: "Chief cop-watcher and top cop spar at Police Board meeting"

Mar 01 2024 31 mins  
In this audio from a public meeting of the Chicago Police Board on Feb 22 2024, a clash took place between the heads of the Chicago Police Dept. and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Length 31.2 minutes.

2/3/24: "Top cop strongly defends Shotspotter at public meeting"

Feb 03 2024 17 mins  
In this audio piece, Chicago Police Dept. Superintendent Larry Snelling lent support to the controversial Shotspotter system--which Mayor Brandon Johnson has opposed. The top cop's remarks came at a January 13, 2024 public meeting of Chicago's Community Commission on Public Safety and Accountability. Length 17.5 minutes.

12/28/23: "Chicago Police sergeant: district station crumbling, flooding, and unhealthy for years"

Dec 28 2023 9 mins  
In this audio piece, a Chicago Police Dept. sergeant revealed unsafe and unhealthy conditions at the 11th District police station on the West Side. Length 9.1 minutes.

12/4/23: "November council: sorrow, censure, and referenda"

Dec 04 2023 11 mins  
In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben evaluated meetings of the Chicago City Council that took place in November of 2023. In the standard version, council members reacted to 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack's move to censure 35th Ward Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa. In the premium version: One alderman claims, explicitly, what Rosa did to intimidate he

10/6/23: "Sept. City Council takes shelter, chance on finance"

Oct 06 2023 10 mins  
In a discussion by journalists Dave Glowacz and Ben Joravsky, Dave and Ben probed audio from several meetings of the Chicago City Council in September, 2023. In the standard version, Mayor Brandon Johnson and aldermen introduced a measure to use real estate transfer taxes for housing the unhoused. In the premium version: aldermen discussed tax-increment financing to buy a building

8/7/23: Police Consent Decree: toeing the line, or dragging their feet?

Aug 07 2023 23 mins  
In audio from a June 2, 2023 public meeting, lawyers from the city of Chicago and the American Civil Liberties Union clashed on the pace of police reforms mandated by the 2019 Consent Decree. Length 23.2 minutes.

7/11/23: "Police staffing called out by community commission and mayor's transition report"

Jul 11 2023 6 mins  
In this audio piece, a public safety commission member questioned police workforce allocation--a matter also highlighted in a report by Mayor Brandon Johnson's transition team. Length 6.8 minutes.