An estimated 1200 municipalities and institutions around the world use a participatory budget process, yet none in the United States. The 49th Ward in Chicago plans to be the first. An initiative led by a Brown Sociology Professor Gianpaolo Baiocchi is ...Read More
Beginning days after President Obama took office, calls for government transparency are everywhere (I realize Mr. Obama did not invent transparency and that there were watchdog groups and transparency advocates before, but things surely have intensified in the last ...Read More
In Chicago, intersections that have been equipped with red-light cameras have seen traffic accident occurrences decrease by 20%. In addition, they have generated revenue for the city to the tune of $122 million, valuable at a time when city budgets ...Read More
Today's story in the Chicago Sun-Times tells of eight students who received full scholarships to Roosevelt University as part of an inaugural program. Officials started the program, which focuses on low-income families, so that students could focus on achieving high ...Read More
Thousands of people may not want to know that I had a burger for dinner tonight, and it was pretty good. And they probably do not really want to know what I'm doing right now. So why would they want ...Read More
Chicago Aldermen Scott Waguespack (32nd Ward) and Manny Flores (1st Ward), have sponsored an ordinance that requires the TIF information be posted online. The TIF Sunshine Ordinance passed the Chicago City Council 48-0 on 4/21/2009. Tax Increment Finance districts, or TIFs, ...Read More