What would it take for Chicago’s City Council to be more independent?
Some say what the council needs is a parliamentarian, a robust budget office and some legal counsel. Others say the city needs a new constitution for true reform.
The Democracy Solutions Project
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Some Chicagoans get to vote on how tax money is spent in their wards. Could Chicago do this citywide?
So-called participatory budgeting, in which residents vote on spending projects in their wards, started in the U.S. in Chicago, but its growth has stalled.
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What is participatory budgeting?
It started in the U.S. in Chicago as a way to connect residents to government and how tax dollars are spent.
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Illinois immigrants need more language help to thrive and partake in civic life
In Illinois, 8% of the population doesn’t speak English very well, and that’s a barrier for immigrants participating in civic life.
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A day with Chicago migrants: Sleeping in tents, hoping for progress
We sent reporters into one community to understand what’s at stake — and found a fabric of everyday Chicagoans helping migrants build new lives.
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The Rundown: The ways immigrants participate in and enhance American democracy
Immigration is baked into our very foundation here in America – and it’s not just the U.S. born citizens who have kept this country going.
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The Rundown: Why are we talking about SCOTUS so much?
The Supreme Court is in the news a lot – for decisions made inside the court and out. How did it get so much power and who’s pushing back?
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The Rundown: Chicago Public Media launches The Democracy Solutions Project
A new initiative, The Democracy Solutions Project, digs into big themes and questions surrounding democracy in the United States.
