Civic
Alderman Spotlight: Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward
Brian Hopkins chairs Public Safety, raised $654K this cycle, and represents Chicago's wealthiest lakefront corridor. A data-driven look at his council record.
2026-07-27
“the ward with no alderman”Sections
“the ward with no alderman”
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week in Review: July 20–26, 2026
A quiet week at City Hall: one committee meeting cancelled, one brief full Council session with no contested votes.
2026-07-25
Civic
Alderman Spotlight: Daniel La Spata, 1st Ward
A data-driven profile of 1st Ward Alderman Daniel La Spata — legislation, attendance, committee work, campaign finance, and what he actually says in the room.
2026-07-24
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week in Review: July 13–17, 2026
The 78 clears council with a $425M TIF split as Conway and Sigcho-Lopez dissent. Data centers, transit boards, and new appointments fill a busy committee week.
2026-07-17
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week in Review: July 7–9, 2026
Eight committees met July 7–9. Ethics advanced a prediction-markets ban; Housing moved affordable deals forward; no full Council session.
2026-07-10
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week in Review: June 29–July 1, 2026
Three committees met with no votes taken; two others were cancelled. The PRO tenants’ ordinance got its first committee hearing.
2026-07-03
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week in Review: June 24–25, 2026
Three committee hearings, no votes taken: Bally's vs. VGTs, a teen-trend briefing, and a parking-meter ownership transfer.
2026-06-28
Civic
Chicago City Council — Week of June 15, 2026
Five committees met, a quorum failed in Economic Development, and the full council convened June 17 amid debate over a youth curfew proposal and HIV funding cut
2026-06-19
Civic
The 78 Gets $425 Million. Transit Gets Nothing.
Mayor Johnson just proposed a $425M TIF subsidy for The 78 megaproject. Here's exactly where the money goes — and what's conspicuously absent.
2026-06-18
Civic
Chicago City Council: May 2025 in Review
A complete recap of all 20 Chicago City Council meetings in May 2025 — housing vote, 475 items at the May 21 session, and committee roundup.
2026-06-13
Civic
Uber and Lyft Opened the Door. Then They Kept Most of the Money.
Chicago had 91M rideshare trips in 2024. Drivers keep ~60% of each fare. Here's how that compares to the taxi system Uber and Lyft replaced.
2026-06-08
Civic
You're Mad About $4 to Park at the Beach. Let's Talk About the $1.27 Billion You're Not Paying.
Chicago's lakefront parking gates charge $4–$24. Drivers are outraged. Here's the $1.27B annual car subsidy they're not talking about.
2026-05-29
Civic
The Tipped Wage Dates Chicago Needs to Remember
Chicago just delayed One Fair Wage — again. Here are the exact dates workers were promised raises, the dates they're now waiting on, and why those dates matter.
2026-05-27
Civic
The Parking Meter Deal Is Changing Hands. Can Chicago Use That to Get Out?
Chicago's 75-year parking meter contract is being sold to Stonepeak Partners. City Council must approve it — and that's the only leverage the city has left.
2026-05-26
Civic
The Bill Came Due. Nobody Wants to Say Who Ran It Up.
Chicago's pension crisis and the 75-year parking meter deal didn't appear from nowhere. Here's who built the debt every mayor since 2011 has been managing.
2026-05-13
Civic
Chicago City Council 2026: A Year-to-Date Catch-Up
Four full council sessions, 70+ committee meetings, and three live storylines in committee. The complete Chicago City Council catch-up through May 13, 2026.
2026-05-13
Civic
The 5 Votes That Weren't Unanimous at April's City Council Meeting
Chicago City Council passed 606 items on April 15. Only 5 drew a dissenting vote. Here's what each one was — and who said no.
2026-04-30
Civic
606 Items, 5 Contested Votes: Inside the April 15 City Council Meeting
The Chicago City Council met April 15 with a 606-item agenda. Here's what actually mattered — and how much time got burned on ceremonial fluff.
2026-04-29
Civic
The Sun-Times Found the Wrong Deadbeats
City workers owe $19.5M in unpaid fines — 0.24% of Chicago's $8.2B collection problem. The public data tells a much bigger story.
2026-04-04
Civic
It Takes a Daley to Shrink a Sidewalk
Chicago gave away its parking meters. Now delivery robots are claiming its sidewalks. One family name connects both deals.
2026-04-03
Civic
Chicago Just Un-Did Its Best Wage Law. Here's Who Did It.
In 2023, Chicago passed One Fair Wage 36–10. In March 2026, the City Council voted 30–18 to freeze it. Here's the complete ward-by-ward breakdown.
2026-04-01
Civic
Robots on the Sidewalk: What Chicago's Delivery Robot Pilot Means for Your Block
Chicago approved delivery robots with no public hearings. Nearly 30,000 sidewalk miles later, the city still won't publish the data.
2026-04-01
Civic
How ward51.com Gets Made: Tools, Process, and How to Pitch Us
How ward51.com articles are researched and written — the AI tools, the editorial process, and how to write a suggestion that gets results.
2026-04-01
Civic
Chicago City Council Q1 2026 Report Card
Two meetings, 1,321 agenda items, 8 contested votes. Here's how every Chicago alderperson scored on attendance, participation, and contribution in Q1 2026.
2026-03-31
Civic
Who Pays for Chicago's Streets? The Car Subsidy Nobody Talks About
Chicago spends over $2.5B a year on car infrastructure. Drivers pay back far less. Here's how the 2025 budget breaks down the real cost of driving in the city.
2026-03-30
Civic
This Site Shouldn't Exist
How one person, AI tools, and public data turned into a Chicago civic publication. Here's why ward51.com exists and how it works.
2026-03-27