Illinois Policy Podcast

Chicago votes Nov. 3, 2026, on its first fully elected school board, and the Chicago Teachers Union is facing opposition from nearly every direction.

Political consultant and Chicago election mapmaker Frank Calabrese joins host Melanie Krakauer to walk through the 2026 Chicago school board election: the citywide school board president race, the union feud between CTU and SEIU, the outside groups spending millions, and the district races to watch.

Why it matters: Chicago Public Schools receives the majority of a Chicago homeowner's property tax bill, more than police, fire or city services. Whoever controls the school board controls one of the largest budgets in Illinois.

In this episode:

- Who's running for Chicago school board president, and why Frank sees it as Jessica Biggs vs. Hilario Dominguez
- Why CTU has endorsed candidates in just 13 of 20 districts after petition challenges
- How CTU and SEIU Local 73 went from allies to rivals
- The roughly $4 million already committed by Common Ground Collective, the Illinois Network of Charter Schools and SEIU, and why spending could approach $10 million
- The CPS budget deficit, under-enrolled schools and the school closing moratorium set to expire in 2027

CHAPTERS
0:00 Is it everyone vs. the Chicago Teachers Union?
1:16 How does Chicago's elected school board work?
2:13 Why CPS gets most of your Chicago property tax bill
7:03 Why CTU has no candidates in 7 districts
10:41 Who's running for Chicago school board president? Biggs vs. Dominguez
19:13 CTU vs. SEIU: Why Chicago's unions are feuding
20:48 Chicago school board endorsements: CTU, SEIU, CFL, Common Ground
23:16 What every Chicago voter should know
24:05 CPS budget deficit, empty schools and school closings
30:58 How much money is being spent? Up to $10 million
33:00 Chicago school board races, district by district
33:32 District 1A: Ed Bannon vs. Margie Lucic (Edison Park, Norwood Park)
36:45 District 1B: Claudia Pallotta vs. Michelle Pierre (Irving Park, Albany Park)
40:30 District 2A: Ebony DeBerry vs. Hector Morales (Rogers Park, West Ridge)
42:33 District 2B: Debbie Pope (Edgewater, Uptown, Lincoln Square)
44:17 District 3A: Norma Rio-Sierra vs. Peter Gonzalez (Logan Square, Avondale)
45:34 District 3B: Carlos Rivas vs. Jason Dones rematch (Humboldt Park)
46:58 District 4A: Karen Zacher vs. [CANDIDATE] vs. Angel Alvarez
48:40 District 4B: Ellen Rosenfeld runs unopposed
50:04 District 5A: Jitu Brown vs. La Palma Williams (West Side)
51:51 District 5B: Michilla Blaise vs. Anthony Hargrove (West Loop, Garfield Park)
53:56 District 6A: Anusha Thotakura vs. Isaiah White (River North, Gold Coast)
56:35 Districts 7A and 7B: Emma Lozano, Yesenia Lopez (Pilsen, Little Village)
58:49 Common Ground, charter schools and outside spending to watch
1:00:32 Why this election is a huge test for CTU
1:01:02 Where to research Chicago school board candidates before Nov. 3

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Thinking of buying or selling a home in Illinois? From sky-high property taxes to confusing new commission rules, navigating the real estate market is tougher than ever.

Expert real estate agent Kati Spaniak joins us to break down the current state of housing in Illinois and across the country. We discuss how local building regulations, rising property taxes, and the state's pension crisis are squeezing homeowners and preventing new development. Discover what the recent real estate commission lawsuits actually mean for buyers and sellers, and why policymakers need boots on the ground to fix the massive inventory shortage.

There is an "endless appetite" for spending in Springfield, but who is actually paying the bill? Former Deputy Republican Leader Tom Demmer pulls back the curtain on the chaotic, high-stakes game of the Illinois state budget on the latest episode of the Illinois Policy Podcast.

As Governor Pritzker prepares his annual budget address, Illinois faces a potential structural deficit. Despite failed attempts at a progressive income tax, state spending continues to rise, driven by pension liabilities and Medicaid expansion. This episode analyzes the General Revenue Fund (GRF), the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) projections, and the economic impact of having the nation's highest corporate tax rates. We discuss the need for a spending cap, the reality of outmigration, and fiscal reforms needed to stabilize the Illinois economy.

Is Chicago in an economic death spiral or an undervalued investment opportunity?

In this episode, we sit down with investor and former corporate lawyer Stu Loren to analyze the hard data on Chicago's economic trajectory. The findings are eye-opening: the average Chicago worker is effectively 10% poorer today than they were five years ago, and the city is growing at a fraction of the rate of Sun Belt competitors like Austin and Nashville.

But the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Despite the challenges, Stu makes a compelling contrarian case that Chicago's economic struggles may have created a rare buying opportunity. With emerging strengths in nuclear power, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and logistics, Chicago has the fundamentals to stage a major comeback—if city leadership can implement the right reforms.

We dig deep into the numbers behind Chicago's pension crisis, examine what the data really says about public safety, break down the high-stakes Chicago Bears stadium standoff, and expose the massive inefficiencies plaguing Chicago Public Schools.

Whether you're a Chicago resident, business owner, investor, or just someone interested in urban economics and public policy, this episode delivers the data-driven analysis you won't find anywhere else.

Is Chicago a buy, sell, or hold? Listen now to find out.

Chicago and Illinois are dedicating nearly a third of their revenues just to pensions and retiree benefits — starving public safety, infrastructure, and basic services. In this episode, JPMorgan market strategist Michael Cembalest breaks down the real numbers behind Illinois’ pension crisis, from unfunded liabilities to 911 response times and outmigration.