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Andy Shaw Biography

Andy Shaw is an award-winning Chicago journalist, and president and CEO of the Better Government Association . The BGA is a nonprofit and nonpartisan watchdog …Read More

 

More Columns

Pols feeding at the campaign trough

One of our latest investigations can be summed up in a word: Oink. The Better Government Association teamed up with Chicago magazine to shine a light on how some prominent local politicians are spending campaign money. Bottom line: Campaign funds are treated like personal piggy …

  • Koschman case only about justice

    It was never about Rich Daley, the former mayor. Or his nephew, R.J. Vanecko. Or even David Koschman, the victim of the lethal punch Vanecko allegedly threw during a booze-fueled altercation on Division Street in 2004. It was always about a justice system that must …Read More

    • More power, one big mess

    If Big Bird and “Sesame Street” are important enough for a presidential debate, their muse is certainly worth poaching for today’s column, which is being brought to you initially by the letters M and B. First the M. As in: Mike Madigan. Map. Money. Message. …

    Thanks to pols who got it right

    Watchdogs sniff out a lot of bad behavior by public officials — some intentional, some inadvertent — and while many of the culprits ignore the disclosures, others with the power to correct the situation do just that. So, in the spirit of the season, we’re …

    Emanuel’s recording explanation — much ado about something

    Mayor Rahm Emanuel tends to parcel out more pithy put-downs than lofty literary lines in jousts with the media, but he deigned to parry with both verbal weapons at the same time recently when he repurposed one of Shakespeare’s most famous titles — “Much Ado …

    Cal City is reeling, but officials get sweet perks

    In Calumet City, the unemployment rate tops 11 percent, well above the state average. Nearly 20 percent of local families live below the poverty line. And taxes are rising to meet soaring pension costs for municipal workers. The picture is relatively bleak — unless you’re …

    Lyon Township’s blast from corruption’s past

    “Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive.” That 19th century quote from the Scottish poet Sir Walter Scott came to mind recently when a familiar name from a political past closer to home, 87-year-old Morgan Finley, surfaced in a …

    State Rep. Luis Arroyo apologizes for taking homeowner’s tax break on two homes

    An influential state legislator is the latest Chicago-area political figure caught improperly accepting more property tax breaks than the law allows. State Rep. Luis Arroyo (D-Chicago) owns a single-family home and a two-flat next door to each other on the 2400 block of North Nordica. …

    Why no subs for ailing legislators?

    Why play it safe? Let’s roll the dice, go way out on a limb and put our credibility on the line with this bodacious pre-election prediction: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. wins another term in the 2nd Congressional District, though he has been MIA since June …

    Put aside distractions, focus on Illinois’ fiscal mess

    Presidential debates. Congressional races. Budget battles. Crime sprees. Da Bears. Da Bulls. Jesse Jackson Jr. That’s more than enough to satiate the hungriest news junkie. But it also means a lot of important political and governmental stories fall below the radar screen. And those stories, …

    Parking-meter audit a slick PR move

    Rahm needed an easy one. After all, Year II of his Mayoral Reign has been rough, with gang wars that produced frightening levels of violence in some communities and an intolerably high murder rate; an ugly teachers strike that roiled the city and left bruised …

    Video poker no longer a bad bet for Illinois

    The bill legalizing video poker in Illinois, described by detractors as the “crack cocaine of gaming” because of its addictive quality, emerged from the bowels of the state Capitol in Springfield three and a half years ago as a legislative loser. It carried the stench …

    Mayor Emanuel should push for new ethics ordinance now

    Ever heard of the Chicago Board of Ethics? If the answer’s “no,” don’t worry about it — you’re not alone. Few people — even those who work in government — know about this board, which is supposed to be a watchdog that enforces ethics and …

    Schillerstrom now appealing tax cases to board members he appointed

    The three members of the DuPage County Board of Review — a government panel that handles property tax appeals from home and business owners — were appointed or reappointed by Robert Schillerstrom during his 12-year stint as DuPage County Board chairman. Now a lawyer in …

    POLICE NEED NEW INTERROGATION POLICY

    Chicago vs. New York. Fans of these two world-class cities often argue about which metro giant has the better sports teams, political theater, cultural scene — even pizza. It’s mostly in good fun and, of course, we think Chicago has the edge. But NYC recently …

    Tiny mosquitoes take big tax bite

    Here’s the buzz: Cook County’s mosquitoes should be flattered by all the government attention they’re getting. But taxpayers should be flustered. Why? Because the county has four separate mosquito abatement districts that spend $11.5 million a year in property taxes. Public officials keep talking about …

    End pension scams for clout crowd

    Most of the conversation about reforming our cash-strapped public employee pensions focuses on government’s “Big Three” ­— Illinois, Chicago and Cook County. But no fix will ever be complete, or successful, if it doesn’t end the costly and wasteful pension perks and sweeteners that suburbs, …

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