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In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Dave and Ben analyzed audio from a December, 2020 City Council hearing about the botched police raid on the home of Anjanette Young, and from the council's full meeting. In the standard version, aldermen wondered why no staff from the Dept. of Law were present to answer questions. In the premium version: the cost and efficacy of search warrant-based raids; how long police must wait before busting down a door; police supe's frustration with "the Chicago way;" and the mysterious burying of an immigrant-related ordinance. (For the full-length version, subscribe at chigov.com.) Length 6.9 minutes.

In an audio interview with former Chicago budget director Paul Vallas, Dave Glowacz explored ideas for the city of Chicago's 2021 budget. Length 6 minutes. (For the full-length version, subscribe at chigov.com.)

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave react to audio from October 2020 meetings of the Chicago City Council. In the standard version, aldermen want more say in approving TIF-funded projects. In the premium version: how minority-owned businesses get city contracts; how a proposed affordable housing ordinance got sidelined; and a proposed end to funding for cops in schools. (For the full-length version, subscribe at chigov.com.) Length 7.8 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave react to audio from the August and September 2020 meetings of the full Chicago City Council, including: whether an emergency resolution attacks the mayor; demands for hearings around the police budget; a start on combatting South Side gentrification; and a surprise TIF sunshine proposal. Length 11 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio from the July 2020 meeting of the full Chicago City Council, including: why council members fear tenant protections; how (and whether) the mayor blindsided an alderman around a landmark district; the city gropes toward a police complaint database; and a lengthy tribute to a mayoral staffer. Length 9.1 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio from the June 2020 meeting of the full Chicago City Council, including: more votes against the mayor; a reparations commission vote prompts pleas and scolds from black aldermen; cops in schools and out of some wards; and more leaks from a "confidential" mayoral conference. Length 7.4 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio from the May 2020 meeting of the full Chicago City Council, including: aldermen not "brought in" on TIF funding of parks; grousing about minority contracting at the new Trib Tower development; one aldermen chides colleagues for asking too many questions (a "slippery slope"); a mayoral speech on collegiality; and new aldermen use an old tactic. Length 7.8 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio from the first-ever videoconference meeting of the full Chicago City Council. We hear pushback on a COVID-19 emergency powers ordinance proposed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot--from Alds. Jason Ervin (28), Ray Lopez (15), Emma Mitts (37), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25), and Michele Smith (43). Length 6.1 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio clips from the last meeting of Chicago aldermen before the city's "shelter in place" edict. We hear an administration critic choke on an attempted attack; a South Side alderman wins a dramatic TIF concession; and, in the face of a dire pandemic, Dave and Ben embrace the aldermanic routine. Length 7.9 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave listen to audio clips from notable moments of the Chicago City Council's February meeting: animal rights activists get a lesson in how and when to protest; the fast-moving approval train puts on the brakes; and aldermen debate whether they should "roll the dice" in settling a police misconduct lawsuit. Length 6 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave discuss the City Council's first 2020 meeting: Mayor Lori Lightfoot rebukes aldermanic concerns about LGBT business support; aldermen's selective concern about divvying up "the pie;" and, after 1.5 hours of honors, aldermen blow through key diktats in seconds. Length 6.6 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave discuss the City Council's divided approval of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's 2020 budget: Irving Park/Elston TIF district dust-up implies planning dept.'s executive order uncertainty; some aldermen voted against higher property taxes--but voted for big TIF deals that could raise those taxes; the "debate" over ambulance rides paid for by Medicaid; the principled resistance of Alds. Ray Lopez and Anthony Beale; Ald. James Cappelman maybe makes going along sound like legislative savvy; whether corporate clout will forever keep the city from progressive revenue sources; and mayoral retribution against naysaying aldermen: myth vs. reality. Length 9.1 minutes.

Budget analyst Jonathan Silverstein, of the Council Office of Financial Analysis, lays out a 2020 "city budget for dummies," including: how COFA has come unleashed--and how it's still "hamstrung;" how the City Council's finance, budget, and analysis staffs differ in function; which 2020 budget changes came from outside forces vs. the mayor's choices; how pension law and past debt indulgences led to a projected 2020 deficit; the lasting effect of past lawsuit settlement underestimates; how the mayor touted "zero based budgeting," but we have "no way of verifying that;" "inefficient" hiring slow-downs as a legacy method of cost savings; and how the Law Dept. should "lawyer up," while it chafes at the Shakman bit. Length 6.2 minutes.

This episode presents an audio collage of comments by Chicagoans who spoke at Mayor Lori Lightfoot's budget town halls in September and October of 2019. Lightfoot asked residents to "give public testimony on Chicago's 2020 budget"--and they offered plenty of ideas on public pensions, mental health services, affordable housing, loafing city workers, tax-increment financing, and why Chicagoans are being priced out of the city. Length 6.9 minutes.

In an audio interview with freshman Alderman Daniel La Spata of Chicago's 1st Ward, Dave Glowacz explores how new City Council members get the training and orientation needed to do their jobs. "We want our aldermen to be the strongest civil servants they can possibly be," La Spata said--which takes "a much more robust orientation" than the city provides. La Spata detailed what's missing, and how he'd fix it. Length 35 minutes.

Dave Glowacz talks with the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky about how live radio differs from podcasting; the health of the Reader; whether news reporters should express partisan opinions and positions; biases embedded in news reporting; and Dave and Ben's role reversal. Length 5.8 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave discuss aldermen's shock and outrage of Mayor Lightfoot's elevation of Ald. Waguespack; the new mayor vs. the "Beale-Burke axis" in a City Council shake-up; former planning dept. Commissioner David Reifman: real estate cheerleader or public servant; how developer Sterling Bay ended up with ownership of the Chicago River's banks; what prompted Friends of the Chicago River to support Lincoln Yards. Length 6.7 minutes.

In an interview with Dave Glowacz on the Chicago Reader's Ben Joravsky Show, Ben and Dave chew on this: Ald. Hopkins' belief that 'the right side should prevail;' the contrast of Amazon's NYC snub and a Cortland TIF denial; rules and duels that delayed the Cortland TIF vote; Ald. Hairston cites 'blight' sleight used to justify TIF; Ald. Reilly calls a developer's bluff on a TIF subsidy need; and Ald. Smith uncovers TIF financing costs. Length 6.4 minutes.

Debunking--or validating--Bob Fioretti's claim that TIF saps revenue from governmental bodies; Daley, Enyia, and Fioretti's population-growth goal maybe stymied by TIF; and how ripple effects from developments like Lincoln Yards make Chicago less affordable. Length 7 minutes.

In an interview by Ben Joravsky with Dave Glowacz on WCPT-AM's Ben Joravsky Show, Mr Bike reveals how local planners have challenged mayoral candidates to adopt a bold Chicago transportation vision. Ben and Dave discuss sources of revenue to fund better transit; why bike lanes don't go far enough to encourage cycling; and state legislators' strategy to legalize marijuana. Length 5.9 minutes.