Rick Pearson, chicagotribune.com

Rick Pearson

chicagotribune.com

Chicago, IL, United States

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Recent:
  • Unknown
Past:
  • chicagotribune.com
  • Orlando Sentinel
  • Los Angeles Times

Past articles by Rick:

The assessment on Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s home went down while his neighbors’ soared. What happened?

Kaegi said the decrease was a corrective counterbalance to a massive assessment hike his house received when he tattled on himself three years ago, resulting in his family paying more per square foot than neighbors in comparable homes. → Read More

School choice or a drain on public education? Backers aim to save controversial private school tax credit left out of new Illinois budget

Critics say the state shouldn't fund a program that shifts public funds to private and religious schools, some of which discriminate. → Read More

Illinois House Democrats acknowledge ‘it isn’t easy to come together’ before early morning vote sending $50.6 billion state budget to Gov. J.B. Pritzker

After a budget process that went into overtime amid differences over spending priorities among Democrats, Illinois House gives final approval to $50.6 billion budget. → Read More

Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Democratic legislative leaders reach deal on $50 billion budget

Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the leaders of the Illinois legislature announced that they have reached a deal on a roughly $50 billion state budget, → Read More

Democrats fail to come together on budget as pressures build over spending, shaky economy

The failure of the Illinois legislature to enact a budget by its self-appointed deadline points to stresses within the state’s one-party, big-tent Democratic rule. → Read More

Chicago to work with Biden administration on plan to fight homelessness

Chicago was one of six locations selected for the “ALL INside” program. → Read More

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tells Peoria crowd that Biden’s reelection would leave U.S. ‘unrecognizable’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis warned a central Illinois audience of GOP faithful that if President Joe Biden is re-elected and other Democrats also win, “the country is going to be unrecognizable.” → Read More

Uber warns Democrats, mayor-elect if tougher ride-share rules pass problems might arise, especially during next year’s DNC

A bill pending in Springfield would make rideshare companies as liable for passenger safety as taxis. → Read More

Brandon Johnson’s win as mayor furthers Democratic leftward tilt as party examines big tent philosophy

This year's election laid bare fundamental splits within the state’s Democratic Party that go deeper than just Chicago’s most recent mayoral contest. → Read More

Democrats place big bet on Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson by tapping Chicago for ’24 convention

Democrats are placing a bet on Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson by selecting Chicago as the site of the party's 2024 national convention, hoping his progressive, labor-friendly policies will allow the city and the party to shine. → Read More

Democrats proclaim Chicago ‘ideal’ setting for DNC convention next year

While Democrats heaped praised on each other, they offered little in terms of details on how the convention would be paid for. → Read More

Chicago selected as site of 2024 Democratic National Convention

Chicago has been selected to host the 2024 Democratic National Convention, a huge economic and prestigious boon to the city, national Democratic Party officials announced Tuesday. → Read More

Illinois Republicans do an about-face on mail-in voting: ‘We have to play to win under the existing rules’

The state GOP is pushing use of mail-in ballots at the same time it's promoting “election integrity” training featuring a 2020 election denier. → Read More

Conservatives are targeting suburban school boards. And the elections are becoming political battlegrounds.

School boards have become targets of both the ire and political ambitions of conservatives arguing schools have been overtaken by liberal agendas. → Read More

Illinois sheriffs’ opposition to enforcing weapons ban signals rightward movement about constitutional authority

The "constitutional sheriffs" movement garnered new strength in Illinois with Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signing of new gun law. → Read More

Paul Vallas Facebook account liked posts that called Chicago ‘hell hole,’ attacked Democrats, said ‘defund CPS’; he again denies involvement

Vallas campaign acknowledged the statements were "offensive" and "should not have been liked." → Read More

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis visits Elmhurst as part of visit aimed at showing he’s pro-police

Exploring a possible presidential bid in 2024, DeSantis attacked Democrats as he recruited police officers to move to the Sunshine State. → Read More

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis coming to speak to Chicago FOP Monday in Elmhurst

Visit here would represent an escalation of the a feud between DeSantis and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who has been overtly critical of the Florida governor. → Read More

Civic Federation chief Laurence Msall dies at 61

A tax policy expert, Msall had headed the budget watchdog group since 2002, providing advice, guidance and criticism for the public, governors and mayors. → Read More

In Chicago, U.S. Secretary of State Blinken says Putin has already lost what he wanted in Ukraine

Blinken says Russia's efforts to "erase Ukraine as an independent country," can’t succeed. → Read More