The Last Ward
Austin BergThe Last Ward is where power is brokered, deals are cut, and Chicago’s future is decided. Published by the Chicago Policy Center.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 56 | Founded | a year ago | Last Issue | 10 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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thelastward.orgLatest Issues
The backslide of Chicago-style socialism
Chicago Magazine ran a provocative piece by Edward McClelland last week, titled “The Progressive Slide.”
“It wasn’t all that long ago that progressives had the momentum on City Council,” McClelland wrote. “Fast-forward to this March. They...
Chicago Teachers Union wants $8.5 million dues hike to fund politics
“Has your brand become toxic?”
This was a pointed question from WGN Political Editor Tahman Bradley, posed to Chicago Teachers Union President Stacy Davis Gates in a recent interview.
Her immediate response: “I don’t understand the questi...
How Chicago gerrymanders local maps
Gerrymandering is dominating the national political conversation.
Virginia voters last week narrowly approved a constitutional amendment allowing the state to redraw its political maps ahead of the 2026 midterms—joining a brushfire of mid-...
Brandon Johnson wants a ‘millionaires’ tax. Should Springfield pass one?
How should Chicago deal with the city’s persistent financial problems?
That might be the most common question posed to Mayor Brandon Johnson since he took office in 2023.
And his answer has always been a variation on one theme: Hike taxes...
May Day: Chicago could be home to nation's only major school shutdown May 1
Will the Chicago Teachers Union lock students out of school on May 1?
More than 300,000 Chicago schoolchildren—and their parents—still don’t know the answer to that question.
Whether schools will proceed with arts programming, senior mil...
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Executive Director of the Chicago Policy Center | Co-founder and President of Iron Light (2025 Campaigns & Elections Public Affairs Firm of the Year) | Co-author of “The New Chicago Way: Lessons from Other Big Cities"
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