Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins “Chicago Tonight” on Thursday, Jan. 28 to discuss Chicago Public Schools’ financial collapse, the city’s search for a new Chicago police superintendent and the increasingly bitter state budget standoff. What are your questions for the mayor? Share them with us.

Joel Weisman and his panel discuss Gov. Bruce Rauner’s power play to take over the financially broken Chicago Public Schools, Democrats’ response to his proposal and the lack of bipartisan support of the governor’s pension plan. 

Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday announced a pension deal to reform Illinois' troubled state retirement system, but Democratic leaders in the legislature quickly pushed back on the plan. A panel of lawmakers discusses the proposal and whether it has any chance of passing the General Assembly.

A proposed penny-per-ounce tax on sugary beverages is meant primarily as a way to address skyrocketing obesity and diabetes rates. But some of that revenue could go toward funding the city’s big cash crunch.

The mayor and top city officials are speaking to the public at this hour in the first of a series of town hall meetings on the city budget. That budget could be as much as $754 million out of whack thanks to escalating pension costs. Higher taxes and fees are almost certainly inevitable, the question is which? How are residents responding to the shortfall? Paris Schultz joins us live from Malcolm X College.

Two leaders in the Illinois House of Representatives join Phil Ponce on Chicago Tonight to discuss the budget stalemate in Springfield and a possible property tax freeze.

Should downstate and suburban school districts pay the hundreds of millions in costs to fund their teacher pensions? A group of Chicago area state lawmakers say yes. They say it’s a better way to level the playing field between Chicago and other school districts. But not everyone is on board.

We share what you had to say about some of our recent stories when we read viewer feedback from the Chicago Tonight website, and our Facebook and Twitter pages.

A new, in-depth report looks at how Illinois politicians pulled the state into the current pension mess after decades of poor planning, non-existent estimates, and last-minute decision making. Journalist Dave McKinney wrote the story for Crain's Chicago Business and joins Chicago Tonight to discuss the story and how it provides important context for our current crisis.

The state has been without a budget for 41 days. Is there a compromise on the horizon? Carol Marin talks with four members of the Illinois House of Representatives about what's happening this week in Springfield.

Gov. Bruce Rauner on Thursday said his administration would be willing to help Chicago Public Schools and the city’s pensions, provided the city helps Rauner give local municipalities the ability to limit collective bargaining with public employees. On Chicago Tonight Mayor Rahm Emanuel responds to Rauner’s challenge.

Illinois Senate President Cullerton's plan to have the state bailout $500 million in Chicago teacher pension costs moves to the House. What will Speaker Michael Madigan and Gov. Bruce Rauner do? We get the latest from Chicago Tonight Springfield reporter Amanda Vinicky.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel joins Chicago Tonight on Thursday to discuss Chicago Public Schools and the city’s budget deficit, the city’s plan for funding its pensions, his plan to phase out seven TIF districts, and whether he expects any financial help from Springfield. What are your questions for the mayor? Share them with us.

The Illinois Senate is back in session in Springfield to consider a property tax freeze and possible funding relief for social service providers. Amanda Vinicky will join us with the latest on Chicago Tonight.

We discuss the CPS budget and other challenges facing the nation's third-largest school district with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s new leadership team: CPS CEO Forrest Claypool and chief education officer Janice Jackson. 

Could Chicagoans soon be paying higher taxes for sugary drinks? We'll tell you about that and other items Chicago's City Council took up today.