Chicago families should be deeply concerned right now. The Chicago Teachers Union is backing a move to borrow $529 million to cover the cost of running the city’s school system. Not to build new schools. Not to raise reading or math scores. Just to keep things going as they are.

That’s not a solution. That’s a warning sign. And every taxpayer in this city should be paying attention.

At a time when Chicagoans are already struggling with rising property taxes, inflation, and safety concerns, this plan adds another layer of financial burden on working families. It's not about kids or classrooms anymore. It's about keeping a bloated, mismanaged system from collapsing under its own weight.

How Did Chicago Get Here?

So how does a school system even get to the point where it needs to borrow over half a billion dollars just to function?

The answer is simple, and frustrating.

Over the past ten years, Chicago Public Schools has lost more than 80,000 students.

But instead of adjusting spending, the system kept growing. CPS expanded its budget, increased salaries, and agreed to union demands without any real plan to balance the books long term.

Then came COVID relief money from the federal government. Billions of dollars flooded into CPS, and instead of investing that money in ways that would make the system stronger over time, they used it to cover operating costs and paper over long-standing problems. That temporary money is now gone—and there’s no back-up plan.

At the same time, CPS has done nothing to rein in a growing central office or streamline its operations. While classrooms are struggling, the bureaucracy is growing.

Now, the CTU wants to borrow over $500 million just to keep this broken system going. That’s not reform. That’s putting the same broken policies on a credit card and handing the bill to Chicago families.

More Politics, Less Learning

The CTU has stopped acting like a union that exists to help teachers and students. Instead, it’s operating like a political machine. The union has spent more time pushing ideology, supporting radical candidates, and picking fights over social issues than it has improving classroom outcomes.

Parents are desperate for help. Students are falling behind. But instead of solving the literacy crisis or improving safety in schools, CTU leadership is pushing the city deeper into debt.

This isn’t about helping kids anymore. It’s about maintaining control and political power.

What This Means for Taxpayers

Let’s be honest. The city can’t just "borrow" $529 million without consequences. That money has to be paid back—with interest. And guess who pays it? You do. So do your neighbors.

Whether it’s through higher property taxes, more borrowing, or cuts to other vital services, Chicago families will be footing the bill for this reckless approach.

Chicago is already one of the most taxed cities in the country. Businesses are leaving. Families are moving out. And this kind of financial decision will only speed that up.

What Needs to Happen Instead

Chicago doesn’t need another loan. It needs leadership.

Instead of asking for more money, CPS should:

Fully audit its spending to find and cut waste
Tie funding to actual outcomes so we stop rewarding failure
Empower families with real school choice
Stop allowing the CTU to act like a political party

The answers aren’t easy, but they are obvious. Spending more money on a broken system without any accountability is not the answer. Reform is.

Time to Speak Up

This proposal to borrow over half a billion dollars should be a wake-up call for every Chicago resident who cares about the future of our kids and our city.

We all want great schools. We all want teachers to be supported. But we can’t keep pretending that money alone will fix what’s broken—especially when there’s no plan to spend it wisely.

Chicago deserves better. And the people footing the bill deserve a voice.

Taxpayers Beware: The CTU’s $529 Million Bailout Is a Band-Aid on a Bullet Wound