# The Last Ward

> The Last Ward is where power is brokered, deals are cut, and Chicago’s future is decided. Published by the Chicago Policy Center.

- **Platform:** substack
- **Category:** Politics
- **Subscribers:** 162K
- **Paid subscribers:** 10K
- **Weekly growth:** -0.3%
- **Monthly growth:** -1.1%
- **Last updated:** 2026-10-14
- **URL:** https://thelastward.org
- **Profile:** https://newsletterinsights.io/newsletter/thelastward-org

## Recent Posts

- [Chicago’s new budget kills head tax, but lacks brains](https://www.thelastward.org/p/chicagos-new-budget-kills-head-tax)
- [Illinois' new digital asset tax threatens Chicago's legacy, and its future](https://www.thelastward.org/p/illinois-new-digital-asset-tax-threatens)
- [The real reason Brandon Johnson fired his public safety leadership](https://www.thelastward.org/p/the-real-reason-brandon-johnson-fired)
- [One year later: What the gift room scandal reveals about Chicago](https://www.thelastward.org/p/one-year-later-what-the-gift-room)
- [Chicago is investigating how residents learned of a meeting to hike their property taxes](https://www.thelastward.org/p/chicago-is-investigating-how-residents)
- [Chicago teachers reject union’s $8.5M dues hike in historic vote](https://www.thelastward.org/p/chicago-teachers-reject-unions-85m)
- [Why Chicago’s city treasurer is a waste of an elected office](https://www.thelastward.org/p/why-chicagos-city-treasurer-is-a)
- [Why you can’t start a Chicago-style hot dog cart in Chicago ](https://www.thelastward.org/p/why-you-cant-start-a-chicago-style)
- [Chicago votes: What do you have to lose?](https://www.thelastward.org/p/chicago-votes-what-do-you-have-to)
- [May Day: Chicago could be home to nation's only major school shutdown May 1 ](https://www.thelastward.org/p/may-day-chicago-could-be-home-to)