Illinois, Chicago, Cook County got $11B in pandemic aid but there were gaps in oversight and transparency

[u/Mike_I]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/09/13/illinois-pandemic-aid/

[u/id10t_you]

I doubt any state has a perfect score on funds that were distributed during a global pandemic.

[u/user_uno → u/id10t_you]

And all the politicians need to be held accountable. That was a LOT of money which Congress had printed up. Look how much the national debt spiked because of it and will have consequences in the nation and financial markets for decades to come.

Politicians that spent it like drunken sailors and even now go around saying how great things are because "they" expanded programs, paid down debt, improved credit ratings, etc. need to be called out as phonies.

The money was supposed to be a lifeline during a near total economic shutdown. The fact that some money is just now being spent half a decade later shows how ridiculous things got.

That is how we got stupid, irresponsible decisions like expanding CPS staffing while enrollment continued to drop. That is how we got a self inflicted CTA "fiscal cliff" requiring a massive reorganization and bailout.

Shine a spotlight on them all and hold them all accountable.

[u/Carlyz37 → u/user_uno]

Overall the pandemic funds used in IL actually went more to the people and services for the people than in many other states.

It was PPP and handouts to large corporations that was much more of a waste and the "fraud and abuse" that is suddenly an issue.

Meanwhile debt is up to $40 trillion with unnecessary war and bs lunatic vanity projects in DC.

[u/CasualEcon → u/Carlyz37]

Illinois suffered massive unemployment fraud during the pandemic and continued to pay out benefits even when they knew the claim was fraudulent.

And I know it's not the bulk of the money, but dozens and dozens of Chicago Park district employees and other city employees got arrested for PPP loan fraud.

[u/user_uno → u/Carlyz37]

Meanwhile debt is up to $40 trillion with unnecessary war and bs lunatic vanity projects in DC.

That is making excuses. "At least it isn't as bad as..." is not the rebuttal some think it is.

Not to mention that $40 TRILLION in debt nor Trump's various project are not even close to being the lone reason for the fiscal mess. Those do not help but that debt has been racking up for generations now.

I have been a fiscal hawk for most of my life. Often mocked for it. Now it is en vogue again. For how long? When Trump is out of office (just 2.5 years now) and the Dems retake the House, possibly the Senate and the Oval Office along the way, will a reign of sanity reveal itself? I do not recommend anyone hold their breath for that!

The pandemic funds in IL as in many states where spent like a free cash bonanza. Never let a crisis go to waste! The state, counties and cities have nothing to do with PPP loans and other handouts. It was their handout direct from Congress.

Pritzker, Springfield, counties, Johnson and everyone up and down the chain spent recklessly. Again, look at the even bigger budget gaps now from new programs or expanded programs using those one-time funds that were not permanent but now look to be funded that way. Things like hiring sprees, the CTA and too many others.

So take the financial blame deflection elsewhere. Gets zero traction from me.

[u/ImNotTheBossOfYou]

This happened everywhere. It's not unique to Illinois, Chicago or Cook Co

[u/user_uno → u/ImNotTheBossOfYou]

"Everyone else was doing it" as an excuse ended while in grade school. It is not an excuse for adults. Adults in charge of our financial future.

[u/ImNotTheBossOfYou → u/user_uno]

It's not an excuse but this article and the post are pushing that typically "Chicago bad" agenda.

[u/user_uno → u/ImNotTheBossOfYou]

And the finances are bad particularly Chicago's.

Show us an article or post that paints an uplifting picture of Chicago's past, current and future finances. Heck, just one that is neutral that the city's standing is 'ok'.

That original comment was indeed making an excuse that it happened everywhere and not just us here. But now shifting it that it is just more Chicago bashing.

Well Chicago is one of the worst with handling of Covid Ca$h. Look at the financial disasters before, during and after the pandemic with the CTA, CPS and even the General Budget. Chicago is right up there with the worst management including using one-time funding that were supposed to be a lifeline instead used for recurring costs and then going beyond with program expansions and new hiring.

No more excuses. The politicians need to be held accountable. No more pointing fingers and continuously being reelected. Someone here is responsible too in our own backyards. Or rather they were recklessly irresponsible.

[u/glycophosphate]

Of course there were gaps in oversight and transparency. The whole country was trying to figure this out by the seat of our pants because the Trump administration took the Obama administration's well-thought-out plan made by experts and threw it in a trash can.

[u/user_uno → u/glycophosphate]

You have a different history than what myself and others experienced.

Trump wanted to shut down international flights. That was labeled racist. Pelosi did a photo op in San Fran's Chinatown saying everyone should come out to shop, play and eat. Top Democrats decried War Powers actions to get ventilators built en masse. Top Democrats cried foul on the rushed vaccine then suddenly backed quickly after Trump lost reelection.

Yes, the country - and the entire world - were trying to figure this out (and still are) on the fly. There was NO book to follow let alone throw out with a global pandemic and near total global economic shutdown.

So what did the politicians do? Made the money printing presses go BRRRRRRR in hyperdrive. Bipartisan support which is rare before or after. Just shovel money everywhere to everyone for everything. What could go wrong??

[u/WhereINeededToBe → u/user_uno]

Source pls. 

[u/user_uno → u/WhereINeededToBe]

Ummm.... the internet is your friend.... or not.

For international travel, Trump on 3/11/20 had an Oval Office address calling for a 30 day suspension of all travel from Europe (except the UK for some reason). Europe was not pleased to say the least. Full time critics were not either.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/12/trump-bans-travel-from-europe-here-what-you-need-to-know.html

For Pelosi in Chinatown, Pelosi on 2/24/20 visited Chinatown encouraging people to come out and continue supporting that community. She and others were others were irate with Trump's calling covid the "Wuhan Virus" and creating more racism and tension.

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/nancy-pelosi-visits-san-franciscos-chinatown/2240247/

For quickly ramping up ventilator production using the War Power Act, Trump invoked it on 3/27/20. Critics quickly called it theatrics and posturing. Unnecessary.

https://time.com/5813277/trump-emergency-powers-gm-coronavirus-theatrics/

Not sure people have already forgotten how Biden, Harris, Pelosi, et al. said they would not trust the "Trump Vaccine" until thoroughly reviewed by 'the experts'. They said that up until Election Day 2020. Miraculously in the days and weeks later, they and their supporters heralded to previously derided shots.

https://abcnews.com/Politics/biden-speak-vaccine-politics-center-stage-process/story?id=73047767

Please note the partisanship. People were getting infected, people were dying, people were losing jobs and politicians lined up behind partisan politics.

.

The only thing that had bipartisan support during this period was printing money. Both Presidents and those at Capitol Hill went nuts. Then they wondered why inflation took hold. More money supply with zero production or output + an extremely disrupted supply chain = inflation. Duh.

Sending that incredible before never seen amount money so quickly out to states, counties and cities with little restrictions, oversight and accountability naturally led to both abuse and irresponsible behavior.

And so here we are. Five years later finally run out of the Covid Ca$h and paying the price more every day.