Good afternoon everyone. When we started this process back in January, we had a very simple proposition that we put forward for the people of Chicago to debate.
Let's find a way to pass a budget without balancing this budget off the backs of working people.
And in fact, we were also clear that we needed to pass a budget by challenging corporations and those with means to put more skin in the game.
That was it.
So we put forth some options that we believe are responsible and fiscally sound.
Ultimately, even when we look at the so-called alternative proposal,
98% of what we put forward is actually in their proposal as well.
They did try to double the garbage tax, but we had them walk that back.
They tried to cut 5,000 youth jobs.
We got them to restore those as well.
And now we're looking at what essentially is the final 2%,
and we're working hard to find a responsible compromise to pass this budget
and ultimately keep our city moving towards becoming the safest, most affordable big city in America.
The one point that we all agree on is the necessity of preventing a government shutdown.
I disagree that the only way to replace the revenue from the corporate head tax that would fund our community safety endeavors is with fines and fees on working people across this city.
I think that it is the wrong solution.
It is a one-time revenue that is entirely speculative and would result in debt collectors harassing residents who have fallen behind on some of their bills.
I think we have other options on the table, and we are working as we speak to try to work out a full agreement.
We will continue to work diligently with all parties to move our city forward
and, of course, to continue the progress that we've made towards reducing crime and violence in our city.
The two things can be true at the same time.
One, that we are currently experiencing a historic reduction in crime and violence.
We are on track to have the fewest homicides in at least the last decade,
and potentially in the last six decades,
and two, that we still have a long way to go.
Should we celebrate the lives that we have saved through the hard work of our police officers on the streets every day,
through the partnerships with community violence intervention organizations,
through the expansion of youth employment programs,
and through community-based organizations who have spearheaded this work?
Should we celebrate that progress?
Absolutely.
But that doesn't stop the fact that as proud as we are, that we still have more work to do.
And it certainly doesn't mean that we should pat ourselves on the back.
If 2025 was historic, then we want 2026 to be transformative.
Our city deserves that.
Our people need that.
And we will keep fighting every single day to save lives and pursue the strategies that yield tangible results.
So with that, I appreciate you all and looking forward to the holiday season coming sooner than later.
And with that, I'm happy to answer any of your questions.
Testing, testing.
Hey, man.
Hey, good afternoon.
Good afternoon.
So do you regret or do you think you should have done more to try to increase the advanced pension payment?
I know that you've described why you couldn't or why it was difficult because there wasn't a pool of money to do so, right?
But it was clear that it was going to be difficult for your own plan to get 26 votes without doing that.
Do you think you should have tried to proactively work with some moderate members to try to do that into your own proposal?
Well, look, of course, I've said from the very beginning that we always wanted to pay the full advance pension payment.
I mean, we've done that within the first two budgets.
and there are some significant circumstances that prevented us from being able to do that.
And so we've been working diligently, not just on this budget, but even looking ahead,
where we anticipate that we'll be in a much stronger position to be able to make that advanced pension payment.
But, you know, as far as the work that we apply to ensure that we would be in a position to pay as much as possible,
we did everything that we possibly could.
The only other way, of course, in which we could have put more towards the advanced pension payment is to have some more support from progressive revenue, of which we know that we have some limited options.
But our fight is still continuous and ongoing as we will pass this budget.
It will be balanced.
And we know that once this budget is passed and balanced, that there is a collective commitment.
commitment that I've received from business leaders as well as alders to work with me in Springfield
to get the necessary revenue to put us on a faster pace to solvency.
Your administration yesterday said the proposal as is would blow $163 million.
It was unbalanced by $163 million.
If that is the case and your administration believes that, is it incumbent on you to veto the package as is?
Well, I mean, I think the first thing is to get the budget balanced, right?
So I don't want to get too far ahead of ourselves.
So it's my responsibility to continue to show up, as I have done, to work with all members of city council who are, I believe, interested in securing a balanced budget.
Look, as I've said before, 98% of what's in the proposal that they have placed in front of me is everything that I proposed a couple of months ago.
Right. You know, so, again, I think I've said this before.
They've, you know, have admitted that this is less than two percent of our overall budget in terms of what we're talking about right now.
And where the line is pretty clear for me, I don't believe this budget should be balanced with increasing fines, fees and sicking debt collectors after poor and working people.
I just I don't believe that that's the right approach.
I'll just say one follow-up. On that, you know, the controller did say, I forget the exact number, but you guys are baking into your budget a lot more revenue from debt collection.
So, you know, you are attempting to go after that in a more aggressive way, right?
Well, we do fundamentally believe that, you know, when people have debt that they should pay it, right?
It's a matter of how we do it responsibly, right?
So, yes, we hire individuals that can target people who have the ability to pay.
See, that's the difference between the level of care and the responsible approach that we're taking as an administration.
We're not selling debt off to another group that then have to harass the people of the city of Chicago to be able to make good on that transaction.
That is irresponsible, and we're going to continue to draw the line there, though I know that there are a number of alders who believe that's the right approach.
I disagree with it, especially if it comes down to a very simple choice, raising $100 million from corporations who actually have the means to do it versus selling off debt to harass poor people.
I just believe that that contrast is quite severe, and there's a more moral approach to balance this budget.
Good afternoon, Mayor.
Good afternoon.
If you had a jacket, you could be Justin Lawrence.
I know.
Slowly putting everybody on.
I could only wish to be Justin Lawrence.
I mean, the quarter zip was on a roll, and then Justin comes in here.
Would you say that your main focus now or one of your main focuses is preventing a municipal debt sale that is being proposed in this latest budget?
And could you elaborate on some of the other options that you kind of highlighted in your remarks?
Look, my focus is twofold.
One, we have to have a budget that's balanced. That's the first thing. And then, of course, it's how we balance this budget. So that is the second thing.
And where I believe I certainly depart from what has been proposed is that balancing it off the backs of working people, particularly selling off debt and setting up a situation where working people and poor people are going to be harassed and paraded by debt collectors, that is not the right approach.
In terms of other options, our teams are still at the table, literally, negotiating what some of the other options could be.
So the intent is to get to a plan that, if it passes, does not have that $163 million.
I believe that that is the right approach, to balance it in that manner.
I just don't believe that's responsible.
Quite frankly, I don't even know if someone would even buy that debt,
because some of the parameters that they're trying to place around the conditions of selling off that debt,
it basically disincentivizes.
a group from actually purchasing it because the means and the practices that they use
in order to collect the debt are quite severe. And I know that firsthand.
Hey there. You need a sweater and a jacket. I do. I've been here every day. All my stuff's
at the dry cleaner. Switching gears slightly, Greg Wavino is back in Chicago. Not clear if
he's still here, but yesterday his agents had some interactions with Chicago police officers
And he told media outlets that for the first time, we're receiving some assistance from Chicago PD and Evanston Police Department.
Do you believe?
that Chicago police officers assisted Border Patrol, and if so, did they break the Welcoming City Ordinance?
Anyone at this point who would believe anything that Greg Bovino would say wants to be duped.
He has been proven over and over again that he is a dishonest human being.
Our police officers are working within the confines of our Welcoming City Ordinance.
That is the expectation that they maintain that.
But Greg Bovino is a very disturbed individual and has never spoken the truth.
So from your perspective, he's a liar.
He's lying.
I mean, and he has been lying, right?
This is not the first time he's lied.
Just to go back to the budget, I know we're talking about a compromise here,
but if this final alternative proposal does pass on Saturday, as Alders are saying,
would you be forced, would you issue a veto of that package?
Look, it really depends, right, on what's in it, right?
I have not, you know, completely made that decision yet, but I've made at least a couple of points pretty clear, which I'm grateful that they've backed off, right?
You know, they wanted to double garbage fees.
They were looking to take 5,000 jobs from children, overwhelmingly children of color.
You know, I don't know why they even thought that was a good idea, but we at least got them to back off of that.
You know, again, I believe that the real dispute is how are we going to get there, right?
And I believe that as much as we've worked hard to ensure that corporations put more skin in the game, which this budget does that,
It's really coming down to less than 2% of the budget, and we're either going to find means to fill this small gap that's still left with ideas and ways that don't target working people and poor people, particularly with debt collection.
I think that's just morally bankrupt.
Good afternoon, Mayor.
The Chicago Bears, Kevin Warren, have released a statement saying that their search for a new home has expanded once again,
looking at northwest Indiana.
Your reaction to that, A, B, have conversations continued with the city of Chicago,
and does this, in some ways, open the door, if those conversations haven't continued,
open the door for Chicago to be back in play?
Is my face straight?
Okay.
All right, let me keep a straight face here.
The Bears belong in the city of Chicago. The Chicago Bears belong in the city of Chicago, right?
And I've said repeatedly that the door is always open for conversations, you know, and, you know, Kevin Warren did call me yesterday.
We didn't get a chance to connect, you know, and I still firmly believe that their best position is in Chicago.
And it's evidence. The evidence is clearly speaking for itself.
in that statement kevin warren says this is not a leverage play do you believe that you know look
i i can't get into the psyche and the motivation of this organization um we're all grateful that
you know there's a winning team on the field this weekend obviously is incredibly important
you know and there's going to be some pretty decent weather for us to be able to you know
clench a playoff spot for the first time in a long time so that's a good thing for our city
and the morale of our city, you know, and, you know, as far as what their motivations are,
you know, I can't speak to that, and my position has been very clear.
You all know that.
There's not been a politician in this city that has worked as hard as I have
to ensure that the Bears have a package that keeps them, you know, quite frankly,
at the most unique, special property anywhere in our city.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
Can you speak directly to the elderly black woman on Chicago's left side or the family impacted by gun violence on the south side?
What was selling off the city's debt to a private company look like for them financially?
Yeah, look, you know, as I've said repeatedly, you know, community safety is my top priority.
And all of my decisions have been centered around building a safe and affordable city.
You know, West Side, of course, South Side, these are communities that have had to bear the brunt of historic disinvestment as well as budgets being balanced off of their backs.
And as we work hard to continue to make the critical investments to ensure that we're driving violence down, you know, we can't have this pharisaical dynamic or hypocritical dynamic where we say that we believe in these communities and we want to invest in them.
but the only way in which communities can receive investment is if we take more from them.
It just doesn't make sense.
What I would say directly to families who have experienced violence or families who have experienced disinvestment,
call their alderman and know that the mayor of Chicago has their back.
My budget, my values have been consistently on display.
And here's the thing, the last thing that I'll say is I will thank them for their support.
The people of Chicago have spoken.
80% particularly black and brown Chicagoans
But across the board
Black, brown, white, Asian
They support the corporate head tax
As well as taxing corporations
To help us support these investments
To ultimately balance our budget
So you have a group of alders
Who are working against the will of the people
That's why this particular struggle is important
Because this is not just a fight for Chicago
This is a fight for our democracy across our country
People have overwhelmingly spoken that in order for us to have affordable communities, we have to challenge big corporations and the ultra-rich to pay their fair share in taxes.
And know that when we balance this budget, our struggle and our fight for a safe and affordable city does not end when this budget is passed.
The group of elders has said with the debt proposal, the debt collection proposal, that you could charge it to corporations that owe the city debt.
Is there a way that you could do that without impacting vulnerable Chicago?
The debt that they're speaking about, we're talking about individual debt.
Now you have people who are just making stuff up.
Look, I've been a teacher, and that's still the best profession that I've ever had.
I know when someone doesn't have the right answer, right?
Because what happens is when they don't do their homework and they don't study,
they just start to fabricate ideas.
And, you know, we're not going to be subject to that type of fallacy.
We're going to continue to ensure that we're balancing our budget responsibly and that we're not just simply making up numbers just so that we can, you know, settle some sort of political score.
There's a clear line here.
We're going to balance this budget by continuously challenging the corporations to put more skin in the game.
or there's an approach that some are taking where essentially putting that burden on working people and poor people,
I believe that that's morally bankrupt.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
In retrospect, do you still think that introducing the veto threat changed the stakes of negotiations in a productive way?
And if so, should that threat be used more often in these budget fights?
Well, look, and I don't know if I would characterize it as a threat, but I understand where your frame is going.
What I've simply said was that, you know, this budget has to be balanced and that there are certain red lines that I drew, property, garbage, grocery.
Let's not do that in order to balance this budget.
We also said corporations, right?
So we have our PPLT, which, you know, initially they were trying to back away from that and sunset it.
They moved off of that.
that significant revenue that we need for long-term sustainability,
but the fact that they were trying to sunset a corporate revenue stream
that would have left a larger budget gap for next year's budget,
that speaks to how irresponsible they are.
And so that's why we're approaching this in a responsible way.
So I don't want people to take this as some sort of tool that is being taken lightly
in terms of the use of it and how often it should be used.
It needs to be used when necessary, and I will find that tool necessary if there is something that is presented in front of me that doesn't hold to our values as a city.
Thank you.
And regarding immigration, multiple alders of the Latino Caucus tell me that there need to be consequences for federal agents who call 911 for CPD assistance when, in their view, it's not needed.
Regarding yesterday's incident, some of them have surmised that maybe they even are trying to lure CPD over so they can cause, I don't know, an incident for Greg Bovino to then tweet, look, CPD is helping us.
Do you also find that suspicion valid?
And what can the city do to stop that from happening?
Well, look, I hadn't thought about it that way until it was framed that way.
I mean, it's possible, you know, that that that Donald Trump is using Greg Bovino to lure in local law enforcement to carry out his terror.
It's possible. You know, as far as what the city can do is that we can continue to uphold our values within the welcoming city ordinance.
Look, we don't always get everything right all the time.
And as our police department assesses situations, as they did in that one, they realized that here we go again, another fabricated.
Exaggerated claim that is ultimately putting people's lives in danger.
We've already seen that over and over again.
Will we have to continue to look at other measures as this element continues to evolve?
Absolutely, and I'm grateful that we have a number of elders who are committed to making sure that not only do we hold to our values,
but we find innovative ways and creative ways to push back against the type of tyranny that's coming from the federal government.
Good afternoon, Mayor.
Good afternoon.
Word of the day is veto, apparently.
You just said that the veto as a tool has to be used when necessary.
Obviously, there's the budget that has to get passed, balanced by the end of the year.
There's also the obvious political ramifications for you and for the alders as this goes forward.
Can you give us some insight into how you weigh whether, you know, it's the right thing to do now
or, you know, leave the blame on the alders who pass it if things go sour?
Yeah, look, first of all, I'm not in a blaming game. I don't necessarily agree with the blaming game. I believe that all of us have to share responsibility in how we administer government.
So here's how I can do it. I can try to parse it apart, that here's what I'm weighing right now, a budget that essentially would be balanced with going after working people and poor people with harassment around debt collection, or we can find other means to generate revenue, which include the corporate head tax.
I've never said that that's the only form of progressive revenue that we should look at.
In fact, we've explored a number of ideas of which many of them have been implemented.
And, you know, if it comes down to those two decisions, of course, I'm going to push hard for a better way to balance this budget.
Now, in terms of veto, if I find this budget to be irresponsible and unbalanced, then it leaves me with very few options, quite frankly.
And if the group of elders who are determined to only pass this budget with going after the debt of working people and poor people,
So I'm encouraging them to look at other means of revenue, which we have placed some ideas on the table.
Look, I don't want a government shutdown, and I made a very strong commitment to the city of Chicago
that I'm going to do whatever I can and use every tool that's available to me to ensure that we don't do that.
Because it's not just the severe ramifications around elected leaders.
We're talking about the consequence that it could have on everyday people.
There's some sense from some of the alternative elders, speaking privately, that if they get this budget passed and you veto it,
that they could pull people over from the other side who are looking at the end of the year and saying,
we've got to pass the budget, here's one we've got to vote on, then they'll get the votes, and a potential veto could get overridden.
Are you taking these calculations into effect?
I mean, look, I'm looking at every single scenario.
The most important scenario that I'm considering, though, right now is a balanced budget that doesn't place the burden on working people and poor people.
Hey, Mayor.
Hey.
Following up on that, you've said that the alternative group budget goes against your values, is unbalanced, and is morally bankrupt.
That group is flatly disagreeing with you.
They say it's balanced, and they're plugging ahead.
In 48 hours, they plan to finally pass it.
If it doesn't change, if the version that they vote on is the same one that you've seen and you've discredited, will you veto it?
Well, let me just make sure that we have some clarifying points here.
One, I said that going after debt of working people and poor people, I don't believe that's moral.
I just don't.
So it's not the entire package because, remember, 98% of it they agree with me on.
So we're talking about 2%.
The difference is there's a group of alders that want to go after working people and poor people and send debt collectors after them.
And then there are those of us who believe that corporations should pay their fair share in taxes.
Now there are other means in which we can generate revenue, which, you know, some of those ideas are still being discussed as we know it.
So no final decision has been made, but I don't want it to be cast that I see them or the entire proposal as immoral.
They've already committed and agreed that they believe now that we should make sure that we at least have slots for 30,000 young people to have summer jobs.
They believe now that we should keep the smart tax.
They believe that we shouldn't have a garbage tax.
I mean, I can go on and on about the ways in which they have moved, right, just like I can talk about ways in which that I have moved.
So I don't believe that all hope is lost here.
And, you know, as much as, you know, I recognize that there is some, you know, level of, you know, animus that does, you know, sometimes surface to the top, you know, I don't believe that there's a mean spirit approach coming from either direction.
Alderman Irvin told me this after counsel today.
The executive branch does have the ability to not do things, and I think that's part of the government that we sometimes don't even think about.
He was suggesting that...
You could use your discretion as the leader of the executive branch of this government
to not implement some of these ideas, especially ones you disagree with like that debt collection.
Is that something that you think is possible that, you know, on light pole advertising
or debt collection or augmented reality, if you don't believe it actually works,
that you just wouldn't implement it?
Well, look, I'm not going to opine on Chairman Irvin's perspective there.
What I can say is that I take my job seriously. It's why we're not going to allow this budget process to move forward with make-believe, because ultimately the responsibility for me to carry out these policies, that is my job, to enforce policy, and I'm going to do that.
So that's why it makes no sense to put something in policy form that can't be materialized.
That would be reckless and irresponsible.
The responsible thing to do is what we have been doing, is that we continue these conversations
and that we are working towards, again, ensuring that our values are in place.
And apparently 98% of them are.
So let this be proof positive that they've admitted.
I've said this weeks ago.
Their number is less than 2%.
I gave you a precise number, 1.67%.
That's what we're talking about here.
And I believe that we can come to a reasonable conclusion without forcing government to do something that it likely won't be able to do,
particularly at a time in which there's something that we can do, that the people of Chicago want us to do.
That just makes more political sense to me, but clearly some folks are dug into their ideological frame,
And even with good evidence in front of them, they're still refusing to essentially come to the conclusion that everyone has come to, that corporations have the ability to pay, and it's not going to impact our overall economic growth.
Hi, Mayor.
Hi.
Because we are talking about 2%, I guess the question is, is the debt collection a deal-breaker to you?
Yes.
Yes.
I mean, in very certain terms, yes.
you know look especially if there's another way it'd be different if we didn't have any other way
look this is going to come down to you know our ability to ensure that the vehicle that we're
building has a full tank of gas you know you yeah you know i'm a gen xer right there's nothing more
disturbing and troubling than someone inviting you on a road trip and you don't have a full
tank of gas right it's just it's not responsible and trust me i've had my share of trips without
necessarily having a full tank of gas and you know that that's it can be scary you know not to
get too far off it's a true story i'm i drive to st louis to to ask my what would be my wife's
family for for her hand in marriage because it wasn't enough to get her dad and mom's permission
I got to get our uncles and cousins. So we go down there and I promise you, I have a Jetta gas is like 99 cents.
And I knew we could get down there, but it was a little if if we had enough gas on the way back.
But I was so in love and I needed to get to St. Louis to get permission from my wife's family that that I would take care of her and we would have a beautiful life together.
I hope she still believes that, by the way. But when we got down there, we were a little low on money.
And truthfully, we didn't quite have enough gas to get back.
And her uncle, Uncle B, may he rest in peace, he shook my hand and put a $20 bill in my hand.
And I thought to myself, I don't know how he knew that not only did we need gas, but we had to stop at KFC and get some wings as well.
So we're not going to balance our budget with that mentality.
It worked out for Stacey and I, but we're not going to put the people of Chicago at risk.
I have another question, but I just want to ask a clarification on that.
If it is a deal breaker, are you saying as long as that stays in the budget, you will veto it?
I'm saying that as long as that is the approach, then we have to keep talking and keep organizing
and keep working towards a reasonable, responsible compromise.
Because keep in mind is that the parameters that they've established around the debt collection,
there's no guarantee that that could actually happen.
So it's not a matter of, and I got what your other colleague was asking,
It's not a matter of whether or not I would enforce the provisions within the budget.
Once you sell that debt off, if you're even able to find a buyer, what happens after that for them to be able to collect it?
They need to be able to have certain tactics that give them the return on that investment.
And by turning that over to them, if you're even able to find someone to purchase it, I believe places the people of Chicago in incredible harm.
And that's not the approach that we should take, especially because there are other options.
I wanted to ask you about the proposals to put advertising on light poles, city vehicles, bridge houses, and then just the video gaming piece as well.
What do you make of those proposals?
Yeah, look, I mean, I think those are worth exploring.
Again, there are some elements of those proposals that really believe that's not my jam necessarily, you know, and, you know, I'm a reasonable person.
If there's real numbers attached to some of those revenue ideas, I do believe it's worth exploring.
How's it going, Mayor Johnson?
It's going well, thank you.
As a veteran of more than one Gen X road trip, I can concur about the need for a full tank of gas.
We can swap playlist recommendations later, maybe.
Last night during the Budget Committee hearing, Alders asked your finance team,
which would be worse for the city from a credit rating standpoint,
passing an unbalanced budget or having a government shutdown?
And they answered with no hesitation, a shutdown.
Is that part of the calculus that you're considering as you weigh your approach and reaction to this budget?
Look, that's another finer way to ask what your other colleague raised.
Avoiding a shutdown is I will do whatever is necessary to avoid a government shutdown.
I will.
And then very quickly, I noticed that the table is set for Comptroller Belsky and CFO Jaworski.
Are they presently in negotiations?
We are.
Ongoing, you all.
This is not over, you all.
I mean, I think that there are some people, you know, who want to just end this tomorrow or the next day.
But our team, as I've said repeatedly, we started this process back in January.
We are already preparing at the same time conversations for next year's budget.
And real quickly, I think if I and my spouse were in a discussion about something at home
and I got 98% of what I wanted, I take the W and move on.
Is that a calculation here?
Is there a chance that you could look at this and go, you know what?
I got 98% of what I want.
I can work with the other stuff.
Let's move on.
Yes, this is what I'm saying.
Look, it's not just the 98% of stuff.
Let's just be clear.
We have fundamentally changed the conversation in this city.
We have.
we are absolutely clear
about what Chicagoans want in leadership
they want us to stand up and fight
and protect working people
that's what they want and they want corporations and the ultra rich
to pay their fair share in taxes
now look, stop breaking news for me
this is what I have based my professional career on
well before I was mayor
I have taken that fight with conviction
because it's the right thing to do.
But there's a reason why, you know,
quite frankly,
previous administrations didn't do that.
Because of what I'm experiencing right now.
That's why they didn't do it.
Other administrations had the opportunity
to put these proposals forward.
They didn't do it
because they didn't want the blowback.
They didn't want, you know,
the constant, you know, political ads,
against your character.
But I'm built differently
because I was built by the very people
that I'm fighting for today.
And so, yes, I had to stand firm
to make sure that the 98% that we all agree on
that is actually codified in this budget.
But let's be clear,
that wasn't the case initially.
They were trying to double the garbage fees.
There were individuals that were calling for
a grocery tax collection. There were individuals that wanted a property tax
increase. We said we're not going to do that. There were individuals that took
youth jobs out of the budget. We had to fight to make sure they put it back in the budget.
This has been an ongoing battle. I've said we will always be willing to
negotiate the details of our values, but we're not going to surrender them
because people are afraid. Overwhelmingly, the people
of Chicago, and quite frankly, this state, believe in what I'm
proposing. And clearly, even those individuals that stand
at the bank with an alternative and some
ulterior motives, for some, they at least agree that
the vision that we've put forward is in alignment.
Now it's a matter of these final few dollars,
how we're actually going to balance it. Balance it.
So it's about how we pay for it. And I believe that we can
come with a reasonable
conclusion and there are some good alders
who do not necessarily agree with the corporate
head tax but they agree with the vision
and they are looking for other ideas. Some
of which they've already been expressed, that our team is willing to explore to put real numbers behind them
so we can actually have a budget that's balanced.
Thank you.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon.
Mark Armstrong, Shy Guardian, Deep South Press Corps.
So, Mr. Mayor, by comparing yourself from time to time to Harold Washington during this year's budget process,
are you suggesting that the older folk who are in line with the alternative budget
are a second coming of the Bedoli Act 21,
while a degree of foundational Chicago citizens believe that you're selling them south
like those evicted black tenants of that South Shore apartment complex
while proposing $200 million for spending on IAs and potential immigrants?
i've never compared myself to mayor harrow washington never done that and i've never
compared alders to any other formation other than who they really are today right we don't have to
look back in the past to to to describe what's happening today but you know i've always said
that you know history doesn't necessarily repeat itself but it certainly rhymes but those are not
my words those are mark twain's words you know so you know look here's what's most important
that my values are the values of the people of this city.
And that's what's being debated right now, the details around those values.
And I believe that there are alders that are committed to working with my administration
to come up with a budget that's balanced and that, again, protects working people in this city.
And circling back to the continuation of another CHA story I initially broke this past summer,
Now that HUD is in town again this week, allegedly to audit immigration status and criminal backgrounds of CHA tenants,
how would you advise the local agency on avoiding remediation and a potential federal takeover in the event of substantial red flagging?
Well, first of all, federal takeover is just, you know, that's not only exaggerated, but it would be, you know, severe.
And I believe there's some constitutional elements there that we do get to ensure our protection is secured through the Constitution.
You know, as far as, you know, how we make sure that tenants are supported and that we have tenants, of course, that are not discriminated against,
there's always ongoing processes and rules that will do that.
I mean, look, we want our tenants in CHA to be safe and to feel safe.
And we also want to make sure that individuals do not get discriminated against
simply because of their background.
Look, I've shared my values very clear.
You remember when I was a Cook County commissioner,
we passed the Just Housing Ordinance for that very reason.
So I believe that we have to continue to ensure that people are safe,
but that we also don't continue to penalize people and keep them out from having opportunities to have what is a human right, which is housing.
So to clarify, are you saying that HUD won't find any discrepancies?
I don't know what they're going to find.
What I'm simply saying is that whatever their investigation, if in fact this investigation moves forward,
that we ensure that we're protecting people's fundamental rights to be able to have something that is very basic for human beings, which is housing.
And real quickly, wait a minute, real quickly, how do you account for that $200 million in spending when Jason Irvin says that the relief mission is over with?
What $200 million in spending?
For IAs and potential.
For IAs?
Mm-hmm.
I don't know what you're referring to.
People who enter the country and stay here without permission.
People are just making stuff up.
There's no specific appropriation for individuals.
If you're referring to undocumented folks or immigrants, people are just making stuff up.
And here's what happens, though.
You can pass the mic.
Thank you.
Here's what happens, is that when people are losing, they'll just find ways to cheat.
That's what's happening.
People are just making stuff up.
It's inaccurate, and it's meant to continue to divide people.
You know, what's unfortunate, though, too, is about this divide that is being promulgated.
It's leading to discussions of war against an entire nation.
And you all can go back and look at the tape from two years ago.
So I warn not just this city but the people of this country that the access to natural resources have always dominated this conversation around what's happening in Central and South America.
and now the effort
Evidence is quite clear where now you're looking at a president of the United States of America using false information like what's being discussed now to justify war on brown people and black people across the globe.
It's why we have to be very thoughtful about our language, how we talk about these elements in society, but also ensuring that we're speaking truth.
The more we use awful language, the more we allow for misinformation to dominate, it's the warning, of course, that James Baldwin expressed, that ignorance and power allied is the most ferocious enemy of justice.
And that's why we are beating back against ignorance and certainly against the powerful forces that have made it very clear that they would rather protect their profit than protect humanity.
Mr. Mayor, the only question I have for you is I was wondering whether you would be interested
in weighing in on the historic nature of this budget battle.
Some longtime political observers we've talked to say they've never seen anything quite like this,
where you have a group of aldermen, rebellious aldermen,
and they create an alternative proposal with items that you are opposed to.
Can you comment on that, just the historic nature of what's happening here?
Yeah, well, look, let me just, you know, offer this up, that the budget that I have proposed is a budget that reflects a long history of progressive struggle in this city.
And, you know, I stand on the shoulders of some incredible women and men who fought for not just a seat at the table, but to ensure that that table was diverse and that that table reflected the values of working people in this city to have a say so in the direction of how our city, our city moves forward.
And, you know, I'm proud of the fact that the people who struggled to ensure that our values could be carried out in this moment, some of which are still alive today, and those who are ancestors, that we are standing on those shoulders.
And I'm constantly reflecting about the legacy of Al Rabi, a public school teacher like myself who taught social studies, who organized resistance in this city and led wildcat strikes and parent strikes in this city and organized with other people like Tim U.L. Black to bring Dr. King to Chicago to fight for housing.
And now there's an entire teachers union that is centered around those values, not just fighting for education, but fighting for affordable housing.
And, of course, there are, you know, leaders like Karen Lewis, who I think this room is, you know, maybe save a couple of you who may not have been here at that time.
She would have won in 2015.
She would have.
And to know that what she fought and, quite frankly, sacrificed for is that we're living out those values.
You know, we have contracts in our parks, contracts in our schools that center, you know, working people, a TIF surplus in this budget that many people say it was not possible to declare in a way that could help put our school district on a pathway to solvency while we continue to fight for revenue in Springfield.
It's humbling, you know, quite frankly.
The last thing that I'll say is, you know, I did get a chance to go visit Reverend Jackson,
and many people know that he is, you know, in a difficult state of being right now.
And I was sharing with him, because he's still pretty sharp and he's aware of what's going on around him,
you know, that we're standing firm on the Rainbow Coalition that he helped build,
but we're also standing firm on ensuring that access to health care, particularly mental health,
access to education, investing in transportation, investing in our young people,
that that fight is still alive reverend and that we're still carrying that fight on
and a little bit of strength that was in his body he just lifted up his fist
and got it up to about his shoulder and it's it's a moment that quite frankly i'll never forget and
it's a moment that is driving me to to remain firm like look i'm unfazed by this i am what i'm most
concerned about is ensuring that not only do we protect working people but we set ourselves up
for future fights that we have to win.
Because I think to your other colleague's point,
we may not get everything in this budget.
We may walk away with only 98% of what we wanted.
And, you know, if we can get to a point where it gives us room
to fight for that last 2% in a form that I believe the people of Chicago want and deserve,
then that's a fight that's worth staying a part of.
So that's my reflection, and, you know, I'm looking forward to the continuous organizing
black, brown, white, Asian folks across the city
to ensure that the
safest, most affordable big city in America is Chicago.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon.
Going back with the Chicago Bears, a few minutes ago you said the Chicago Bears belongs to Chicago.
Do you think in a certain way the fact that they're exploring Indiana as a new home,
they're putting political pressure, and at this point what the city can do?
You know, that's a fair question.
I think this is what was raised earlier about leverage.
I mean, if they are, it's it's it's not good leverage. You know, is my face still straight? It's not good leverage. They do belong in Chicago. And the fact that the best proposal that we've seen so far has been the proposal that we put forward. Right.
Right. What we heard was they are moving towards Arlington Heights.
What you didn't hear was a proposal, which you've heard again, that they're exploring outside of Cook County, northwest.
I'm not going to say it. They're exploring a different area outside of the state of Illinois.
But you have not seen a proposal or a plan. You've only seen one proposal and one plan.
And that's the one on the lakefront, because that's the best one that's still available.
And look, I will always say the door is always open.
You know, one week they were first in the playoffs and they were the seventh seed.
Now they're second.
I mean, maybe that's somewhat indicative of just how the pendulum could swing one way or another.
But I will say that Chicago still, I still believe Chicago is the best option
and the best place for the Chicago Bears.
Good?
All right, you all, thank you.
You've been very gracious.