Chicago Politics

Press Availability 7.7.26

Description

Mayor Brandon Johnson hosts press availability.

Transcript

0:31 in here today. I do want to start today by reemphasizing how grateful that that how grateful I am that Chicago experienced a safer Fourth of July weekend, a weekend that has created a great deal of joy around our city. And we experienced a weekend that we hadn't seen in several years, and that progress certainly matters. But we also know that even one act of violence is still one too many.

1:06 My heart is with every single family and every community carrying the pain of violence. I'm deeply grateful that the Chicago police officers who were injured in the line of duty are in stable condition. I'm praying for their full recovery, and we are keeping their loved ones and our thoughts as they navigate this very difficult time. We're also keeping the group of young people who were injured by a shooting and our thoughts and prayers as well.

1:36 We do hope that these families recover from these senseless acts of violence. And while we can take a moment to recognize the progress we've made in reducing violence, we most certainly cannot let up. Because our progress is real, but it is also fragile. We can never become complacent. We know what works, and we must double down on our investments to build lasting safety. Every Chicagoan deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, and we're going to keep showing up to make that a reality.

2:11 On behalf of the entire city of Chicago, I also want to thank our first responders, public servants, community organizations, and everyday Chicagoans who stepped up during the extreme heat that our city endured this past weekend. As we worked to extend hours at our libraries, park facilities, and cooling centers, public workers stepped up and met the call. Our police officers remained ready to respond around the clock. Our firefighters and EMS crews continued answering every single call.

2:44 And we saw neighbors checking in on one another to make sure people were safe, and that I am greatly appreciative of that. The shared commitment our people embrace during this heat wave embodies the very soul of Chicago. The city is going to keep doing its part to ensure residents have the resources that they need, and I am thankful that we continue to look out for one another as we move through this beautiful summer. Now I do want to turn to something that connects directly to our work to protect the people of Chicago

3:15 and how we will continue to build a stronger and a more stable city. Today we are releasing the 2026 mid-year budget report so that the public can see and better understand where we stand financially. I do want to talk through the report, and I want to make sure that we speak in a very direct and blunt way. Last year, during a very difficult budget cycle, our administration held the line against austerity

3:46 and proposed a budget built on structural progressive revenue. We challenged those at the top and those who benefit the most from our economy to finally pay their fair share so that we can continue to invest in the needs of working people. That approach was not just my call. It came directly from what we heard from residents across the city during our budget engagements. It was also reinforced by the findings of the Chicago Financial Future Task Force.

4:17 We also know that credit rating agencies have consistently raised concerns about relying too heavily on speculative or one-time funding sources. And these are certainly risks that manifest as a result of that propensity. Our goal was to build something stronger, more stable, and more honest for the long term. But corporate-aligned members of the city council chose a different direction and adopted their so-called alternative budget.

4:49 And throughout that process, we raised concerns about the assumptions in that plan, not to oppose for the sake of opposing. but because Chicagoans deserve honesty about the risks of budgets that rely on fines and fees. Last December, we warned that some of those revenue sources would not perform as the caucus members or city council members that were more aligned with the interests of corporations. Now halfway through the year, we are seeing those warnings come to fruition.

5:21 Gaps have emerged due to the regressive revenue options that members of the city council that were more aligned with corporate interests put forward. Their incomplete and inconsistent assumptions have been unfounded. Their plan involved selling Chicagoans outstanding debt to a private buyer. In response, I signed an executive order making clear that the medical debt of vulnerable Chicagoans would not be for sale.

5:52 Now, despite my objections, my finance team has worked diligently to facilitate the possible sale of the city's vehicular debt. To date, no buyer has been identified. So the ability to move forward with a sale without an actual buyer. It's unfortunate this proposed revenue source has been determined to be unfeasible and unworkable.

6:25 The interests of corporations projected that seeking debt collection on working Chicagoans would generate roughly $90 million in revenue. It has generated zero. Their proposal to raise revenue through augmented reality and advertising on bridges and light poles have yet to raise a single dollar. Since the budget was adopted, my administration has worked diligently to implement it. We have a responsibility to make the budget work and to protect the services Chicagoans rely on.

7:00 But halfway through the year, we also have a responsibility to be honest about where we actually are. When combined with other proposals included in the alternative budget that have yet to achieve any revenue, our 2026 budget is at risk of being short more than $130 million in revenue. I want to say this clearly. There were other options. We did not need to cede to big money interests and fall back on the tired practice of balancing budgets on the backs of working people.

7:36 The corporate head tax, which was projected to bring in $100 million, would have prevented this shortfall. That was structural revenue that could have stabilized our finances. Meanwhile, the progressive revenue sources that my administration has championed and implemented aren't just working, they are exceeding expectations. The personal property lease tax is performing well at 11% over original projections, bringing in $402 million, and that's just through May of this year.

8:15 Online sports betting is coming in strong, about 69% above projections, bringing in roughly $14.8 million so far this year. And our groundbreaking smart tax on the largest social media and big tech companies is also performing above forecast, up about 25 percent with around 16.1 million dollars in revenue to date.

8:46 These are the kind of innovative, progressive revenue tools that we have been pushing for, and we are not surprised that they are bearing fruit. At the same time, we've stayed disciplined as we carry out operations across departments. We've implemented efficiencies, managed resources responsibly, and continue to protect and expand the services that people count on every single day. So what we are seeing in the middle of the year is pretty straightforward.

9:18 When we collect revenue that is stable, fair, and doesn't place the burden on working families, that budget works. When we shy away from asking the wealthiest to pay their fair share and instead seek to collect more from working Chicagoans, that approach does not work. And that has real consequences for this year and how we plan for the future. As we look ahead to the fiscal year 2027, we need to be clear-eyed about that.

9:52 We need a budget that reflects what is actually working in this city. One that asks those who can afford it to pay their fair share, and one that invests in working families and neighborhoods across our beloved city. And I want to end where I started, with people and not just numbers. We are proud that over 27,000 young people have been placed in summer jobs through the Chicago Youth Works program thus far. This past week, I had the chance to see young people in action, whether it was at Brighton Park Neighborhood Council Community Fiesta or at one of our Chicago Park District locations.

10:33 It is clear that our investments are working and they are worthy. That is more than 27,000 young people earning an income, gaining important experience and learning about the responsibility of working and building a work ethic and seeing a brighter pathway for themselves. And it's not a coincidence that when we invest in young people, we also see stronger and safer communities because opportunities truly matter. When a young person has something positive to look forward to and someone investing in them, it changes their trajectories.

11:10 It creates a viable future for generations of families. So as we move into the next budget cycle, that connection has to stay at the center of our work. We are going to keep fighting for a city where the wealthiest pay their fair share. So we can keep investing in young people, strengthening public services and building safer neighborhoods. because at the end of the day, that is what works. And, of course, it's what Chicago deserves. That is our true expectation. With that, I'm happy to answer any of your questions.

11:43 Good afternoon. We're going to do one question, one follow-up, and we're going to go down the line. Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon. Just give us one second here to get ourselves situated. Okay. It is a good afternoon. Sort of budget-related, but not entirely. All right. You've been generous to labor, avoided layoffs, cuts. So what do you make of the operating engineers, the electrical workers, the plumbers, the pipe fitters,

12:16 writing checks to a potential mayoral candidate and not your political account? And when you enter the race, do you expect that labor will have your back? Well, look, it's clear that we are building the most pro-worker city in America. I have strong ties to the labor movement as someone who is a part of it. And when you look at the investments that we have made, whether it's pay time off, time off if you're sick, making sure that our lowest wage earners get raises that are commensurate of what it takes to raise a family here in Chicago, I believe that my record is stronger than any mayor that has sat in this seat.

13:00 You know, as far as, you know, how I move, I certainly do not move with the political calculus of whether or not someone is going to contribute to a said campaign. I move on behalf of working people. What I can say is if you look at where I've made those critical investments in labor, the people who actually live in the city of Chicago are the ones who are benefiting, of course, the most from those investments.

13:31 As a follow-up, sir, in 21 days, petition signatures for the municipal contest begin to circulate. October 19th is the deadline. Where are you in making up your mind about running for real life? Well, I mean, look, I know that a lot of folks are paying attention to, you know, campaigns and elections. The one in November, I believe, is the one that matters significantly. When you look at what's happening at the federal level, without control over the House and Senate, the Trump administration has had a devastating impact on cities across America.

14:08 You know, again, as far as my political future, I believe at some point, you know, I'll get a chance to have a deeper conversation with my wife and those who are closest to me. But in the meantime, what matters most in this moment is ensuring that every single young person gets an opportunity to work this summer that applied. The 29,000 positions that we have made available, the vast majority of them, of course, are going to people who live on the west and south side of Chicago, southwest, northwest side of our city.

14:40 That's important. Today we announced yet another investment on the west side of Chicago. So far with housing and economic development, the West Side has experienced $2 billion of investments. The South Side has experienced $2.6 billion of investments. That's what people are paying attention to. As far as circulation and petitions as folks prepare for this next political cycle, I think it's important that we draw our attention to the communities that really deserve full attention. And at some point, we'll make that decision.

15:11 Good afternoon, Mayor. Yes, it is. With the shortfall that you've talked about, is the city planning to take action in the immediate to try to mitigate that? or is the expectation that you'll see if some of those progressive revenue sources continue to come in above expectations? Or could we see service cuts or layoffs? Well, I don't want to have to cut services that people rely upon. I certainly don't want to do that because of the failure of members of city council that were more aligned with the interests of corporations.

15:43 I'm going to continue to do my part to work with city council. So obviously, you know, we did push hard for progressive revenue at the state level, of which we were able to secure some of that as well. Our focus has to be multifaceted. That's, you know, my approach here. I'm working hard to avoid layoffs and cutting services, especially at a time in which we've seen, you know, 100-year storms happen on a more regular basis.

16:13 City services are so critical to keeping communities safe and thriving. So I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that we're able to close this gap. And look, it's really a call to action for the people of Chicago. We had a pathway that would have avoided this. Had city council accepted the $100 million from the top corporate earners in terms of corporations in the city, we wouldn't be in this predicament right now.

16:45 So hopefully it's a lesson learned by certain members of city council because these challenges won't disappear in one budget. When we think about the long-term sustainability of our economy, what I have put forward has produced the type of dividends that I anticipated. What they have put forward has literally produced the type of shortfall that we're experiencing today. I know you talked about this at the time, but do you still feel it was a smart move not to veto this budget,

17:15 knowing that the budget office at the time saw this type of shortfall potentially happen? Look, the smart move was to actually put forth a budget that would put us in a long-term sustainable future. That's the smart move. That's what I did. What was not smart was to have these speculatives and projections on revenue sources that have proven to be ineffective. That was the error. Putting forward a budget that the people of Chicago anticipated me to do, and those budget proposals that we did secure are overperforming.

17:50 Again, it's another example of why I believe that working in concert with community groups who have been through the experiences of austere budgets, we've already seen the negative impact of that type of approach. The hope is that moving forward, that what we have presented as proof positive, that the hope is that those examples are strong enough to remove people out of that corporate-aligned interest space and into a more progressive working-class space.

18:21 Hello again, Mayor. It's good to see you again. You've got the morning and the afternoon shift. Well, that means I'm breathing, you know. That's true. Right. So given the fact that you haven't decided yet or not publicly announced whether you're going to run again, will you plan to take or will you rule out taking the automatic property tax hike to help with this budget situation you've just described? Well, here's what I can say is that if you look at the financial state of affairs in the city of Chicago

18:55 And if you look at the overall arc, from where we started and what we've inherited and where we stand today, the proposals that I put forward that are proving to be effective, that's the expectation that I believe the people of Chicago have moving forward. And it's a reasonable expectation. Corporations that continue to benefit from Trump's cuts to all the other services that we rely upon, asking them to put more skin in the game, that's a reasonable expectation.

19:29 I had a conversation recently with Speaker Welch, and we're already talking about the next budget. I just want to make sure that that's noted, because sometimes people think that these conversations only happen in the spring. And I do believe that there's still a path moving forward for a millionaire's tax and a billionaire's tax. He's expressed his commitment to it. There were a number of members in his caucus that supported it. I believe that that's the direction we should be pulling towards. And then, quite frankly, to your question even more directly, we should be finding a more permanent fund to provide property tax relief.

20:06 So is there any chance that you're not going to run for an election? You know, again, I mean, look, I think that, you know, when I talk to the people of the city of Chicago, and there are a number of them who come up to me, this might be the first time in the history of my tenure that a question that you're asking, the people of Chicago ask me as well. So at least I know that you're on par with where people are. And there are a number of people who say, Mayor, we see the work that you're doing. We hope that you do run again. And my response to them is, I'm showing up on behalf of the people of this city. I've made a promise. I said that we're going to hire more young people. We've done it.

20:52 You know, I said that we're going to invest in our public schools. We've done it. I said we're going to build more affordable housing. We've done it. I said we're going to tax the rich. We've done it. I said we're going to hire and promote more detectives. We've done it. I said we're going to restore the Department of the Environment. We've done it. I said that we would commit to creating an office of gun violence production. We've done it. And I said we're going to lower violence in the city of Chicago. And we've done it. The reason why I'm focusing on the things that I promised that I would do and how we're actualizing them is because I think that people deserve to have that type of experience.

21:29 At some point, people will be able to have a full, robust conversation about the direction of our city moving forward. But in the meantime, I've made a commitment to invest in people to build the safest, most affordable big city in America, and we're well on our way. Hi, Mayor. Hi. The city's annual financial report shows that the Chicago Police Department spent $162.5 million over its budget of, give or take, $1.8 billion. Last year, the CPD went $204 million over its budget, and you told me that wasn't acceptable.

22:03 Why, for the fifth year in a row, has the Chicago Police Department been unable to stay within its city council and usually mayorally approved budget? Well, first of all, we're making tremendous progress, particularly around the police budget, and especially around overtime, right? And in fact, up until May, I believe, the police department is under their overtime budget by 11 percent. Now, there's an estimated amount that I believe that you're referring to, which is less than what it was this time last year, by, I believe, about $40 million.

22:38 dollars. We know that the demand for our department has been quite severe because it's not just about your traditional form of policing. It's, you know, special events. It's protests, right? There are many different circumstances that lead to policing needing to have a stronger presence. I signed an executive order providing the police department with a three-month window to determine whether or not overtime will be needed. Look, there's more work to be done. We're not dismissing

23:12 that. And there's progress being made. Today, the Ethics and Government Oversight Committee passed a resolution calling for U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros to resign, given his handling of the Broadview 6 case and other issues. Do you share that belief that he should resign? I do. I mean, look, justice is what I'm seeking. I've put forth, you know, an executive order calling for a pathway to prosecution, the type of federal overreach that has occurred has had significant damage on lives and resource, right?

23:53 I mean, as you refer to even the budget around the Chicago Police Department, the amount of resources that the city of Chicago was forced to spend as a result of the terror that's coming from the federal government is astronomical. And so we do have to continue to hold the federal government accountable because the type of terror and the type of damage to our local economy has been quite severe. In fact, I believe that we should have a concerted effort if the Trump administration is really interested in helping Chicago.

24:27 He should pay back every single dollar that we had to spend as a result of his illegal activity. Were you typing all of that? This is very good multitasking. I'll try as fast as I can. Good afternoon. A WBZ Sun-Times investigation recently found that Chicago pays much more per lead line replacement than any other city, including almost three times as much as New York. An Axios analysis shows we pay twice to three times as much as suburbs like Elgin and Evanston and Riverside.

24:59 Can you tell me if your administration is going to look into that? Because it will cost us $12 billion to remove those lines and $621 million per year just to stay up on federal rules. Well, here's the good news, is that we are moving on that effort to replace the lead lines. As you know, Chicago is unique. We're not like those other cities, right? And the amount of work that has to go into removing these lead lines, it's far more severe.

25:34 And far more complicated. I'll give you a specific example. Utility, for instance, lines that are underground. There's a level of consideration that the city of Chicago's infrastructure has to keep in mind and bear in mind than other cities. And so because of those unique set of circumstances and the long legacy, unfortunately, of the type of poor infrastructure that we are faced with right now that could have impact on the cause.

26:08 Now, it doesn't preclude my administration for looking at ways in which, one, we can secure more resources at other levels of government and then find ways in which we can collaborate to reduce those costs. This morning, Craig just loves coming to the West Side anyways. He was at the press conference where we announced yet another innovative approach to deal with storms. And we collaborated with President Kerry Steele at the Water Reclamation District that allowed for us to do this,

26:40 not just in a collaborative way, but to ease the financial responsibility on one level of government. And so those are the type of approaches that I will continue to take to make sure that the people of Chicago are safe. So I can accurately sort of paraphrase it as you're not looking to bring down the per line cost, but looking to find more outside funding. I think it's, as I said, of course we have to find more funding. What I'm saying is that the collaboration that we put forward today did have impact on costs. There are ways in which we can do that, is what I'm saying.

27:10 Sorry, can you tell me how it had an impact on per line removal costs? Well, I mean, the entire cost for the infrastructure transformation that we're making over there The city of Chicago did not have to pay it alone. And so I contributed and President Kerry still contributed. So, in other words, both of us coming together allow for this type of infrastructure innovation to take place without the responsibility being on one level of government. So, for instance, that cost would have been more had water reclamation had to be the primary source of the revenue.

27:44 Likewise, it would have cost more if the city of Chicago would have been the primary source of revenue. Because we came together, that's what allowed us to put forth this project and projects like it. So what I'm saying is that because the city of Chicago's situation is unique to other cities, it's not apples to apples. The type of consideration that our workers have to go through, for instance, underground utility, right? And so there are mechanisms in which our workforce has to consider, and it's not just simply removing pipes and replacing them.

28:21 There are a host of factors that we have to consider. So I would ask that as the research goes forward, look at the differences that our cities are experiencing, and then we can have a more substantive conversation around not just securing more resources from other levels of government, not just simply collaborating with other levels of government, not just the considerations that we have that other cities don't have as a way to be able to fully assess what our challenge and our situation is.

28:52 Thank you. Hi, Mayor. Can you walk us through the efforts the city went to package and try to sell that $89 million in debt? And what did you hear from potential buyers on why they turned it down? Well, we haven't heard anything from them. Did any reach out to you, discuss the options? Just, like, raise your hand and say we want to buy debt? No. Okay. And then in terms of, you know, what kind of progressive revenue you might be most able to sell to city council, do you, especially on an election year budget, do you think the head tax remains the most feasible form to get to 26 votes?

29:25 Are you exploring other options, like a payroll tax? I mean, I think, first of all, what we do know is that progressive revenue is structurally and economically sound and we've proven that you know again as far as our other options I believe that we have to look at every single option that's available to us whether it's the city level or state level for progressive revenue here's the main point if we actually secure revenue from big

29:58 corporations and those with means, it works. Every single revenue source of which we have challenged big corporations and those with means to put more skin in the game, all of those revenue sources are overperforming. So even our projection, as a leader in this city, our projection did not fully capture the potential and the possibility. It's why, again, I've already started conversations about next year's budget with Speaker

30:30 Welch. He wants a millionaire's tax. So do I. But most importantly, the people of Chicago and this state want a millionaire's tax. And so now it's going to be incumbent upon all of us to work collaboratively, to go to the source of where the revenue exists, what has been the proclivity over the course of multiple budgets prior to me arriving. And then you saw what just happened in last year's budget. There was a reverting back to a style that has left working families in absolute peril. And so we have two potential options. If we're just being fair, we can go back to the style in which 1.6% of our budget did, which now we have a $130 million shortfall, or

31:24 we can look at how every single progressive revenue source that I put forward is overperforming. There's a clear pathway to build the safest, most affordable big city in America. And here's the good news. Guess where the revenue gets to go? Hiring young people, investing in infrastructure, ensuring that we can have the support to make sure that the quality of services that the people of Chicago depend on, that we can continue to do that and then some.

31:55 Look, these revenue sources are not going towards something obscure or abstract. They're going right into working families, communities. That's what we have to center our work around. Every single revenue source that we get from those who have the means, every single revenue dime source that we get from these big corporations will go directly into the west, south, northwest, southwest, southeast sides of our city. If we do that, and we do that with some expediency and urgency, we will be a lot further along.

32:29 We just experienced the fewest amount of homicides in 60 years. You're seeing economic growth in this city. More people are visiting here. More people are flying in and flying out. We're building more affordable homes than on the east coast and the west coast. The progressive movement is alive and well. We just have a few obstinate individuals that are more aligned with the interests of corporations that are ultimately stalling what could be a full-out revolution in this city. And the people of Chicago want it. They want it desperately. I'm going to fight hard every single day to ensure that that actually comes to fruition.

33:03 Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Given one of the more recent takeovers occurring at Rush University Hospital in the medical district and violence interrupters and police being overwhelmed by other actions in other parts of the West Side,

33:37 including gunplay, when is the city of Chicago going to join municipalities like Southwest Suburban, Blue Island, in a reliance on the sickness and addiction of arrest and incarceration before it all escalates into an out-and-out public safety and health crisis? Well, as you know, look, community safety is my top priority, And these gatherings have proven, you know, that they can be dangerous and reckless and we will continue to hold people accountable.

34:13 Multiple arrests. I think that this idea that we don't arrest people in Chicago is just it's irresponsible. Quite frankly, it's lazy. We are arresting people. We do prosecute people. Report it. Don't speak in hyperbole as if our officers are just standing idle. We're not only arresting people, we're also removing weapons off the streets of Chicago. So here's the part that I think is incredibly relevant.

34:50 You look where we have made the investments that I just spoke of. youth employment, behavior and mental health care. That's also another campaign promise I forgot to notice. I promised to reopen mental health clinics, and I've done that too, by the way, if you're just keeping track. Everywhere where we've made these critical investments, particularly where CVI exists, that's where crime has dropped the most dramatic. That's what's going to work. We've already seen what jails and incarceration

35:24 can produce. And yes, I mean, I get why you are referencing this. Our over-reliance upon jail's incarceration is a sickness, and I stand by it. That's the literal context that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of when he talked about militarization. Donald Trump has spent $100 billion on an illegal war in Iran. And I have families in the city of Chicago that need food. They need housing. They need their schools to be fully funded. Here's another way in which I would ask. When will we ultimately hold Donald Trump accountable for the hundreds of billions of dollars that he's taken away from cities like Chicago, Atlanta, Oakland, Los Angeles, Newark, Baltimore, Cleveland?

36:17 And oh, by the way, those are all cities that are ran by black people. Yes, I said it. He is intentionally defunding the very cities where our leadership is speaking to the demands of working people, black, brown, white, Asian, young, old, rich, poor. That's who we need to hold accountable. The warning was already given when Vice President Harris said he is going to create absolute terror across this globe. I just sat with the Council General of Ukraine, just sat with him, and there are children that are being bombed every single day, every day.

36:54 And those children are being bombed in Iran. They're being bombed in Gaza. The illegal wars that this president continues to promulgate is causing turmoil, not just abroad, but right here in cities across America. And that's what we need to hold accountable. And your follow up, sir. OK, my follow up is while standing in the Amen corner with Pramila Jaropal's carpet bagging and scally wagon. Hold on a second. Come on, Mark. Easy. Yeah. Don't don't be disrespectful. Well, you said we were in the Civil War. So yeah, but let's. So I'm just using Civil War terms.

37:30 OK, let's let's not refer to her that that I find that to be derogatory. So let's just stick to the point. OK, well, it is what it is. Anyways, on our fractured immigration and naturalization policy, you and her other allies have been quite mute about her cavalier nasty dismissal of so-called angel families appealing for sanctuary city and sanctuary state reform in response to them losing their loved ones to those operating in conflict with the Alien Enemies Act.

38:08 And the question, therefore, is where does that selective insensitivity not feed into the disconnection between celebrating the nation's 250th birthday and the U.S. Supreme Court's recent upholding of the 1898 Juan Art Kim versus U.S. decision with the original ruling having occurred two years after the separate but equal ruling in Plessy versus Ferguson? And before you answer, another part of Jaropal's perceived insensitivity is demanding reparations for illegal aliens and potential immigrants affected by federal law enforcement while not asking, hold on, while not asking for the same for descendants of U.S. chattel slaves.

38:57 OK, I think I got your question. And Mark, and just for the record, if you take out some of the hyperbole in the question and some of the insensitivity, you could have a fine career in drafting SAT questions. I mean that. Look, I don't agree with your frame. OK, but I'll try to extract what you are asking. Any act of violence is reprehensible. whether it happens by someone who is undocumented or documented.

39:30 From what we know, the two officers that were shot were shot by someone who is documented, a resident of Chicago. That act of violence is no more severe or less severe than someone being harmed by someone who is undocumented. Violence is violence, regardless of who does it. As far as other people's position and expectation around reparations, whether it's Pope Leo or a congressperson, I'm going to advocate for it.

40:02 Now, I would hope that this country will come to realize that the people who built this nation, the economy in which we enjoy today has been brought to us by slave labor. and that labor has been continued through exploitation where workers have not been fairly compensated across the board. And so we still see, though individuals are being paid, are not properly compensated.

40:33 And I think that it's incumbent upon all of us to recognize the formerly enslaved descendants do deserve true justice. And that's why the $2 billion that I've invested on the west side of Chicago is working to repair the harm. The $2.6 billion that I invested on the south side of Chicago, that's working to repair the harm. When I released the largest tip surplus in the history of Chicago to go into our public schools, parks, and libraries, that's helping to restore the harm.

41:04 These are the very institutions that the formerly enslaved fought for. Education, housing, transportation, good-paying jobs, health care, and environmental justice. Every single area in which the descendants of the formerly enslaved have fought for, those are the investments that we're making. And here's the final note. There are investments like that that are happening across this country by progressive leaders, working-class leaders who understand the assignment. Now it's incumbent upon all of us to continue to build the momentum so that that harm that we need to not only prevent from continuing,

41:39 but the harm that we need to repair, that we do it with a level of urgency. And so that's why if the Trump administration, let me do this real quick as I close. President Trump asked me to call him. Consider this a call, Mr. President. I'm calling on you to invest in building more affordable homes across this country. I'm calling on you to respond to the needs of people who cannot afford grocery and gas. I'm calling on you to invest in our public institutions.

42:10 That's what I'm calling on you. If you want to see violence go down in this city and you want to see violence go down across this country, I challenge you to invest in mental health, jobs, education, housing, health care, transportation and environmental justice. I challenge you to do that. If you are the big man and the big person that you claim to be, make those investments and I will put everything that I love on the fact that violence will go down across this country if you make those investments.

42:43 Instead of sending $100 billion to fight illegal wars, send $100 billion to cities across America and I guarantee that lives will improve dramatically. Don't send policing and militarization. If that's the only thing that you can offer, you're not serious about driving Palestine across America. Invest in the cities. Invest in working people. Consider this a call to action, Mr. President. God bless you all. God bless the greatest city in the world.

Sources and methods: how we get and count this data · report an error