Chicago Politics

CTA Red Line Extension Press Conference 1.10.25

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Mayor Brandon Johnson attends the CTA Red Line Extension Press Conference.

Transcript

3:15 rise for the Pledge of Allegiance.

4:50 You may be seated. Good morning, everyone. Welcome to CTA's full funding grant agreement signing ceremony for the Red Line Extension. It is truly a great day for CTA, but a great day for the city of Chicago.

5:21 My name is Lester Barclay, and I'm the chairman of the Chicago Transit Board. Before we begin this morning's program, I would like to invite the Reverend Dr. Charlie Dates, pastor of the Salem Baptist Church, to lead us in an opening prayer. Let me begin by wishing you a warm welcome. On behalf of the Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, we welcome you to the greatest church in the world.

5:53 We know you've been to many churches, but you ain't never been to a church like this. This is the House of Hope. I want you to note that this building, probably the first major development in the Roseland community in decades, now spawns greater development for the least, the lost, and the left out. We would hate for you to leave today without having garnered a bit more hope in your heart, experiencing the joy of our great Savior.

6:24 I want to say welcome again and thank you to all of our elected officials and those who serve our city for bringing this historic signing to a house of hope. Will you breathe a word of prayer with me, please? Gracious God in heaven, you are the author of all good. We come to you this morning because we can do nothing apart from you. Even the signing of a commitment to send money can be an occasion for evil if you do not show up.

6:55 So we come to you this morning inviting your presence, thanking you for the privilege to serve people who live on the margins, to transport people who could not get past 95th Street now to this part of the city. We do pray that the economic prosperity that rests on the north side and downtown town would come with the CTA's extension to the south side. We pray that you would bless families in need, that you would help us to be conduits of hope. We give you this morning's signing, and

7:27 we pray that you would be in obvious control. Thank you for leaders, for politicians, for economic advisors, and now for developers that will bring tangible resources of help and hope to those in need. And if we've asked you for too little, we pray you do something even bigger than what we just asked you for. In Jesus' name, amen. Thank you, Pastor Dates. As I watched the young people

7:59 perform this morning, I felt that what they represented is the future. Specifically, the future generations to come who will use public transportation. It's a future that includes a red line extension which will provide a new, more direct connection to the red line and other CTA rails and bus routes for the far south residents of our city. A future that

8:31 envisions up to a 30 minute time saving to CTA's customers traveling from 130th Street to the loop, and a future that will provide economic benefits for businesses and residents in and around the project footprint, like contracting opportunities for small and disadvantaged businesses, and workforce opportunities for job seekers. Today, more than

9:02 ever before, we're able to look towards public transit's bright future right here in the far south side of our city. I want to acknowledge the many elected officials and appointed officials here today representing various agencies and levels of government, as well as other honored and distinguished guests, some of whom will be speaking this morning and who will be acknowledged individually as they come to the podium.

9:33 Whether you're speaking this morning or attending in support of the project, we want to thank you very much for being here. On this cold, snowy day, you made it. There's been a bigger advocate for the construction of the Red Line, sorry, there's been no bigger advocate for the construction of the Red Line extension than CTA's own President, Dorval Carter.

10:06 As many of you know, President Carter has been clear regarding his belief that achieving true transit equity in Chicago required our agency to commit to extending the Red Line to 130th Street. and then to work tirelessly to make that a reality. Since 2015, he has led his team with the extension as a top priority and has remained consistent in his pursuit of local, state, and federal funds to make this day possible.

10:42 To share his thoughts this morning on the Red Line extension, please welcome the President of the Chicago Transit Authority, Dorval Carter, Jr. Thank you, Chairman Barkley. Good morning, everyone. I'm going to take a moment to take out a handkerchief here because I tend to get a little emotional when I start talking about this project.

11:15 Some of you may not be aware, but we are currently in Chicago's historic Pullman neighborhood. It's named after the Pullman Car Company, a rail car manufacturer that is famous for many reasons. Among those reasons is the fact that it was one of the first planned industrial communities in the country, and fittingly for its role in American labor and railroad history. You may have heard of the famed Pullman Porters, who worked hard aboard trains owned by the Pullman Company and were primarily African American.

11:55 Well, I'm here today to tell you that that legacy and that history has a personal connection to me, because my grandfather was a Pullman Porter. And I grew up riding the trains that he worked on and understanding how important that was, not only for the mobility of individuals who needed to get around this country, but also for the economic opportunity it created for my grandfather, which led to the opportunities that existed for my mother and then ultimately for me as a family.

12:27 As you know, the Pullman Porters submitted their legacy in American civil rights history by organizing and founding the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925 with civil rights legend A. Philip Randolph. It was the first African-American labor union to sign a collective bargaining agreement with a major corporation. They made history that forever changed the railroad industry.

13:02 And today we face another historic moment for an unquestionably historic project and a historic commitment of financial support. It's happening right here in Pullman for the benefit of CTA and the people of the far south side of Chicago. Amen. To God be the glory. Thank you. Throughout the past decade, as the Red Line Extension Project has advanced through the Federal Transit Administration's New Starts Program, we, and specifically me, have assured

13:38 the people of Roseland, Rosemore, Pullman, and other far south side neighborhoods that we are making real progress towards making this project become a reality. As we move forward, conducting required environmental impact studies, acquiring property, and hosting community education events, among other advancements, that assurance has always remained top of mind to me. Today, we take the next step in keeping our promise. The $1.9 billion in project funding that FTA is providing towards RLE's $5.7 billion cost is the single largest transit investment in CTA history.

14:30 This is also the single most important project that I have worked on during my tenure as CTA president. And as a lifelong Southsider, you can imagine that makes me very proud. But this is about much more than an extension of a rail line. It's about the future on the far south side of Chicago, and it is one of the biggest, boldest equity investments in the history of this great city. The four new accessible rail stations, jobs, and economic development that this project will generate

15:03 pretend exciting things to come for this area. And by providing a new rail transit connection all the way to 130th Street, which also happens to be the home of the Altgeldt housing project. Every corner of the city will now benefit from this transformative capital investment. Not long ago, I heard a quote that I believe is fitting for this moment. A dream delayed is not a dream denied.

15:34 Today, after more than five decades of unfulfilled promises to build the Red Line Extension, and after all the hard work done by our Red Line Extension team over the years, and through the buy-in and support from the Illinois Congressional Delegation, the Illinois State Legislature, the Chicago City Council, the great mayors of the city, and the far south side community leaders, as well as all of our other RLE project supporters,

16:08 that sentiment feels especially appropriate. The dream of Red Line Service Chicago's southern edge, providing these communities with a direct rail connection to the rest of the city, is no longer delayed or denied. But thanks to the many of the people that are here in this room today, it will finally be realized. In fact, the promise of the Red Line Extension has been memorialized in CTA's newly redesigned

16:43 system map, which will now clearly show the Extension project area and the stations to come. The new map will soon be issued to the public, and at this time, it is my pleasure to unveil it here for the first time. So I want to thank you all for giving me this opportunity to talk about this project that's

17:15 been so important to me personally. And now, as you all know, Chicago is a progressive city, focused now and perhaps more than ever on helping to ensure productive lives and fair and equitable outcomes for all of its residents. The current leader of the greatest freaking city in America is the embodiment of that sentiment, and it is my great pleasure and honor to invite him to the podium to share his thoughts on this momentous occasion.

17:50 Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming Mayor Brandon Johnson. Thank you, President Carter. I was trying my best not to use vulgarity in the house of the Lord, but thank God that we can use the word freaking to describe the city of Chicago. And to President Carter, thank you for your leadership and your commitment to justice. You are absolutely right.

18:21 It was Dr. Keene that said that the enemy of labor is the enemy of the Negro, that it's one and the same. So this is very much a civil rights issue, and I think it's actually quite appropriate that we are celebrating this extension as we prepare to honor one of the greatest human beings to ever walk the planet Earth. And I also just want to say for the record, Gator Bradley said, to God be the glory, and Dorville said, thank you. So I didn't know that he was the president and the voice of God. So now that we've gotten that clear, you should have asked for a raise a long time ago.

18:58 You know, this extension project that was first proposed by Mayor Richard Daley in 1969, you know, I wasn't born, and I think Dorville Carter was five or six years old at that time. And, you know, to see the opportunity come alive is truly a testament to who we are as a city, our resilience. And this project that's been 50 years in the making is finally becoming a reality for the people of Chicago. I'm thrilled and deeply proud that we can come together today.

19:30 To sign and celebrate the $1.97 billion fully funding and this grant agreement that will help fund 5.5 miles of rail. What I was hoping to do was offer up this red line extension as a gift from the west side, consider it an olive branch. But with the support and funding from the federal government, the state, and local transit TIFs, the CTA, and other sources, We have finally, finally gotten to a point where we're going to be able to construct four accessible stations,

20:05 95th Street, near 103rd Street, 111th Street, Michigan Avenue, 130th Street. There is no excuses now. South side, far south side can actually get to the new Bears Stadium with equity. But each of these stations will also include bus, bike, pedestrian, and parking facilities, and everyone can get excited about this. That's the good news. And along with the four new stations, we will build a new rail yard, rail facilities

20:37 that will improve the operational efficiency for the Red Line and the entire CTA system. And let me just thank all of the women and men who work as bus operators, train operators, flaggers, who keep this city running. Thank you. And for the Southside residents who have been waiting 50 years for this extension, you will finally have direct connection to downtown and all different parts of the community that are along the Red Line.

21:08 This connection means that far Southside residents have more job opportunities, more educational opportunities, more opportunities to access services and to explore this beloved city. Most importantly, we expect that the Red Line Extension Project will actually create opportunities for new development and investments on the south side of Chicago, as Reverend Dr. Dates has already alluded to. The four new stations will serve as an anchor where our city and communities can build equitable transit-oriented developments that deliver affordable housing and economic vibrancy to the residents of the south side.

21:44 In fact, it is estimated that the Red Line Extension will catalyze up to $1.7 billion in real estate activity between the years of 29 and 2040 at the end of my time as mayor of the city of Chicago. We also have the potential to create 118,000 square feet of new retail space to construct or rehab over 3,000 units of housing. This, sisters and brothers, is how we reverse decades of disinvestment on the south side of Chicago that will ultimately strengthen our entire city.

22:20 And we will see returns of this investment in the form of safe, vibrant, and equitable communities. As we look forward to the Red Line Extension's completion in the year 2030, let us also celebrate that this project creates an estimated 12,512 construction jobs. Brother Reed, I know you will be looking for a certain group of people to have those jobs. As with any construction project that happens in the city of Chicago, we are designing this with an equitable lens.

22:54 This project meets our DBE, or our disadvantaged business enterprise, our goals for design and construction. We will also be hiring and nurturing the careers of residents and the very communities that the Red Line Extension will serve. All in all, this is not only a great and historic day for the city of Chicago, it is a prophetic day. And in closing, I want to express my gratitude for the leadership and partnership that went into this project. I am especially grateful to the Biden-Harris administration.

23:34 Their incredible support for this project. In fact, the administration actually doubled their previous funding commitment in order to get this job done. I also want to thank our Illinois federal delegation, Senator Durbin and Senator Duckworth and Representative Quigley and Representative Jackson and Representative Robin Kelly. To the entire congressional delegation, thank you all for your steadfastness and your leadership. And, of course, our CTA board president and our President Carter and our CEO and the staff who all advocated for this project for a long time.

24:11 Thank you to our county officials that are here, our former congressman who is here, to all of the work that. The people have done to ensure that this project becomes reality. We are grateful to our local alders that are here. Thank you, Alderman Hall, for being here. Thank you to the leadership of Alderman Anthony Beale, Alderman Chico, Alderman Mosley. Let's please give all of these alders our very best. Thank you. This day would have never been reached without your collaboration and our shared belief in our city.

24:42 I do look forward to the work that we will continue to do, not just to these projects, but projects to come to build a better, stronger, and a much safer Chicago. And with that, it is now my pleasure to introduce FTA Deputy Administrator, Deputy Administrator Vanderpool.

25:15 Good morning, buenos dias. It is my distinct honor to be here representing the Biden-Harris administration and awarding this $1.9 billion grant to this project. But I, like many of my fellow speakers, want to start with a long litany of thank yous. But before I do that, I scanned the room when I was seated here looking to see who was in the room with us today.

25:46 So you have your elected officials, you have your appointed officials, you have members of the faith community, we have members of the community writ large. I come from the advocacy community in public transportation. I want to see a show of hands for all the advocates that have worked on this project. Thank you. I also want to see a show of hands for all public transit supporters and riders. And that's a trick question, everybody.

26:18 Everybody's hands should be up. Everyone's hands should be up. We are here today to celebrate a journey, a journey from a dream to implementation and execution. because we know not all dreams become reality, and we're here to celebrate this dream becoming reality. I want to thank President Carter for his leadership and his partnership. I have met in my 18-year career in public transportation,

26:51 I have met many, many transit presidents, CEOs, and general managers. Some of them are wonderful. Very few are exceptional. And President Carter is one of those exceptional transit leaders. And what makes a transit leader exceptional is the heart that he or she brings to that role. And you have heard President Carter talk about his heart. He expressed his emotion. And it is important to talk about emotion because, yes, this is about infrastructure,

27:27 but at the end of the day, this is about people's lives. This is about investing in people, investing in communities, and connecting each other to what matters. And we need to bring emotion to that. So I applaud and honor President Carter for his leadership, his partnership, and his work with our team, our very talented team at the Federal Transit Administration. And I'm going to take the privilege, since this is my last event in this room, to personally acknowledge and thank the team that we have here.

28:01 So I want to start with our Executive Director, Matt Welbis. Matt has been at the Federal Transit Administration for quite some time and really has the institutional memory and the heart behind so many of these projects that we advance. I want to thank our Regional Administrator, Kelly Brookins, and her team. It is our regional team. We have ten regional offices across the United States, and our regional administrators lead those teams and develop the community and transit agency relationships to make sure that federal dollars are successfully invested in your communities.

28:39 You have a lot to thank with this team. I want to acknowledge Paul Kincaid, who often is happy being in the background, but makes sure all of our work is in the foreground at FTA. So I want to acknowledge Paul for all of his work. And I want to acknowledge, again, Dorval's team at CTA. They have worked very, very closely in these four years, these four years, to get this project to this point. I want to thank our members of Congress here, particularly Senator Durbin, and the entire federal delegation,

29:14 because without their support, For one of the largest, the largest, unprecedented, historic investment in public transportation, we would not have been able to push this project over the finish line on this schedule. And I want to reiterate again, this is the largest investment ever in public transportation, with $108 billion made possible by the bipartisan infrastructure law. And again, the federal delegation that represents the great state of Illinois,

29:47 and, of course, the city of Chicago are important partners in that, as are local and state partners. The federal government is one partner. We cannot do it without your support and your championship. I also want to thank Mayor Johnson, members of the city council, and other local officials who have joined us, particularly members of the CTA board. I used to serve on the board in New York, if you have not picked up my accent. So I certainly appreciate the importance of good board members, board members who are champions and steadfast champions of the transit systems that they're serving on the boards of.

30:27 So I want to thank the many board members that are here today. So as I noted earlier, this is my last official event as acting administrator of the Federal Transit Administration. And we very deliberately and intentionally chose this to be our last event. We have many other actions that we're executing in the next seven days. So we're still very busy at Federal Transit Administration. But we wanted this to be our last.

30:57 And I'm going to take a moment to explain my personal background. So I am born and raised in New York, out of the borough of the Bronx, I've relied on public transit all of my life. I do not have a car. And when we are in your communities across the city and across the United States, we are on public transportation. We got here on the red line. We took it from Jackson. We got off at 95th Street. We saw the new terminal. We drove the alignments. So I could see all the opportunity, the promise, the challenge, and the hope along this corridor.

31:36 And we are happy to invest in that. Our mission at Federal Transit Administration is to improve America's communities through public transportation. And when we are making those investments, we're on the ground, on your buses, on your subways, on your metros, on your ferries, in your van pools. Because we want to see our investment. So we walk and talk the talk. It's also very important for me to be here and make this my last. The Bronx is a community that is often economically challenged for decades,

32:08 had also been economically disinvested in, is a borough with a majority immigrant population, people of color, and low socioeconomic status. So I understand the importance of public transportation. So it's important for me to make this one of my final actions, to celebrate again the opportunities that we're all investing in together. When President Biden came into office, he focused on fighting the climate crisis, creating equity in our communities, and rebuilding our economy.

32:44 And this project does all three of those things. The president and my boss, Secretary Buttigieg, were focused on building our economy from the bottom up and the middle out. And we know transportation, along with housing, makes up more than half of most American people's budgets. When this project is complete, that cost will start coming down for people across the South Side. And we will all be able to reach new opportunities, new ways of engaging and living in our cities and this city.

33:19 And that's important because we know that transit is a catalyst for so much change. We talk a lot of numbers at Federal Transit Administration, but some of the numbers and statistics that I love to talk about the most are the ones that we're looking to change. So approximately 24% of residents who will be served by L trains live below the poverty level. This project will change that by access to opportunity. 22% of households in this community do not have access to a car, but now they will have access.

33:53 Well, in five years, they will have access to more opportunities and maybe not ever need a car. 18% in this community are unemployed, but we expect to reduce that statistic, that percentage, because many more people can get to many more jobs or work. to build this in this community. And 25% of residents are traveling more than an hour to that job. And we've already heard that this project is going to save up to 30 minutes.

34:26 That is significant. My commute from 13 miles when I was in New York took an hour and 20 minutes on the subway. So shaving those 30 minutes off my commute would have been fantastic. So I certainly appreciate the transformational nature of that time savings. So the president always quotes his dad. He says, don't tell me your priorities, show me your budget, and I'll see your priorities.

34:57 $2.0 billion, $1.97 billion invested. This is a priority project for this administration. And to the residents of the far south side, I want to say that you are a priority. You are a priority. We have made this a priority. Again, in these four years, we've made this project a priority. And that's why I'm very happy to sign this grant to fund the largest single transit project in CTA history. We've heard some of the numbers already. We heard Mayor Johnson cite some of them about the construction jobs and the new ridership.

35:35 But I want to put that in context. This means more time around the table. This means more time at your community board. This means more time hanging out with your friends. This means more time connecting to all the services that we all rely on and need. These are improvements in people's everyday lives. These numbers are big, but at the end of the day, this is about making people have more convenient and equitable access to connections throughout this city.

36:10 So in my role, I talk to many, many, many people around the country. And you've already heard me say, we are on your subways, buses, ferries, metros, in your van pools. And I love engaging and understanding why projects matter to people and asking people, why do you like this? Why don't you like this? I actually know the transit CEO. I can take that message back. And it gives me great pride to be here and to see the transformational change ahead.

36:42 You know, I've been in a lot of communities. I was just recently in Utah. I was in Oklahoma. I was in Texas not too long ago. And you'll be surprised that these are states and we were in communities where transit demand is very strong. But then you come to our cities and you understand that transit demand is very strong also. So as I close, I want to say that for more than 100 years, the rhythm of Chicago has been the clack clack of a train passing by an open window.

37:16 And it's hard to imagine what Chicago would be like without the L. New York City's subway system is the same, right? We are legacy systems. It's hard to imagine what New York City would be without public transportation. But we don't need to think about that because we continue to make the investment. So thank you all for being champions, for being advocates, for being supporters, because these projects don't come to fruition without everyone's championship behind it and with really good leaders and a vision and a dream.

37:49 Thank you. Thank you, Deputy Administrator Vanderpool, for both your words here today and for your leadership in helping to make this day possible. Also joining us today is our own senior United States Senator from Illinois, the Honorable Dick Durbin. He's a stalwart protector of American democracy,

38:22 a fighter for progressive values, and a champion in the Senate for equity for all Americans. We're fortunate to have him here as the leader of the Illinois Congressional Delegation. Let us welcome Senator Dick Durbin. In 1969, the Dan Ryan branch opened of the Red Line, and the first politician stood up and said,

38:53 We're going to complete this to 130th Street real soon. Real soon. That was 50 years ago. For 50 years, politicians have been promising this day. I was not one of those politicians. I've been promising for only 28 years that I would bring this day to Chicago. It's a joy to be here.

39:23 And it's a moment in history. Today is January 10th. Under the Constitution on January 20th, there'll be a big change in Washington. There'll be an inauguration and a new president. And President Joe Biden, my friend, my fellow senator, will step down from his administration, and a new president will step up. You never know about change. It might be good. Maybe it won't. Who knows? You just don't know. That's why we're meeting today.

39:56 We want to make sure that whatever the change may be, the red line will finally be finished at 130th Street. And you've heard all the reasons. I won't go through them. All the jobs that will be created and the opportunities and the promises kept in parts of our city finally reaching out and being part, Mr. Mayor, of the future, connected up with the very best accessible transportation.

40:27 And it also means, too, that a lady who came and contacted our office recently is going to get a wish come true. She lives in Altgelt Gardens, and she told my chief of staff, Clara Saul, what it means to go downtown if you live in Altgelt Gardens. It's an hour and a half, start to finish. That's a big commitment. And when it comes to shopping or jobs or a doctor's appointment or getting down to the hospital, it means three hours at least of your life

40:58 moving from one place to another because there's no train out to Altgelt Gardens at the present time. And that will make a difference. On January 20th, when Joe Biden turns and shakes hands with the new president and steps back, he's going to leave a legacy in Illinois that is historic. His infrastructure bill will have brought $21 billion to the state of Illinois. $21 billion. It's for transit, it's for highway, it's for so many different things.

41:28 But the commitment to transit, the most significant as we know, is going to be this commitment, keeping our word for these people that we promised for so many years this day would come. Now that map over there is an amazing story that I want everybody to take a look at when the next person I introduce finally steps away and lets us see the rest of the map. Robin Kelly is a congresswoman for this district. She's a dear friend of mine. She's an effective congressman as are the others who've joined with us today.

42:00 and I want her to come up now and say a few words about her efforts on this project. I wasn't sure what joke he was going to tell about me. But good morning, everyone. Thank you, Senator. And I'm so happy to say welcome to the 2nd Congressional District of Illinois. I always want to hear more and more of that. It's an honor to represent you in Washington, D.C., and to definitely bring back federal dollars that directly impact the 2nd District.

42:35 I'm especially excited to be here today, as you know, to pledge nearly $2 billion for the Red Line Extension Project. As the senator and the mayor said, Southsiders have heard about this project for decades. They said 50 years, but it's actually closer to 60 years. My late husband grew up in Argyle Gardens, and my sister-in-law still lives there, so I've personally heard it since I've been in Congress for 12 years. So to all Southsiders, today is a monumental step forward. This federal funding will be green-lighted, and the construction will start in the next year.

43:11 I'm going to give my thanks to the Biden-Harris administration, to my Illinois colleagues that are here. We fought hard to finally bring the Red Line Extension Project to life. This $1.9 billion investment, as you've heard, will build new stations all the way down to 130 streets, serving tens of thousands of Chicagoans. It will actually be the first CTA train station in the 2nd District connecting the far south side to downtown and increasing transit equity. Southsiders, as you've heard, will save up to 30 minutes of commute time.

43:43 So many people in the Chicago area depend on public transportation to get to school, work, the grocery store, and essential places. I, too, like not our last speaker, but the speaker before, grew up in New York. I told the senator I didn't learn how to drive until I was 24 because I didn't need a car. He thought it took me that long to learn, but it didn't. The red line will help Southsiders get to where they need to be. and hopefully at some point get north side is to the south side and west side is to the south side, Mr. Mayor,

44:16 to spend some of that money. Investing in public transportation fosters economic opportunities. This project will create many, many jobs and just the accessibility period. Lives will be transformed. And when we invest in our public transportation, we do invest in our communities. So I want to thank Kirk Dillard. I want to thank President Carter and your board and thank the FTA. And I'm so excited to see what happens next because Pullman happened.

44:47 It became a national park. Now this is happening. There's good things happening. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good morning. My name is Congressman Jonathan Jackson. I'd like to thank my dear colleague from the 2nd Congressional District that is making great things happen. Please give another round of applause for Congressman Kelly. to the distinguished guests that we have here today that are true champions of this major project.

45:21 Thank you for those stirring words, President Carter, in all that you do. Thank you, Senator Durbin, who has tirelessly fought for this. Trying to get mass urban transit projects fully funded is very difficult in Washington, but right here on this stage with the help and support of all of our congressional colleagues and Congressman Garcia and Congressman Quigley, Congresswoman Kelly, Congresswoman, Senator Durbin. Give them another loving round of applause. They have succeeded in making this a reality.

45:53 In closing, we know that the, what does mass transit mean? Mass transit oftentimes means the link between welfare and work, people having access to affordable transportation. In this spirit of Reverend Martin Luther King's birthday, as we honor him, Mrs. Rosa Parks was so much more than about having dignity to sit anywhere on the bus. It was confronting the inequities in mass transit. This neighborhood for too long has been economically asphyxiated.

46:23 We have been cut off from the lifeblood, lifeline of Chicago's vitality. This seeks to remedy a wrong from a long time ago. So, again, I want to thank all of those. and there has been many people that have participated. I want to thank the House of Hope for having given us this opportunity to be a part, for indeed stepping in the breach and giving this neighborhood hope when others had run away and they made a massive investment in this community. I'd like to thank my dear predecessor and colleague, Congressman Rush, for all that you've done. And there has been a man that has worked in the trenches, if you will, on the railroad,

46:57 making sure the wheels go round and round, who has been a part of Appropriations and specifically the subcommittee on transportation that has put his last finger on the dollar that made it all happen, I'd like to introduce Congressman Quigley. I want to thank Representative Jackson, who is doing great work and has an extraordinarily bright future as well. My friends, this project's been called a lot of things, but it's fundamentally one thing.

47:31 It is fundamentally about fairness, right? Our founding fathers wrote of the pursuit of happiness, right? You can't have that pursuit if you don't have a ride. And this gives a lot of people a ride in that pursuit that never had it before. Now, I want to do some kudos for my colleagues here from D.C. because I want you to appreciate something. If anything, we just shifted from the 118th Congress to the 119th Congress.

48:04 The 118th Congress will not be known for an extraordinary list of accomplishments, but I'll give you one exception, and it's largely due to the folks that are sitting behind me. In the 118th Congress, more federal funding for transportation infrastructure was awarded to Chicago and Illinois in the last Congress than any other time in history. So, kudos. $130 million for Union Station, $290 million for 75th Street,

48:37 $95 million for the 290 Blue Line Project, $110 million for Terminal Air, and the list goes on. And one of the things I want to stress with folks is we sometimes think, oh, you know, this neighborhood or this area or this state got a transit deal, and, you know, why didn't we do it there or there? The fact of the matter is... Transit reminds us that we all need each other, right? And when there's a transit gap like there was and has been since forever on the south side,

49:07 it affects everybody and reduces everyone's opportunities. So everyone should be happy about this. When we did the south shoreline, double-tracked it, that helps people here. So this can't be a zero-sum game where it's either us against them. Let this be the reminder of that, that this is a positive for absolutely everybody involved, and I'm just so proud. I'm the lead appropriator on the House Appropriations Committee of Transportation. If this is all that we get done, then God bless, because I will tell you, the road gets a hell of a lot rockier in the next four years.

49:47 So Senator Durbin alluded to it, and I think in an optimistic way. I guess I understand that as a Cove fan. But we're going to have to stick together because the next four years will be tough. We've still got a transit funding cliff, as it's been called, that we have to address. You know, we can build this red line extension as we absolutely should have a long time ago, but if we don't have appropriate funding on a day-to-day operation basis, it will not serve its full function, and that should be our goal.

50:25 And I'll close by saying this. I talked about the pursuit of happiness, but one of the things – I just mentioned baseball. This will afford the opportunity for people who have not before to take the train to 35th and Shields and see the Sox play or to go to Clark and Addison and see real baseball. Too soon? Too soon? I'm sorry.

50:57 But it's a team effort. There are appropriators, there are authorizers, one of the best authorizers, and an authorizer on transportation and infrastructure, our good friend, Chui Garcia. Good afternoon, everyone. I am delighted to be here today to congratulate the CTA board, Mr. Chairman, of course, Darville Carter and all of the system members of the CTA, everyone who makes it happen.

51:30 I was in eighth grade in the Pilsen community when this project was announced. Since then, I've had the chance to go to the University of Illinois, get a master's degree in urban planning, where I learned about redlining, racism, discrimination, and how communities have become disinvested in. This project will help overcome those things in the past. It is a pathway to equitable development.

52:02 It will help all the neighborhoods along the way, and I'm excited for the city council representatives, state legislators who are here as well, but most importantly, the community residents of Chicago's south side. When I went to Congress, I sought a seat on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee because I wanted to help make this project a reality. Working with the Biden administration, I am so happy to say that we have delivered for these communities,

52:34 for Chicago and Illinois as well. Very proud as a graduate of the University of Illinois, a public school. The construction of this project will create thousands of jobs, as you know. It will ensure workforce training for the future, development opportunities in communities, and urgent growth in this part of our city. One of my goals was to make this happen because reliable public transportation is a matter of justice,

53:06 and thanks to the bipartisan infrastructure law and the relentless advocacy of our congressional delegation, The funding for this project finally comes to Chicago, and it is now signed. Now we just have to deliver equitably if Eddie Reed has his way. So today is a day to celebrate, and I look forward to celebrating when construction begins and upon its completion. Thank you for the invitation.

53:36 I now have the pleasure of introducing the chairman of the Regional Transit Authority, Kirk Dillard. Thank you. Congratulations, Chicago. This is a wonderful, wonderful day. I want to thank the congressional delegation. Let me tell you firsthand, we have a great congressional delegation led by Senator Durbin, Mike Quigley, Chui Garcia, all of you. I can't tell you enough how much we appreciate what you do in the trenches every day for us.

54:12 Congratulations and thank you to the federal officials that are here. And this pastor is not my first visit to the House of Hope. I serve with its founding pastor, James Meeks, and took a civil justice trip to southern civil rights sites with this church a few years ago. I believe today is a civil rights issue. I never go anywhere without saying that mass transit is the great economic equalizer of our city,

54:42 and today this is a great economic equalizer for Chicago. But I hope you all take from today is what I'm feeling and I feel every day, but I want to be extra enthusiastic and work extra hard to find sustainable transit funding, especially in Springfield, but also continued in the federal vein like we are today. When Dorval, and congratulations, Dorval called me and said, we need a last little piece of financing authorization from the RTA board,

55:16 I was proud to and enthused to shepherd that through. I see one of my fellow board members, Tom Kotarek, and the RTA has enthusiastically backed this project from at least the day I got there. I want to say congratulations again to everybody in this room. And last but not least, Mayor Johnson, I do go to Westside churches. I had the honor of actually speaking and eulogizing the late Nancy Jefferson, a great Westside religious leader. So I get to the Westside too, Mayor, and Dorval, you know,

55:48 get him his blue line improvements too. Dorval, congratulations, my friend. You've been on me with Fluster Barkley since day one on this. Last but not least, like I say, transit is the great economic equalizer in every presentation I give, I always close with, hey, remember, where transit goes, the community and economic development grows. Congratulations, Chicago. You should do my job. I'm going to turn it over to the city council now.

56:21 Alderman Anthony Beal, a great, great, great cheerleader for this project and all projects transit-wise, but also for his beloved city of Chicago. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. Allow me to take a deep breath, a deep breath, because there's nobody in this room that has lived this project more than me.

56:53 I was two years old, living in the same house I was born and raised in today when the promise was made to my community about the Red Line Extension. Grew up talking about it, my parents talked about it, and nothing ever happened. But I'm going to tell you, in 1998, going into 1999, we had a movement out of this church on 118th in Indiana that was led by Reverend James T. Meeks that says, we're going to take our community back and we're going to make a difference.

57:28 And at that particular time, he helped elect me in 1999 to lead this ninth ward. And since then, we have created over $2 billion of public-private investment in this community. Over 2,000 jobs got rid of the food desert, brought recreation to our community. And so when I tell you that this really hits home to me, there's no greater feeling than to see this day come for the Red Line Extension to go to 130th.

58:06 So just a little bit of a history lesson. I became the chairman of transportation here in the city of Chicago. And when I became chairman of transportation under Mayor Daley, I reminded him of the promise of his father to my community. And I stressed upon him that if I were to take the championship of transportation, that we had to make a commitment to make this red line go to 130th Street without question. He is a man of his word.

58:36 He started the ball rolling. Because we knew there's a seven-step process from beginning to end when you're looking at federal government funding for projects like this. And we are starting phase seven right now with the signing of this $2 billion. And so I want to thank all the partners here, all my federal partners, state partners, county partners, because it took all of us to continue to be steadfast on making sure this promise became a reality.

59:10 a reality for my community to make sure my community is connected to downtown so we can get access to those great jobs. And so that reality is now coming to light, and there's no greater feeling. We've had a lot of great feelings here in the Ninth Ward. When we built this structure here, this $40 million facility, when we brought Walmart into the community, it brought resources to the area. So we've done some things here on the south side, Mr. Mayor.

59:40 We've done a whole lot on the south side of Chicago. But it gives me no greater feeling that after 26 years of being alderman here in the Ninth Ward, to be here today to cut this ribbon for my community, for my community, to get what it has just do. Thank you so much. God bless you. And I'm going to bring up Alderman Chico. Thank you, and thank you, Alderman Beal, for your over two decades of work on this.

1:00:14 It is truly noted. And to all the other stakeholders, including President Carter and Mayor Johnson, thank you for your work to deliver this historic project. I also want to acknowledge two members from my community, Local Advisory Council President for All Gale Gardens, Bernadette Williams, and Cheryl Johnson, Executive Director for People for Community Recovery.

1:00:47 When I became Alderman of the 10th Ward, I quickly wanted to learn as much as I could about the new part of our ward during the remapping, the Riverdale community. That included Altgeld Gardens and Golden Gate. What I found right away is the people I represented deserved so much better. And it started with real access to public transportation. To get to Walmart, right up the street on 109th or Doty, it probably takes five to six minutes in the car.

1:01:21 But using the CTA buses, up to 45 minutes. Having access to necessities of life should never take that long, especially in a global city like Chicago. That's why this project excites me to my core. This project presents opportunity, promise, and most of all, hope. This will undoubtedly strengthen our community, open up doors, open up the eyes of our residents to see what this beautiful city has to offer.

1:01:54 But also, in turn, the rest of the city will see what this community and the 10th Ward is all about. And how we too are a part of the fabric of Chicago. because the day is on the way when we look to the CTA map that's going to be plastered all over the place and it will no longer end at 95th but rather at 130th and once and for all include us on the far south side and the optimism of a brighter future ahead.

1:02:28 And I also want to give a shout out to the 10th Ward again. It's a transformational time in our ward. We have the red line on the south end, the quantum on the north end. Things are happening in the 10th Ward. We're back on the map. Great things are to come. Thank you, and I want to turn it over to my friend, my colleague, and the leader of the 21st Ward, Alderman Ronnie Mosley. You know, for far too long, the communities of the far south side of Chicago have waited.

1:03:06 We've waited for equity. we've waited for opportunity, and we've waited for connection. And we asked the question of how long? And Dr. King reminded us that how long, not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. Ladies and gentlemen, this investment is justice in motion. And with the new stations at 103rd and 111th, this extension will connect residents of the 21st Ward to jobs, to schools, and essential services.

1:03:46 It's going to transform lives in open doors that have remained shut for far too long. This is more than just transportation. This is about dignity. It's about saying to the people of the far south side that you are seeing, that you are valued, that you are heard, and your future matters. And we did not arrive here by chance. It took the collaboration of the federal, state, and local leaders that you see here and the unyielding advocacy of the people in our community who refuse to give up.

1:04:25 To you, I say your persistence has paid off. And so as we look towards 2030, when this project will be complete, let us not lose sight of the broader vision that this is a step towards repairing the historical inequities, a commitment to building Chicago where every resident, regardless of zip code, can thrive. And that means, Ed Reed, strong participation in building these extensions, mirroring the same levels of use.

1:05:03 And we are on our way to that. So Chicago, and leaders here, thank you. Thank you. And with that, I'll welcome Phil Washington. Well, it's great to be here. I'm Phil Washington. I'm currently the CEO of Denver International Airport.

1:05:33 And before that, I led all transportation in Los Angeles County. So shout out to L.A. and the fires that are going on there as well. And before that, I spent 25 years on active duty in the United States military. I say all that because I never forgot the struggles of my mother without transportation from Argyle Gardens.

1:06:08 I was born and raised in Argyle Gardens, Block 15, Mr. Earl, and never forgot the struggles. Because my mother died prematurely, primarily due to the stress involved with getting access for medical care, to go to church, to go shopping in a food desert of Argyle Gardens.

1:06:38 This is a big, big deal. Somebody said, a freaking deal, the mayor said. This is a big, big deal. This is personal for me. It's personal for me. The first graduate, college graduate in our family, my sister Lorna, who could not be here today, took about four or five buses one way from Argyle Gardens to Northeastern to go to college, two and a half hours.

1:07:13 One way, getting up at 4 a.m. in the morning to go to school. So happy for her, she ended up being an exchange student to Israel from Argyle Gardens, figuring out how to get from Argyle Gardens to school for four years. I cannot think of a more impactful transportation project than the extension of the Red Line in this entire country.

1:07:47 I cannot think of one. So this is huge. I drove through our Guild Gardens yesterday, and I saw people that were waiting at the same bus stops that my mother waited on. My mother worked in the city towards downtown, and sometimes she never made it home if she missed the last bus from 95th to 127th.

1:08:17 Y'all remember in those days? Y'all remember the South Suburban line? Big Red? Sometimes she did not make it home and had to stay in the city. So this is so personal that I had to fly in. from Denver to support my brother, Dorval. And I know and I thank everyone here. I thank Matt Welbus and Veronica and Paul from the feds.

1:08:47 I thank the senators, senior senator and the mayor and the members of Congress, but let me just, and the alderman, but it took someone to bring it all together. And Dorval didn't just start working on this. When he was the deputy chief of staff for former secretary Anthony Fox, he was working this. When he was the general counsel for CTA, before he went to Washington, he was working on this.

1:09:22 So a big thank you to him for coordinating all this, for people that have been working on this for years and years and years. Look, my mother thanks you from the grave, man. At least two generations, at least two, and scores of generations in the future thank you and thank everyone that was involved in this.

1:10:00 The access, we can have people go to school and medical care. There is nothing, I think, that affects people more than transportation. maybe health care, maybe health care, but transportation affects more people. So, listen, we should all be grateful. The people that this will impact in this community, young people that will be able to go to school

1:10:37 and go around the world and do things like I've been blessed to do from Argyle Gardens, Born and raised in Argyle Gardens. Going to Roseland was a big deal for us back in the day on the red, the suburban bus line, that whose frequency was probably every 20 and maybe 30 minutes. So this is a game changer. God bless you, big bruh, adorable. um i think you putting this together is a godsend uh for all of us in the community

1:11:15 uh and i know and i can speak i'll try to say one last thing on behalf of folks in our gill gardens and in rosalind too because we frequented rosalind as well uh and that is Let's build this thing. Let us realize the benefits for not just the people, but the minority communities as well. So equity and infrastructure is the key here, and we're seeing it now.

1:11:46 Thank you so much for having me here. Thank you, everyone, for sharing your thoughts with us this morning. At this time, I would like to invite Deputy Administrator Vanderpool, Mayor Johnson, the Illinois Congressional Delegation, and President Carter to join us for the ceremonial signing of the Red Line Extension full funding grant agreement.

1:16:55 And I would like to invite the mayor to the podium at this time. Can we hear me? My name is Nefsa Hyatt. I'm the mayor's deputy press secretary. For all members of the press who have questions, I ask that you come to the end of this row. We want to be respectful of everyone's time, so one question, one follow-up, please. Good afternoon, mayor. Good afternoon. We heard a couple of members of Congress sort of address this almost with a little bit of humorous side to it.

1:17:31 But can you speak to the importance of getting this done prior to the new administration coming in and any concerns that anyone up there might have had about some of the money being clawed back that could impact this program? Well, first of all, thank you for that question. The importance of getting this done, it's not necessarily connected to the incoming administration. The importance of getting this project done is connected to the people that will benefit from this project.

1:18:01 And so we are grateful that over the course of President Carter's very esteemed career, that he has been able to cultivate a level of confidence and to build a real collaborative approach to finally see this come to fruition. As far as the threats or the looming threats, the potential threats from an incoming administration that has shown a great deal of dismissal towards public accommodations, we are all very much committed to working in concert with one another to ensure that, whether it's education, transportation, health care, housing, good-paying jobs, environmental justice,

1:18:39 that we all work collectively to ensure that the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, receives its just due. One of the things that I do think is important, and thank you again for this question, is that there are senior members of Congress that are right here in the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois. The great deal of experience and expertise that our congressional delegation has is one that I have absolute confidence in, and we're going to work as hard as we can to ensure that the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois as a whole, receives its just due.

1:19:12 If I could just follow up with Dorval Carter, President Carter, if you would. Could you sort of speak to this, and would there even be any possibility that any of this money could be clawed back based on what you know at this point? Well, I think one of the benefits of getting the grant commitment from the federal government is that historically that has been a commitment that you can rely on for future funding. It is a unique legal document that basically makes the commitment going forward subject to the appropriations,

1:19:44 And I can just tell you, if history is any indicator of this, historically there has never been a situation in which a full-funded grant agreement has been benign on by the federal government. It is basically backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, and as such, is viewed as a reliable instrument not only by us, but also by the investment market that basically allows and will issue debt against these types of instruments for capital projects. Mr. Mayor, two Illinois state legislators have introduced a bill calling for a speed up of the recall process.

1:20:20 Can you tell us what you make of that, and if you think projects like this one speak to anything about your relationship with Springfield, with Washington, and the ability to carry forward? Well, you know, look, as far as, you know, people introducing legislation, that's their job to do that. I remember when I first started working for State Senator Don Harmon, there was a piece of legislation to declare popcorn to be the state snack. It won, by the way, and it passed unanimously.

1:20:51 You know, look, I know one of the individuals, he's a true champion at West Sider, Representative LaShawn Ford, grateful for his leadership in Springfield that allowed us to continue a conversation in the 104th General Assembly to have substantive conversations around how the city of Chicago can participate as a whole in all discussions. As far as my relationships, again, you know, my first job, my political start was with State Senator Don Armand. In fact, I met Robin Kelly when she was a state rep because I was the chief of staff to state representative, former older person, Deborah Graham. You know,

1:21:26 Senator Collins and I were on the front line along Michigan Avenue protesting against the Emanuel administration for covering up the video of the brutal killing of Laquan McDonald. Speaker Welch and I, I supported Speaker Welch when he was running for state rep, and the other speaker went with the other guy. So those relationships go further than my time as mayor. We've watched our children grow up together, and I'm looking forward to the continued work that we will do. Do you think projects like this one will help change public perceptions in your favor?

1:21:56 Well, look, the good thing about the work that we do in the city of Chicago, a perception of one individual doesn't define the entire city of Chicago. I will say this, though. The city of Chicago has gotten better, stronger, and safer. Homicides are down. Shootings are down. $20 billion of new investment. We just opened up a mental health clinic. I'm sorry. We reopened a closed mental health clinic right here on the south side of Chicago in the Rosen community. You know, the first mayor since Mayor Harold Washington to actually expand mental and behavioral health care.

1:22:29 Those are the things that I believe the voters are paying attention to, and the thousands of jobs that will be the result and the manifestation of this project. It's why we continue to invest in our community colleges. Under my administration, enrollment is up. The number one subgroup of registrants are young black men. We are looking to expand the west side campus. Malcolm X College on the west side that will be dedicated to the trades, right? So, look, you have a dynamic team, a group of people here. Of course, sometimes we have our disagreements.

1:23:02 That's natural for family. But I'm very much confident that the delegation that you're seeing here today, Congressman Jackson and I, we were organizers and standing up on stages together, and no one even thought either one of us would be a politician. I don't know what happened to Congressman Jackson. I thought he was on his way to take over Operation Push, but God obviously had a different plan for him, and I thought I was going to go on to teach high school and become a principal one day.

1:23:32 It looks like I won't get an opportunity to do that. Good morning, Mayor, and Happy New Year. Thank you. Happy New Year. In terms of larger funding for the CTA, some members of the Illinois General Assembly are considering tying a bailout of the upcoming CTA fiscal cliff to holding heads of regional transit agencies accountable, including via a leadership change at the CTA. Mayor Johnson, President Carter, how would you address those members? Well, the first thing I can say this, I won't speak for President Carter, but what I can say is this. I did have a conversation with President Carter a few months ago, and we were taking a trip down memory lane.

1:24:08 I'm not able to go as far back as he is, but he took me with him. But he was sharing how when Mayor Harold Washington was mayor of the city of Chicago, that there was an effort to undermine the local transportation authority. It was the same effort around our public schools. So any attempt to hold hostage the people of Chicago for anyone's political gain, we're certainly not going to acquiesce to those levels of constraints. Here's what we're committed to,

1:24:38 is making sure that the Chicago Transit Authority is fully funded so that we can have affordable, reliable, and safe transportation. But President Carter, please, we've been discussing this about how to make sure that our system is fully funded. I think the mayor said it very well. He obviously listened closely to what I said about the history of public transportation funding in Chicago, and the reality is that CTA has historically been underfunded for decades.

1:25:11 that reality needs to change, and that's certainly the conversation we're having down in Springfield. This isn't about leadership. This isn't about accountability. Those are measures that are always a part of what is expected of any public official. This is really about funding, and I've made that point on more than one occasion, that if we are funded at the appropriate level, then the services that our customers want to see, the ability to provide and improve those services going forward will follow from that activity, And I look forward to that conversation continuing down in Springfield with the support of the mayor and the rest of the city council and other local electorate officials to make sure that this region has the funding levels to support what should be the best public transportation system in the entire country.

1:25:56 Thank you. Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon. And the delegation here. I'm Robert McKay, retired Chicago firefighter. So I conduct a radio program on Focus on WDON on Sundays. The issue here is that Secretary Pete Buttigieg for the transportation has often said that there are too many people working in communities who don't look like the people who live in the communities. And Local 150, the Operating Engineers Union, has been distributing flyers for apprenticeship training for heavy equipment operators, heavy equipment repair people, technicians, geothermal well drillers,

1:26:37 and inspectors, nine communities and cities outside of the city of Chicago and outside of Roseland where this red line will extend through. And we would like to have the people in the Ninth Ward, in the south side, in fact the west sides, to come over and enjoy and apply for those positions as apprenticeships and heavy equipment operators. Well, thank you for that question. And to obviously the WVON family, but to the city of Chicago as a whole, I think it was Congressman Quigley that really quoted an axiom of Mayor here at Washington, fairness.

1:27:13 You know, that's essentially what our charge is. You know, to the regional leader, Dillard has been, you know, very instrumental in elevating that desire. And I believe Alderman Bill has already expressed, you know, what his work has been about over the course of 20-plus years, almost 30 years in service. All of us here are committed, particularly in this season, I believe the statistics of 18 percent of unemployment just in this one neighborhood.

1:27:43 But if you really drill down on unemployment, particularly for younger residents in the city of Chicago between the ages of 18 to 25, you're talking as upward as 45%. That's why it's incumbent upon us to work together to see this expansion at the west side, Malcolm X campus, around dedicating curriculum to trades. People want jobs. And here's proof.

1:28:13 So for the summer youth employment jobs, and I know there were some folks in city council that didn't think that was a worthwhile investment. We've expanded that. We were pushing for 30,000. I'm going to find a way to still try to get to that number. But 51,000 young people applied for 30,000 positions. This notion that somehow our community doesn't work is just false, right? But I think for too long there's been more of a solipsistic approach in terms of governance. This level of egocentric governance is one that is not tolerated under my administration.

1:28:47 So we're all here responsible to make sure that those numbers really reflect those who are actually in need the most. One last thing. The vocational programs in the public schools have been diminished to zero, and you can have people coming out of high school and going straight into the red line construction. There were people who left my alma mater, Dunbar, who went and worked on Sayers Tower at the time, not Willis Towers. Thank you. Can we at least shout out Westinghouse, please, just for the sake of – thank you. This is all of us. Look, you're absolutely right.

1:29:18 It's one of the things that we've been pushing and promoting, as I've made very clear with the incoming Board of Education, that we have to have a commitment to introducing 7th and 8th graders to the trades. We really need to get as low as 5th grade, but under my administration's direction, we are leading the way to ensure that young people see themselves early out. Look, my father, many people you know, was a pastor and a carpenter. I didn't get the carpenter skill. And, you know, it's tough growing up in a house when your dad is like Jesus. But other than my brothers were able to have those skills,

1:29:51 and they don't have the student debt that I have. So we're very much committed to ensuring that there's early exposure to these opportunities so that our young people will not only be raised in the city of Chicago, they can raise their families. Thank you. Is that it? Oh, okay. Is there one more? Good afternoon, Mayor Johnson. Happy New Year. Hey, good afternoon. Happy New Year. I wanted to ask, we are just 10 days away from having a new administration. Do you foresee Chicago making any changes to its welcoming city ordinance, and would you be willing to allow CPD officers to work with federal agents?

1:30:22 Well, look, I actually think it's important that our local police department, that they should be able to just do their job. Asking police officers to dub as federal agents, I don't believe it's a good use of their expertise. Right. And so it's why we've expanded our behavior and mental health care support so that when people have mental health crises, mental health professionals can show up to those calls and that other critical areas where we need law enforcement, it frees them up to do that.

1:30:58 You know, there's an interesting statistic that I don't know if enough of us talk about. There's that 37% of the violence that happens in the city of Chicago, it happens in 5% of the city, right? So our hyper-concentration in those areas where development and housing and youth employment are needed, that's the full force of government. Here's what I've said repeatedly, that the Trump administration has an opportunity to do something pretty unique. They can actually pass legislation, right? the president-elect has control over the Senate and the House

1:31:31 as well as the judicial branch of government. We have not had substantive immigration reform policy change in 30-plus years. The last time that happened, the Bears were Super Bowl champions. There's an opportunity for him to do that. What I've said repeatedly is that we are going to protect the residents of the city of Chicago as it relates to education, transportation, housing, health care. And, of course, we're going to protect those individuals who are coming to this country

1:32:01 who want a better opportunity. I guess the last point is this. There are families that are here who sought asylum. I just think it's important that we actually educate the public on this. If you are seeking asylum, you have international and national protection. That is not an illegal status. And here's how we know is because there are 30,000 Ukrainians here, and no one mentions the fact that 30,000 Ukrainians are in the city of Chicago,

1:32:32 and no one said a mumbly word. But yet somehow the 70% of asylum seekers that were sent to New York, who are primarily from the continent of Africa, or South America. I just beg the question, what's the difference between the federal government supporting asylum seekers and refugees from the Ukraine, but yet somehow when the destabilized economy of Venezuela, of which 58% of their economy is based on oil, oil, of course, that

1:33:08 translates into gas, translates into Citgo, that everybody seems to have a problem about Venezuela, except for when they go to sit, go and pump gas. I don't know if I answered your question, but I don't know. Did I? Thank you. I see that we have two more questions, one here. Is there anyone else that I'm missing? We want to be respectful of everyone's time and wrap up. Nope? Great. For President Carter, Dave Strew at Sun-Times, the estimated cost for the red line extension has increased a couple times.

1:33:41 Are you anticipating any further increases, and how would you plan to cover that? The answer is no. The reason that I don't anticipate further increases is that we've now locked in the contracts to do the construction for the project. The cost of this project did go up tremendously. A lot of that was due to the result of the pandemic and rising costs in general, and that's impacting every construction project. The mayor could tell you about all sorts of projects in the city that have seen similar increases. But here's the thing that I would like for you to think about when we have this conversation.

1:34:12 We've talked about how long this project has been discussed in the city of Chicago, going back 50 or 60 years. But we didn't say, and I'm happy to tell you, do you know how much it would have cost if we had built this project back when we built the Red Line, Dan Ryan Red Line portion of the Red Line? $144 million. So think about the cost of time. That's what we're dealing with right now. And, yeah, I would have loved for this project to have been significantly less than what it is today. But the truth of the matter is, we're making up for the fact that we didn't do this 60 years ago when we should have.

1:34:46 And, yeah, there's a cost associated with that. All right. Thank you all. Happy New Year, everybody.

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