>> It's the first day of classes for Chicago public school kids.

And as the new academic year kicks off, the district faces a 734 million dollar budget shortfall.

Leaders say they crafted a budget proposal to keep cuts out of the classroom.

But the plan to fill the whole leans heavily on one-time funding, raising questions about long-term stability.

Joining us to discuss more Army Kyla Blaze, the CPS board member representing district 5 be with constituents in neighborhoods like North Lawndale and Garfield Park and CPS Board member G to Brown who represents District 5, a which includes neighborhoods like Austin and Ukrainian Village.

Thank you both for being here.

We appreciate it.

Thank you having as we mentioned, that that massive budget shortfall CPS is facing down the proposal that came out last week includes 126 million dollars in savings from things like Central office.

Staff reductions.

It project delays, hiring freezes.

As we mentioned, an effort to keep cuts from classrooms Micaela blaze.

Are you concerned those cuts might still have ripple effects on students?

>> And I know focus.

We tried to focus on keeping cuts from classrooms, but we've already cut safe passage workers some cross and guides so and the community I represent it really does impact what happens outside impacts the classroom.

So I things comprehensive the end, it made some cuts that are going to be tough fast, yeah, affecting the overall set of school community even if it's not classroom specific.

>> Well, you know, another portion of the budget plan, a is a 79 million dollar bump revenue assumptions, bringing the total expected from the city to nearly 379 million dollars JT Brown.

Do you think CPS should be relying on tips, money?

>> I think that.

Yes, those resources are available as we as the process for disentangle man happens, that can change in the future.

But while we are dramatically underfunded by the state of Illinois, every dollar we can get money that we need.

Yes, maybe not.

What you want to see long-term been done in the moment year.

It kind of lays how about that or to funding as part of the budget.

>> as one of the Brown said, more of a tourniquet to stop what's happening.

We are.

According to the state's own funding from 1.6 billion dollars and the state's time they gave us an additional 300 million this year But at this rate we won't get to fully funded schools until 2037.

So we're hoping they can ramp up the schedule there and really start giving our kids what they need to be successful.

Yeah, I mean, you know, lawmakers have said obviously they want to see schools fully funded, you know, under that sort of that, you know, the current formula that is in place, but, >> you know, the CPS isn't the only district not receiving its its full freight from the state of Illinois.

Absolute.

Do you have any expectations that we'll see, you know, full funding or at least an increase in funding before It's gotten not necessarily great signals from lawmakers on that.

Well, I think.

You prioritize what is important to you.

>> We have the money to make presence.

We have the money to do a variety of things to help football teams.

We lots of money to do.

Lots of things and I always say that our schools, our economic engine, if we can really solve particularly CPS, lots of people come to Chicago when they're younger grow up here.

And then when they have children, they move to the suburbs because they're a little nervous about whether their kids are safe.

But if we can keep them in to keep father tax revenue in Chicago will all be better >> And you think about this, you know, with the 5th largest economy in the United States, if the decades we will 49th and public education funding.

So due to some good work that was done around 2017 in a hostile state of Illinois.

We moved up the 37th.

The 37th is not enough.

So calling for is not is not a bailout is not a handout because of funding schools equitably across the state of Illinois me because, well, we have a crisis Chicago is also a crisis in the St. Louis.

It's also a crisis Robbins, Cairo, right?

And so we believe to to help Chicago grow to help state of Illinois we support the Illinois Revenue alliances, proposals which are are some short and long-term solutions.

For example, attacks on digital right?

And several of the proposals that the killer might revenue alliance has that we that with political will.

Can actually land us you know, quickly actually, McCollough said.

Tight turn to get in the.

But then also you which is has not been done in previous administrations right.

Loans have been taken out for years, right, with no states strategy to really address the structural deficit we're doing.

We're with saying that we have to turning it into But then we also have to, you >> Well, you know, one of the controversial parts of this plan is deferring that 175 million dollar pension payment unless CPS gets, you know, additional to funding or money from the state.

You know, Kelly said this was a foolhardy approach.

What are your concerns there?

>> I'm concerned about CPS being a good partner.

The situation that we're in right now, we are 734 million dollars in the hall and we need to make as many friends as we can to make sure that we keep the ship sailing the city council had gave us the most TIF money that is ever been given to CPS last year and they asked for some of it back and we didn't do that.

I'm concerned that we are creating Elwell and that they're not going to be willing bail us out as as we as we get stronger and as we grow and as we get the funding that we need to stand on feet, we've got to learn how to play nice with everybody.

>> Gita ground.

How about that suffering that pension payment?

No, I agree with board member Blaise.

I there was a commitment made to city council which resulted in the largest have surplus effort to Chicago public schools.

And I think it's naive to think that if we if we don't provide that agreed upon support.

We know that is not mandatory, but that agreed upon support, then its full hard to think that their point to not spend their tips, things, that we would have a large to surplus.

Again.

So I think as board member Blay said is being a good partner.

But it's also, you know.

Politics, one-on-one pride.

It's Just to be clear, the entire and the >> Pension payment as a billion dollars.

Half of that is CPS employees.

So we'd say roughly half a billion dollars should be our portion.

And the city's only asking for us to put in 175 9.

What's they're giving us in 10th.

So if you look at it comprehensively, we still end up on the plus side and we are we also have skin in the game and we're taking care of our employees.

Well, this plan also, you know, doesn't include any borrowing to cover.

Pension costs are teacher salaries.

GT Brown, would you want to see alone and final budget plan?

>> I don't think anybody wants to see alone, but I think to guarantee that we will not have cuts in the classroom.

>> Because historically, those cuts have been palatable and he's been on the backs of black and brown children in the city of Chicago.

So saying absolutely no way are we accepting cuts and additional cuts in the classroom.

So we want to see.

The language that says the painting will be made, not contingent.

It will be made by either the money and revenue race in the state or if necessary battle again, this the product that does entanglement is not like a quickie divorce.

It's a process that we have to go through in order.

And so and part of that process, it's taking on the responsibility of working with our partners in the state house and coming up with solid solutions like raising our tax so that we're able to actually use income taxes to bring additional revenue into the district.

I'm bringing that up because many of critics of this approach don't address the fact that there was no states strategy in the past.

Right.

And we can get the pass right?

Because that that is reflective of what you believe.

And so it's going to really be important that we make sure that we do the work on the back in to long-term correction of the structural deficit.

And you can have a whole show how deaths several from holidays all the way.

And now right.

>> But I think it's really important for us to realize.

This board is not the robust and bullets of the pastor.

This board has elected.

And appointed members.

All like me.

You know, we both have children in Chicago, public We have that.

She skin in the game.

So this is our ports.

We with this board will not pass a budget that does not get routine, that they won't be mid-year.

>> We've got a little less than a minute left, but I want to ask, you know, CPS is currently operating with an interim leader Macklin king after the firing of Pedro Martinez late last year Micaela blaze.

How do you think she's handling the role so far?

I think So I was brought in to the board the other board quit.

>> So I can tell you, this is a tough position to be.

And I know there's lots of forces putting lots of pressure on her.

But I'm excited that she's going to calm and she's going to bring decisive leader said, I'm I'm very excited to be working with Certainly a lot of CPS, parents and families looking for calm in the district right now to All