DRIVE CHANGE.

>> IT'S A NEW YEAR, WHICH OF COURSE MEANS CHICAGO HAS A NEW BUDGET.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON MUST NOW MAKE GOOD ON HIS PROMISE TO USE THE CITY.

16.7 BILLION DOLLAR SPENDING PLAN AS A DOWN PAYMENT ON INVESTMENTS IN WORKING CLASS.

CHICAGOANS WTW NEWS REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW WITH A LOOK AT WHAT 2024 HAS IN STORE FOR THE CITY'S FINANCES IN HEATHER JOHNSON'S BUDGET WAS APPROVED IN NOVEMBER WITH OVERWHELMING SUPPORT, OF COURSE, OF THE CITY COUNCIL AFTER THE MAYOR CLOSE A 538 MILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL.

WAS THAT THE EASY PART?

IT SURE WAS.

IT WILL BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR THE CITY TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF CARING FOR THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS SENT TO CHICAGO FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER MOST BY TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT.

>> THE CITY'S BUDGET ASIDE JUST 150 MILLION DOLLARS TO HOUSE FEED AND IN MANY CASES CLOSE THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARRIVED HERE WITH NOT MUCH MORE THAN THE CLOTHES ON THEIR AND THE JOHNSON ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID THAT THEY KNOW THAT WON'T BE ENOUGH, BUT THAT THERE'S NO FEDERAL HELP ON THIS ON INSIGHT AND LIMITED HELP FROM THE STATE.

IT MEANS THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE THAT.

DOUG, THOSE DOLLAR STRETCH.

JOHNSON ALSO PROMISED TO USE THE SPENDING PLAN TO MAKE A DOWN PAYMENT ON THE PROMISES THAT HE MADE DURING HIS CAMPAIGN TO INVEST IN WORKING CLASS CHICAGOANS.

HOW DOES THE SPENDING PLAN DO THAT?

SO THIS BUDGET WILL MAKE THE CITY'S ALTERNATE 9-1-1.

RESPONSE PROGRAM, A PERMANENT PART OF THE WAY CITY.

FIRST, THE CITY RESPONDS TO EMERGENCIES THAT WILL SEND SOCIAL WORKERS AND COUNSELORS TO THOSE WHO CALL 9-1-1, EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS OR HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DRUGS THAT IS NOW SORT OF GOING TO BE THE WAY THE CITY FIRST ATTEMPTS TO RESPOND TO THOSE CRISIS IS AND THAT'S REALLY THE CORE OF THE SO-CALLED TREATMENT, NOT TRAUMA PROPOSAL.

THE BUDGET ALSO WILL OPEN 2 NEW PHYSICAL MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS, PART OF THAT DOWN PAYMENT ON MAYOR JOHNSON'S PROMISE TO REOPEN THE MENTAL HEALTH CLINICS CLOSED BACK IN 2011 BY FORMER MAYOR RAHM EMANUEL.

THIS BUDGET ALSO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT TELLS ABOUT SO 400 OFFICERS WILL NOW BE THOSE POSITIONS WILL NOW BE OPEN TO NON-SWORN EMPLOYEES OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT IS DESIGNED TO HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE MORE FLEXIBLE IN TERMS OF RESPONDING TO THE ROOT CAUSES OF CRIME AND NOT JUST LOCKING PEOPLE UP AND ENFORCING THE LAW.

THERE'S ALSO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT MORE MONEY FOR EFFORTS TO EXPAND EFFORTS TO COMPLY WITH THE CONSENT DECREE, WHICH REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT TO CHANGE THE WAY IT SUPERVISES TRAINS AND DISCIPLINES OFFICERS 2024 ALSO MARKS THE RETURN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT.

WOULD THAT MEAN FOR CHICAGOANS WHO ARE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION?

SO MAYOR JOHNSON CAMPAIGNED ON A PROMISE PUT AN END TO, QUOTE, LITERAL SACRIFICE.

JONES OWNS.

AND THAT MEANS BLACK AND LATINO CHICAGOANS LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH MORE POLLUTION AND LESS ACCESS TO.

PARKS AND OPEN SPACES.

THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT WILL SPEARHEAD THOSE EFFORTS WHETHER THEY'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE A DENT ON THOSE VERY COMPLICATED ISSUES IN JUST ONE YEAR.

VERY MUCH.

AN OPEN QUESTION.

ALL OF IT VERY COMPLICATED IT'S STILL AN OPEN QUESTION WHETHER SHARON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS FOR AND