I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

>> We can't afford to overextend ourselves in these labor negotiations.

>> In his first sit-down interview since being ousted, we talked with Chicago Public Schools, Chief Pedro Martinez on his firing in the latest on contract negotiations with the teachers union.

In our Spotlight, politics team on Michael Madigan's testimony in his corruption trial.

An effort to lower the citywide speed limit and more.

>> Now to some of today's top stories, former House Speaker Michael Madigan's testimony concluded in federal court today after 4 days on the stand and the end may be in sight for jurors after 3 months of testimony and evidence today during cross-examination, jurors heard an episode where Madigan met with newly elected Governor JB Pritzker and, quote, put the knife into Cullerton 3 or 4 times over an advertising campaign during the 2018 election cycle.

That's even though Madigan and then Illinois Senate President Cullerton our family friends Madigan's presented himself as careful, shrewd and non-confrontational throughout his testimony.

His defense team is expected to rest its case on Thursday with closing arguments slated for next week.

The gauge Illinois drivers need to retake their behind the wheel driving test is currently 79, but a bipartisan piece of legislation would raise it to 87, citing to statistics from the Illinois Department of Transportation that found the crash rate for drivers.

75 years and up is actually lower than drivers ages 16 to 74.

>> My top priority.

Is keeping Illinois roads safe and always making improvements to ensure the safety of everyone who shares them full stop.

>> The Illinois secretary of state's office collaborated with AARP, Illinois, Draft of Road Safety and Fairness Act, which is also aiming to keep unsafe motorists of all ages off the streets.

Illinois is currently the only state that requires senior drivers to take protests regularly.

If you're looking to sign up for health care through the Affordable Care Act tomorrow is your deadline.

>> Nearly 24 million people have signed up for coverage in 2025 so far.

That's according to the Biden administration.

That's nearly double when President Trump was last in office when roughly 12 million people signed up for coverage.

The Biden administration credits the heightened outreach and easier enrollment process and larger federal subsidies that have allowed some low income Americans to get plans with no or very low premiums.

Those enhanced subsidies were put in place when Democrats controlled Congress earlier in Biden's term and are set to expire at the end of 2025.

A giant in Chicago business and philanthropy has died.

David W Granger was chairman and CEO of WW Granger in from 1968, to 1997.

The company founded by his father in 1927.

It's now a Fortune 300 company that sells a wide range of products and services for maintenance, repair and operations.

Granger also headed the Granger Foundation for more than 40 years.

Colleagues call Granger a quiet and generous philanthropist.

The foundation has provided significant support for education, healthcare, museums and other cultural institutions, including transformative gifts to Wt Tw here it funded and in doubt our largest studio, the Granger studio and also provided a gift to enable the creation of the Granger Foundation.

Studio Control and audio Sweet for Wt Tw news.

David Granger was 97.

And exclusive sit-down with Chicago Public Schools, CEO Pedro Martinez right after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The gym and K maybe family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Chicago Public Schools has its hands full the district has been negotiating with the teachers union over its contract for nearly a year and almost entirely new board will be sworn in tomorrow.

Half of them elected for the first time in history.

And just before Christmas, the current board voted unanimously to terminate CEO Pedro Martinez.

But Martinez is still the CEO for the next 6 months under the terms of his contract.

Here to discuss all of this and more in his first sit-down interview since that termination is CEO Pedro Martinez, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you for having breakfast.

So as we mentioned just before the Christmas holiday mayors, newly appointed Board of Education voted to terminate you.

Were you surprised by that move?

>> I was I was very disappointed Brandis because, you know, I've always been clear as CPS students, somebody growing up in Chicago.

I mean, this is the June job me.

I was offered quite a bit of fun, you know, money leave a job immediately.

I you know, to do that for me would have been so wrong.

I mean, with so much going on the distric.

And so, you know, for my contract, United States chose to stay on for at least the next 6 months.

And I'm gonna continue to focus on doing the great work that we've been doing.

At least the next 6 months.

Is there is there an option or an alternative where you end staying longer?

Well, you know, I mean, you know, look, I'm going to continue to do the job that I'm doing and we've seen amazing success.

My team and I were building strong momentum.

>> We have, you know, you many new board members coming on.

>> So so with that again, you know, I I'm realistic about the decision that was made by this.

But at the same time, I can tell you, you know, my my my heart and the energy and the momentum that we're gonna can that we've had.

We're gonna continue to build on that.

>> Is there any circumstance under which the new board that gets sworn in tomorrow could reinstate because they could absolutely correct.

Last week we also spoke with Mayor Brandon Johnson we asked the mayor about the board's decision.

And here's a bit of his answer.

>> I know exactly what parents are wishing for in this moment.

I know the needs of teachers in this moment and the Board of Education is caring about vision to ensure that no matter where you live in the city of Chicago, that you have class sizes that are small, that there are libraries and librarians in every single school social workers, counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, these are the expectations in the hopes of parents.

>> Have you spoken with the mayor since this boat?

>> I have that ban is in fact, we haven't spoken since we last summer when this will whole ordeal started, by the self-inflicted.

Because when you look at what all the work we've done, nobody has invested more in our neighborhood schools then and then myself and my team.

We're seen the greatest success seeing with our black sons were number one in the country and recovery.

I kind coverage for black students.

Number 2 in the country for Latino students.

And we've done it through an equitable lands, very aligned to Iran vision.

But of course, you know, you know, these other issues that have come up around by rain around really, frankly, you know, working with the union and and I and making sure that we're protecting the district in our children in good faith.

I mean, these are the issues that have always been in contention.

>> What what a challenge is.

Can you perceive considering the circumstances that are operating under right now?

You'll have a new board tomorrow, but also, you know, a teachers union that has a not always been your best friend come from in the public eye as well as a mayor that you haven't spoken to since you say last summer in any real amount.

What how difficult your got job going to be for, however, long you're in it now, you know, in some ways, brand probably easier today because I can that I can, you know, just continue operate in good faith.

And I can tell you, I've been so proud of my team and the way they've handled negotiations.

>> By having still me in the role they know that this is the thing that always ask Always act professional.

You always act in good faith and brands were close to today and this before, you know, just contact the last 2 contracts that were negotiated and CPS.

One took 18 months when took 14 months.

We're barely a month 10 of this process with a much more complicated contract with 700 proposals.

Much more complicated finances.

And yet we're on pace to settle this.

And if the fastest rate ever.

And of course, one that took 14 months, last contract, we know what it did result in a teacher strike.

>> Yesterday, Chicago Teachers Union president Stacy Davis Gates, she did join us to discuss the ongoing status of negotiations.

And here's a bit of what she said about prep time and costs.

That's the same thing that our members want to do.

They want to prepare to receive the young people.

So all of what we're talking about is doable because we have the time already in our schedule.

We do not have to marginalize instructional time.

>> We can do this work.

These are not economic.

So she says non So it sounds like, you know, you're only one percent apart really on salary raises for teachers, whether it's, you know, 4 or 5% raise.

Ctu is also though, calling for librarians nurses additional prepped.

I'm fine arts instruction so there is there is a bit of economics in all of that.

But it is all of this on affordable for CPS.

So so, you know, brand is again, more contacts.

>> In this current budget, every school has a minimal because 3 holistic teachers that's that allows every school to have PE the arts and a 3rd choice.

Could the could be a librarian?

It could be a were language teacher.

That's a choice of the school.

So the resources are already in the schools.

It's really both building the pipeline.

proposal for for labor let's build that pipeline so schools can have that choice.

In addition, you know, when you think about planning time of prep time, our teachers received the highest amount of planning time in the country among large urban districts over over 330 minutes per week.

More than an hour per day.

with that, you know, I disagree that it's it's a non-economic.

It's an I'm financial issue because the only way to to expand planning times you to reduce core instruction, which we're just against because our children to be more core instruction.

More really more math, more science and social studies and or to add more staff and so and so the only way to non-financial as you get more staff, but the days that they saw so for But I will say, but we're still, you know, having great conversations about this we're having and every proposal that was provided to as we get inside to thaw for responds and by that we were doing this really understand what the real problem So, for example, you know, teacher evaluations, there was a state, you know, a survey or a study that was done to show that said that the that some of our teachers, that we stay really struggle, especially our highest poverty schools, especially black teachers.

We looked at our own data, our attention rate for black teachers is the exact is the same as our white teachers, 2%.

What we did recognize within less than one percent of our teachers were affected by teacher evaluations.

What we did see, though, is the teachers that work in high poverty areas, which tend to be our black and Latino teachers.

They to struggle more so what we propose, let's provide more support for teachers.

That's not lower the expectations of the standards because what's up and going to say, Brian, is when their children's not agree level just because they live in poverty and and we're saying to the world the way we're gonna, you know, the way we're going we're going to lower the standards for teachers.

Now we provide more support for teachers as well as our students.

Well, and I think see to you, though, might say school should not have to choose between a librarian.

>> And a link.

world language instructor or or some other fine arts teacher that they should have both in the library.

so again, that's the minimum brand.

So our larger schools have a holistic teachers.

so where we believe in this is a philosophical difference.

We believe the local school councils parents, the teachers at the school.

>> With along with their principal make decision.

And so that's really the difference.

But the there at the school.

>> Ctu argues that the district has more than a billion dollars in reserves.

But yesterday during a press conference, you and your team explain the district only has about 66 million dollars in reserves and that for fiscal year 2025, we've got 817 million dollars in debt service payments alone and of course, projected annual deficits approaching a billion dollars as we get closer and closer to the year 2030.

How did we get here?

Because it does sound a bit familiar to about a 10 years ago when the district then had a billion dollar deficit yessah Brandis.

You know, you know, back in 2015, 2016, the district when negative in cash, a billion dollars.

>> And because there are so worried about, you know, vendors not not not providing services us going bankrupt.

>> The change Summit County was that allowed him to cover that up.

And so we're still living with that today.

And so the only was, as we really have is what we have in the back, which is 66 million dollars.

That's what we ended the year with with that.

I also, you know, as we look at our we've been very transparent about deficit.

We have a structural deficit of 500 Million.

And this.

We have never allowed it to get bigger than that.

And even with the cola proposals get a little bit bigger, but not much because we know that there's revenue source has were advocating for more state revenue.

We have tips 19 billion dollars.

The rain now you as a taxpayer.

I that they were paying into that.

But yet we have no access to those revenues in those didn't exist.

600 million dollars a year would become to the district every single year.

And so again, it's a complicated issue.

One that I will work continue to work with the city Council, by the way, this was always the contention with the mayor that, you know, instead of trying to ask district to borrow to do a responsible things.

we look at the existing revenue sources win the seat who use online with this, he was a with that.

Even when running as mayor.

>> Ok, I've got about a minute left civic Federation also says that CPS needs to begin a process of right-sizing.

The district spending, making a long-term financial plan develop plans to advocate for revenue.

It says the state financial takeover is not out of the question.

I'm not really sure that anybody else is talking about that just yet.

But how do you respond to the Civic federations assessment about 35 seconds.

So I think again, if revenues part of the solution ban, as you know, we also need to look at efficiencies in the district.

>> I'm very confident that we can do that together.

I don't believe a takeover is necessary, but I do agree with Superannuation.

It is very vulnerable state.

And this is why it's one point that we operate in good for you with in contract negotiations are managing our budget.

15 seconds.

Your thoughts on to get where the new board being sworn in tomorrow and how working with them will be actor?

I'm actually very excited.

You know, I've met the new board members coming and I see a fresh set of energy and I'm excited to work with them.

Ok?

Pedro Martinez, CPS, CEO, Best of Luck to you.

Thanks for joining us.

Thank you, Up next, efforts to change the city's sanctuary city protections.

With our spotlight politics team.

Stay with us.

>> Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wraps up his testimony in his corruption, racketeering trial.

Meanwhile, CTA President Dorval Carter is on his way out and the fight over a new teachers contract continues with little sign of an agreement in sight, although we'll get to that here with all that and more is our spotlight politics team Amanda Heather, Sharon and Nick Blumberg.

Welcome back game.

So former, let's start with Madigan we'll get to the other stuff.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan wrapping his testimony and that corruption, racketeering trial.

Today he was asked by prosecutors about 2018 comments that he made to co defendant Michael McClain about how he, quote, put a knife into then Senate President John And what was he referring to?

So this was on the heels of man, again, being pretty well set a lead in the court of public opinion by former Republican Governor.

>> Bruce Rauner and Cullerton had innocence piled on top of that, taking advantage of Madigan's, you know, bad name in and ran a campaign ad calling for term limits on leaders like met again.

That again, none too happy with that.

So this evident lead had a meeting with the governor who is elected instead of Rauner.

Of course, that's our current Governor, JB Pritzker and again, was proud to McClain's sort of bragging that he had talked down, Cullerton, stabbed him in the back to Governor Pritzker despite the fact that he also on the stand admit it.

Yeah, were family friends, family to godfather too much on exactly got And so I think that was the objective right the prosecution to say, hey, look what he can do to somebody that is.

>> Not just an ally, but a long time.

Good friend.

He can look the eye and say that's the godfather of my son and still be proud to have stabbed him in the back.

What Megan didn't say there is there's a long stretch between I think Kolr 10 and Matt again had clearly both Biden by after he was made Godfather coated and those his own ranks and became president of the state Senate.

So up clearly politics is rough and tumble.

We all know that.

That's what we talk about here is But it is something that perhaps that the prosecution is really hoping the jury is going to find distasteful, OK?

So also little bit of breaking news this afternoon, standard and poors lowering the city's debt rating citing its quote.

>> Sizable structural budgetary imbalance.

How much of this is surprise and how much of it is a blow to to the Johnson administration.

shouldn't be a surprise to anyone stand.

Importer warned the city that they were going to do this.

If the city did not make structural changes to its budget.

The city council declined to do so.

And this is the result to it.

What's really remains to be seen about how much will it cost the city in terms of, you know, borrowing costs, interest rates, whether they'll be able to sort of borrow the way that they had planned to.

But it's an indication that Chicago's finances are severely out of whack.

I keep saying this and it is, you know, essentially a warning to the city council and mayor, that things need to change significantly and that Chicago's on the wrong track.

Now, it's no doubt a blow to the mayor sort of hope that this would happen.

There's a reason why his press release today described it as a ratings adjustment.

Not a ratings downgrade Yeah, but this a, you know, a a vote of no confidence in the budget.

And, you know, had the city council approved 300 million Dollar property tax hike.

It's likely this wouldn't have happened because, again, that is structural change.

The city's budget.

The city council said no thanks.

And it signals also is, well, a lack of confidence, not just in this current budget, but a lack of faith that Chicago is going to make the hard choices, the easy ones off the table.

>> Property tax or what have you will have to be part of the next budget.

Snp believes and maybe also signaled in their ratings downgrade is what it that they don't necessarily have face at.

Elected officials are going to take those tough steps.

Okay.

>> So let's get back to Chicago.

Public Schools.

Heather, any reaction to what we just heard from senior Martinez?

Well, listening to both him and Stacy Davis, Gates, the president of CTU yesterday.

It's clear that not only do they not agree on sort of how this contract should be settled.

They disagree on sort of the facts at issue and that always makes it really tough to get a deal because, you know, you had I think a very sort of pointed back and forth.

Well, what about the reserve fund?

You know, see to use as well?

There's 100 million dollars there.

learn.

Tina says actually, it's 66 million dollars is very difficult to negotiate a complicated contract like the one that the teachers have with CPS.

When you can't sort of agree on those fundamental facts and until there's sort of a an agreement on sort of what the district is sort of dealing with.

It's not really possible.

Solve the larger issues about teacher prep and sort how much the pay raise is going to be in that sort of So that was pretty noteworthy to hear that, you know, Martinez and the mayor, you know, essentially have not been speaking for months now.

Certainly, you know, the mayor is not.

>> You know, officially one of the leaders of CPS, he's not leader sea, too, but this is someone who can hold it has a great deal of sway over the public school system by design.

So to hear that that relationship, you know, clearly, I think it was pretty clear that it had broken down significantly.

But to just have that in such stark terms at a time when there are huge questions about the district's fiscal future, about the status of CTU negotiations to hear that there isn't really much of a dialogue there at all in about Martinez's own rule, of course, because I remember when he was on the show when we first really got wind that he was that the mayor wanted him ousted something.

Of course, the mayor continually denied at least in public that that was even the case.

>> And at the time, Martinez had said right with schools are opening.

Know, we didn't really talk like we saw other, but we didn't And that's still the case throughout all these questions about, yes, the contract in the future of the schools, but also about Martina.

Some it will in as the mayor is advocating for, you know, having been elected to implement his vision for Chicago public schools.

You think there'd be some conversation with them and that the mayor chose to keep on board to run and operate a Chicago public schools.

So, yes, that that is a good point.

>> Double Carter stepping down from the CTA, Nick, after nearly a decade of leading the CTA on, he's had his share of criticism, obviously as well.

The mayor faced regular calls to fire Dorval Carter.

>> But stood by him.

Why is he leaving now?

It's that.

Yeah, you're absolutely right.

I mean, the calls to fire Dorval Carter.

You know, predated Mayor Johnson's election.

And he said during his own campaign in his inaugural speech that >> there needed to be changes to transit in Chicago that it needed to be safe and reliable that it needed needed an overhaul.

Now, we should note the mayor cannot simply fire the head of the CTA.

The mayor appoints the CTA president, but it takes an action of the board.

Certainly the Mayor Clinton Yes, exactly.

And of course, the mayor can use their Boyd appointees.

They can use the bully pulpit.

They can use public pressure to get the board to act or to get the, you know, the leader of such an agency All that being said, you know, one of the things that Carter said about his own tenure and that folks who, you know, would give him some credit, said was that he was really good at getting federal money for big deal.

Infrastructure projects like the red purple modernization, like some of the work they've done on the blue line like some of the work they've done, you know, on the green light like this big red line extension, that the city is now in line for nearly 2 billion dollars of federal money.

So I think that was sort of, you know, the red line extension really was Carter's crowning achievement and had been his priority for years and years and something that he advocated to the mayor's office for to say this is a huge priority and this is something I can get over the finish line.

And now that that, you know, full funding agreement is in place and it was a natural time for Carter to step down.

So City Council tomorrow, Heather, we've got about 45 seconds left set to vote on an amendment that would weaken the city's protections for undocumented people and allow the Chicago Police Department to work with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agent agents in some circumstances.

What's at stake here?

Well, for nearly 40 years, Chicago has been sanctuary city.

This would essentially returned to the protections back to the level where they were before 2021, when that was expanded to basically eliminate any sort of possibility for police officers to work with ICE agents.

>> Potentially this would put undocumented immigrants who are arrested but not convicted.

A certain range of crimes, drugs, gangs, prostitution at risk of having then be turned over to ice.

It's not clear whether there's a majority of city council votes, but it is going to be a very fraught debate tomorrow as thousands of Chicagoans face the prospect of new mask importation, frightening for them.

I'm sure that is spotlight.

Thanks to Amanda.

Vicki had a Sharon lumber gang.

And that is our show for this Tuesday night.

Stay connected with our reporters, these folks and what they're working on by following us on Instagram at W T Tw Chicago.

>> And join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 efforts to lower the citywide speed limit changes to the aforementioned Chicago sanctuary city protections and more at City Hall.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

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