>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

and Buckle up unified Israel.

Changes facing Chicago public schools as contract negotiations stalled between district and the teachers union Mayor Brandon Johnson joins us one-on-one to talk about the future of Chicago public schools, the new city budget.

>> Much more.

>> But for some of today's top stories, the U.S. Congress has certified President-elect Donald Trump as the winner of the 2024 presidential election without challenge.

>> The votes for president of the United States are as follows Donald J Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes.

Kamala D Harris.

>> Trump's opponent in the race, of course, Vice President Kamala Harris presided over to take today's proceedings in her role as president of the Senate with House Speaker Mike Johnson right behind her.

Lawmakers met under heavy security and a snowstorm in Washington, D.C., to read the electoral results from the states.

That was, of course, 4 years ago today on 1/6/2021, that a mob of Trump supporters attempted to overturn the very same processes.

Congress attempted to certify Joe Biden's election.

Jury members in Michael Madigan's corruption trial are back in court today after a holiday break.

Madigan is charged along to along with his long-time right-hand man, Michael McClain.

The 2 are accused of orchestrating multiple corruption schemes.

Both pleaded not guilty.

The trial began back in October.

In closing arguments could start as early as next week.

Black Chicagoans are nearly 4 times more likely to die in a traffic crash than white residents.

W T Tw News obtained this data from the City of Chicago which might give fuel to the push by some older people to lower the city's default speed limit from 30 to 25 miles per hour.

The data shows that despite making up about 29% of the city's population, black Chicagoans comprised 61% of traffic deaths in 2021. right.

Chicagoans at 33% of the city's population accounted for just 13% of fatalities.

The same data shows people over 70 years old are 1.7 times as likely to die as those ages 20 to 69.

For more on this story, please visit our website.

In Chicago may be facing some slippery conditions right now as temperatures remain below freezing after a day freezing drizzle and some lake effect Snow.

National Weather Service says the chances for that wintry weather decrease for the city through midnight tonight.

But chilly conditions will remain through the workweek with an eye on Friday and Saturday when the next threat for snow blows into the area.

And for more on how the lake effect snow machine works.

Check out our W T Tw News explains series on our website.

Up next, one-on-one with Chicago's mayor right after this.

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

The gym and K maybe family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> 2024 came to a close with a flurry of major headlines.

Chicago Public Schools, CEO Pedro Martinez was fired following a monthslong standoff with the mayor.

Meanwhile, the Chicago teachers union in CPS remain at odds over a new contract in the city budget stalled in the narrowly passed just weeks before a government shutdown.

That did not happen.

Here to talk about all that and more is Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Happy New Year.

Welcome back.

Thanks for joining a happy New Year.

Thanks for having me.

Bring the Friday night before Christmas.

That was when the newly appointed members of the Chicago Board of Education voted to terminate CPS CEO Peter Martinez.

the right move?

>> Well, look, you know, I made it very clear from the very beginning that people, Chicago, trust me to ensure that every single child across the city of Chicago has a high quality education as a parent as a former public school teacher.

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.

These are the expectations and hopes of our educators.

And that's what's most important in this moment.

It sounds then like it is your belief that with the removal of CEO Martinez, that gets you closer >> Meeting out the vision that you have for CPS?

Well, this is not about one individual.

This is about the expansion of democracy and the first mayor, the issue Chicago to actually keep my word and advocating for an elected representative school board.

This is something fought for as an organizer as an educator as a parent as a county commissioner.

And now as mayor, the city of Chicago, the Board of Education, which I have the the incredible responsibility to appoint to make sure that they exemplified the interest of families from the North side to the southeast side, everywhere else in between that ensuring that the city of Chicago has a high quality fully functional operational public neighborhood schools, that that is what's most important.

That's what I was elected to do.

And that's what I'll continue to fight for.

So before the vote, the board heard from many public speakers, some of them who protested firing Martinez.

Here's a bit about.

>> I'm glad to be able to speak briefly tonight.

Despite the most unusual and frankly inappropriate timing.

Call a public meeting per CPS.

Families as an elected official and a parent of CPS students.

I want to express my support for the work of CPS, CEO Pedro Martinez.

>> If you don't long.

>> tell definitely boots on the ground if you really sincere about and being a true servant.

But in if you have to.

And it's a no-no for yourself.

>> Let's be honest.

No amount of rest inhalation can lead to the conclusion.

That you are doing.

The right thing today.

Politics aside, there is still a difference between right and wrong.

You're not just firing a CEO.

You are intentionally clearing away to saddle taxpayers with billions in costs and the district and yourself personally with costly litigation.

>> mayor is expanding democracy.

If this board took the action that it did rather than wait until that newly elected board was in place, which happens just next week.

Yeah, the urgency to transfer our public schools is now look the city of Chicago under my administration is leading the way we've released of the largest amount of TIF dollars surplus back into our school district.

We have called for a real robust moment to ensure that every single child has a high quality education.

This is not about one individual at this was about one individual or somehow they can magically transform the school district that that flies in the face of what true democracy stands for.

I was duly elected as a parent as a public school teacher to fight for the interests of people across the city.

And I'm going to do that.

Here's what here's what we're facing right now.

We're facing an administration that is coming in at the federal level.

President number 47, who's made it very clear that he has disdain towards public education, someone who doesn't believe that the department should exist.

The public schools in the city of Chicago have been underfunded, particularly on the West and south sides of City, Chicago.

We have fired teachers.

We have laid people off first force for lows with the interests of corporations have been put at the behest of families, not under my leadership.

We are leading the way to transform our school district in and I will continue to do that.

mention transformed the school district, transformative education multiple times.

What what does that?

What does that mean specifically?

What would you like to see done what previous leaders like Janice Jackson?

Was she not a a transformative leadership?

What joins a friend is not about one individual.

This is about the sustainable community schools that I fought for as an organizer.

We're going to expand those opportunities.

This is about ensuring that every single child in our school district has libraries and librarians.

This is about creating real security for the people who actually do the job.

Look, I've been in public school teacher.

I know what it's like to teach 7 0th graders and you want what's best for your students.

But you don't have the resources.

I know what it's like to look into the faces of families who want more for their children.

And so we're not going allow anyone's political ambition to determine the outcomes of our children's success.

I was duly elected to fight and to transform this school district.

And that's just what I'm gonna do.

So despite his dismissal, Pedro Martinez will remain in his position for the next 6 per his contract.

Will you encourage your allies on the school board on who has, as we mentioned, will be seated next week, January 15th.

>> To appoint a Co-CEO to work with Really.

This is about the direction of our public schools.

>> This is about a duly elected as well as appointed school board that will carry out my vision to transform our school districts.

The city of Chicago is leading the way as we expand sustainable community schools where families will have the ability to control the outcomes of their children's success.

This is not about one individual course not about the 300 and you would think $5 least someone to do this job along with him.

Well, in meantime, we the least we have a school board, right?

It is their responsibility to make sure that they are carrying out my vision.

And that's what I fully expect that school board to do.

All Chicago teachers union and the district have so far failed to reach a new contract agreement.

Ctu President Stacy Davis, Gates says that negotiations over that progress is being stalled.

>> Because Pedro Martinez went to court to get that order to ensure that he has the authority to run those negotiations, not the board members.

What do you see what's holding up the deal?

>> look, here's what's important that this contract has an opportunity to speak to the values.

The people want to see carried out in our school districts.

We are fighting to ensure that we have smaller class sizes.

That's something that as a parent and as a teacher that we all agree upon.

We're fighting to ensure that there are social workers and counselors and all of our schools.

That's something that parents and teachers agree upon.

We're fighting to ensure that we have a well-rounded curriculum that gives young people the opportunity to study for languages, extracurricular activities.

So that students after school could participate and sports activities.

We have schools right now in the city of Chicago where their students do not have a bus to get them to their activity.

Transportation, bilingual education, special education.

These are the demands that parents have across the city.

And so I'm going to work hard to ensure that those demands are realized got to pay for those demands.

Yes, are we going to do that?

It's worth investment.

Great.

You have the bigger everything.

Brand is Figure you really have to do is because listen.

>> For too long, we've tried to nickel and dime our education system.

Right?

And that didn't work when when when previous administration is close schools because they said that that was going to be a financial decision that allow for better equity in our school district.

Turns out that that was wrong when they took raises for teachers when they privatized our schools.

They said that that was gonna X and fix financial woes.

None of it has worked.

That's why I fought hard for evidence-based funding where schools can be funded based upon needs and not on a per people bases that has never happened.

I fought to ensure that that became a reality because as a parent, I want what I want for my children.

I want for every single child across the city and I will stop at nothing when it comes to ensure that every single child black brown, white, Asian, north side, West side, Southeast side.

Wherever you are in this school district, you deserve a high-quality education and the city of Chicago.

We are leading the way by creating more opportunities for everyone to have a high quality makes a lot of your proposals mirror.

Those of the Chicago teachers union.

What do you say to folks who see you as a proxy for the CTU?

>> So I talk to parents every single day.

There's not a parent that will ever say that they do want their child in a small class size that is apparent demand.

When you talk to parents, they want their children to have a well-rounded education.

Art and music sports recreation for language that all of these amenities and all of these opportunities can be made available.

And every single school that is the hope and dreams and aspirations of pans across the city.

Look, let's keep this in mind.

There's been a fight over our public schools in this city for decades.

There's always been a political battle from Willis wagons to the largest school closings in the history of Chicago.

>> I have not called for layoffs for full furloughs for school closings.

I am standing up for the interests of families who want their schools to be fully resourced and fully staffed.

And that's what we're going to get in this moment.

So pivoting to crime.

According to Chicago Police Department homicides fell 7.6% shooting incidents dropping 7% in shooting victims.

>> Down by 4%.

Of course he touted those decreases, but murders were down 11.5% in New York in 10.2% in La.

Why a Chicago underperforming in fighting violent crime when compared to fellow big cities?

Well, we're heading the right direction.

When I got elected, this is still the number one issue.

>> And you someone who's raising a family on the West side of Chicago in Austin.

You know, I know the perils of what families endure when communities are historically this, invest it And we're very proud the fact that we are moving the right direction that since I've been in office, we've seen a decline in every single major category from homicides, shootings, shooting victims, robberies, vehicular a carjacking.

We are heading the right direction.

And that is in part because of the investments that we're making.

Youth unemployment is up.

Investments are up.

We've expanded our cares program.

So now we have individuals who are professionally trained to respond to mental health crisis that gives law enforcement the opportunity to show up in other areas of need.

And so as we continue to make these critical of critical investments, it is going to take the full force of government to continue to drive these numbers in the right direction.

Now, the good news is that we are heading the right direction, more work to be done were not satisfied.

That's why we hired 200 detectives so that we can actually solve crime.

Read a 56.

58% clears clearance rate.

This is something that is top of mind and I'm going to work hard every single day to ensure that no matter where you live in this city that you can experience vibrancy and safety.

>> A federal judge presiding over the consent decree which, of course, requires CPD to change the way it trains supervises disciplines.

Police officers has no twice warned the city, though, that it needs to pick up the pace as it works to comply with the requirements of the consent decree.

But before Christmas, you called the nearly six-year-old consent decree cumbersome, will your administration heed the federal judge's warning and take a new approach to police reform in 2025?

Well, we are certainly had in the right direction when it comes to training.

>> You know, our officers are getting specialized training that's needed in order to repair and to build relationships within the community.

Our supervision continues to get stronger.

Our workforce continues to get stronger by hiring more detectives so that we can move quicker and particularly clearing the clearing of of cases better stronger technology, particularly with 3 helicopters now added, is there more work to be done?

Of course, Wright has this been an arduous cumbersome process?

Absolutely.

Are we moving with the expediency to ensure that we are meeting the expectations and and the demands that have been laid out in this consent decree.

Absolutely.

Do believe that you're moving, though, as Expedia at Lee, as you could be.

I think at last check, the department was only 9% fully compliant.

>> With the paragraphs of the consent decree, what could you do?

What can your department due to to hasten that process?

It's been 6 years.

Well, you know, look, 19 months for me, right?

So yes, this process is cumbersome.

But as you can see within the last 18 months, 19 months of my administration.

>> You've seen the gradual growth because I had ensured that our police department is paying special attention, particularly to training.

This is where we can pick up, you of the pace where we are expanding leadership opportunities so that we have a stronger supervision.

But again, making sure that we have more detective so that we actually clearing cases that 3 helicopters that, of course, that we have now adding additional technology.

But really what it's going to come down to is our rank and file police officers restoring and building community relationships.

That's really what this is all about.

You know, we wouldn't be under this consent decree of previous administrations did the work to keep communities from actually building trust with law enforcement.

I'm very grateful that my super intended that I appointed superintendent let Larry Snelling.

He's very comfortable and confident, but restoring trust within our communities to ensure that this consent decree is not just something that we comply to.

We actually transform our police district and our police department.

And that's what we're doing.

>> Pivoting to the city budget which narrowly passing a 27 to 23 vote last month.

Just 18 days before the deadline city's finances, though, remain imbalanced.

you made it clear that state lawmakers need to step in and allow the city generate new revenue from progressive sources.

What exactly do you watch the General Assembly and of course, Governor Pritzker to do to allow you to do that?

>> Well, first of all, let's talk about what's in this budget, right?

29,000 young people have opportunities for summer jobs.

That's 8.14, to 24.

Some of these young people are heads of households, particularly those who over the age of 18.

That is the largest number of opportunities for employment that has been provided for paid opportunities for young people.

Again, we expanded our care program right?

Crisis assistance response, engagement.

This is critical in our budget right?

Expanding behavioral and mental health support services.

We're also building more affordable homes and creating pathways to homeownership.

That's a down payment assistance there for people.

We providing more resources for flood victims and of course, community safe and 100 million dollars more for community safety.

This is important.

He's far as what the state can do.

Listen, we all shared the same values throughout the state of Illinois around making sure that working people have opportunities for good paying jobs.

And so there's not a secret that whether it's a 3.1 billion dollar budget deficit that the state will be challenged and faced with more than 1 billion dollar deficit that the city of Chicago had to overcome.

All of us are committed as a party to ensure that there are progressive revenue streams that allow for the critical investments that we need.

To actually manifest.

And so we're going to continue to work with the General Assembly to in to ensure that our public education system is funded.

So here are some of the things that we are calling on the state to help support, not just Chicago, but the entire state of Illinois.

We need more support for 4 for special education.

That's not a secret.

Everybody knows that we need more support for bilingual education.

20,000 more students from the Central and South America are now in our school district.

We're going to be better transportation within our school district, right?

You have parents who are trying to get from one into the city to the other end of the city because services are not available in their local communities.

Side from schools.

You've well transportation.

I got out.

The case going not just education, but transportation.

Look, we are working collaboratively and we are in constant conversations with the state of Illinois, with the governor's team, with the leadership in Springfield around how we can better fund our transportation system.

Are we moving in the right direction?

Absolutely.

Has the state stepped up to fund these critical services to the best of their strength and their ability?

Of course they have.

But no one is going to make the argument that we have done enough.

No one is.

And so he did those that those are just 2 components that we are that we are pushing for.

But this also, you know, lot of people who recognize that, you know, whether it's child care, whether its support for for home ownership.

These are opportunities as the city of Chicago continues to lead the way, particularly when it comes to building more affordable homes.

We Bill, 3700 within the first 18 months have been in office.

And so as the city of Chicago continues lead the way of these critical investments.

We are grateful that we have strong progressive leadership in Springfield that understands the value of what a strong Chicago economy economy means for the entirety of Illinois.

I want to come back to that.

27 to 23 vote in the council to pass the budget.

Many older people were left still with the outcome.

Let's hear from 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly.

>> The way that the administration, your administration, Mr. President.

Has achieve these savings.

Is through reconfiguring your savings projections.

And recalculating revenue projections.

Using deferred payments to push off obligations due to that.

And those gimmicks that blend of gimmicks.

Guarantees us.

The need for a massive property tax increase next year.

And it's not going to be 68 and half million dollars.

Folks.

Just watch.

It's going to be big.

It.

>> So next budget season starts right after you finish this budget season.

How will you approach this process differently next year?

What we're going to continue to grow on this process?

Look, my administration has led the way and the most expensive collaborative approach that the city has ever experience right.

We had several others who are part of the early process as budget.

Here's to provide feedback.

We had community meetings all over the city of Chicago receiving impact as well as the hopes and aspirations of everyday people.

But look, here's what it comes down to the city of Chicago has led the when it comes to investments in affordable housing when it comes transforming our community safety approach, the largest number of youth employment in the history of Chicago in terms of pay positions.

We continue to grow our economy.

Look, 20 billion dollars of new investments in the city of Chicago.

Side quantum on the southeast side of Chicago.

We fought for that.

The 9 know what you're watching.

This is what side of Chicago, billions of dollars in new investment in the city of Chicago, some of the same alders who are making these critiques with the same.

All those that voted not to pay the pension.

We've actually provide structural shifts to our budget to ensure that we are meeting our obligations.

I think it's quite frankly, disingenuous for people to stand up and criticizes process while they voted to sell off the parking meters, why they voted to sell off the Skyway.

They came with no ideas, no solutions.

And then now, of course, they have a critique about this administration to my administration as we lead the way.

Look, I'll see this like this.

It is tough for people to accept that I'm leading the way to transform our economy.

And I'm going to continue to work with every single holder to ensure that seat.

The city of Chicago continues to lead the way and health care and jobs.

And when it comes to affordable homes when it comes to community safety, also in cannabis because lawmakers in Springfield are commit.

We've got a minute left.

want to get to this considering legislation to regulate.

>> The sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products on many parts of which you in the governor had not seen eye to eye on.

>> Why are you to not on the same page?

we do agree that there needs to be more regulation around him were very clear about that.

>> What we want to make sure that we're at the table where we can have a real substantive conversation around taxation.

Look, home rule authority is something that every single municipality around this state wants to add here to write because we have to be able to generate revenue from from products, right?

That are legal.

Of course, we want to make sure that we regulate every single industry as father, as someone who taught public schools, of course, want to make sure that we have products that are safe.

But we also have to be at the table so that we can have a real robust collaborative response to this particular issue.

30 seconds, mayor today, Congress certified the election of President Donald J Trump.

What do you say to Chicagoans who are worried about mass deportations are facing federal funding?

>> find in between the governor, myself board, President Preckwinkle and all of the stakeholders were going to work hard to protect working people in this city and look, the city of Chicago are to a great start in 2025.

The Bears are undefeated in 2025.

So I'm very optimistic and hopeful that we can build a better, stronger, safer, society.

And as Chicago continues to lead the way we're going to work with all of our partners to ensure that the people Chicago are protected and fully support.

Next time we'll talk more about the Bears.

Mayor Brandon Johnson, thank you so much for joining us.

You're welcome.

Thank you for having me.

>> And that is our show for this Monday night.

Be sure to stay connected.

But that's by signing up for our free email newsletter, the Daily Chicago and at W T Tw Dot Com Slash newsletter and join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 now for all of us here in Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert, a cliff and Clifford law offices, Chicago, personal injury and wrongful death.

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