[♪♪♪] >> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO "CHICAGO TONIGHT."

I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

PARIS SCHUTZ WILL JOIN US LATER IN THE PROGRAM.

>> ON THE SHOW TONIGHT... WTTW NEWS FINDS THAT DEVELOPERS DONATING TENS OF THOUSANDS TO THE MAYORAL CAMPAIGN OF AURORA MAYOR RICHARD IRVIN GOT TENS OF MILLIONS IN CITY CONTRACTS.

>> FIREFIGHTER AND A TEACHER PAY MORE THAN DOUBLE, DOUBLE THE TAX RATE THAT A BILLIONAIRE PAYS.

>> PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S BUDGET TARGETS HIGHER TAXES FOR THE WEALTHY.

AND WHAT AN INCREASE IN INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS COULD MEAN FOR CHICAGO'S TRAVEL ECONOMY.

BUT FIRST, SOME OF TODAY'S TOP STORIES... >> STEP ASIDE WILLIE WILLSON, THE CITY IS ROLLING OUT ITS OWN GIVEAWAYS TO HELP TRAVELERS AMID HIGH GAS PRICES.

>> I KNOW FROM TALKING TO MANY RESIDENTS, THAT THEY ARE FEELING THE STRAIN THERE IS NO IF'S AND'S OR BUT'S ABOUT IT.

AND MANY ARE UNABLE TO FILL THEIR TANK BECAUSE THEIR DOLLARS DO NOT STRETCH THAT FAR.

SO MY ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN WORKING THROUGH A VARIETY OF OPTIONS TO SEE HOW WE CAN PROVIDE THE GREATEST RELIEF TO AS MANY RESIDENTS AS WE CAN.

>> THE INITIATIVE IS CALLED CHICAGO MOVES AND WILL DISTRIBUTE $12.5 MILLION IN PREPAID GAS CARDS WORTH $150 EACH AND TRANSIT PASSES $50 APIECE.

RESIDENTS 18 AND UP WITH A HOUSEHOLD INCOME AT OR BELOW 140% OF CHICAGO'S MEDIAN INCOME AND A VALID CITY VEHICLE STICKER CAN APPLY.

>> MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT SELECTS THE CITY'S NEXT INSPECTOR GENERAL.

LIGHTFOOT NAMES DEBORAH WITZBURG, THE FORMER DEPUTY IG FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AS THE CITY'S TOP WATCHDOG.

A ROLE TASKED WITH INVESTIGATING, AUDITING AND REVIEWING CHICAGO GOVERNMENT.

WITZBURG HAD BEEN SECOND IN COMMAND SINCE 2019 UNDER JOSEPH FERGUSON WHO STEPPED DOWN AS IG FIVE-AND-A-HALF MONTHS AGO.

WITZBURG'S APPOINTMENT IS STILL IN NEED OF CITY COUNCIL APPROVAL.

>> A STATE OWNED BUILDING INSPIRING AWE AND IRE HAS BEEN SOLD.

GOVERNOR J.B. PRITZKER ANNOUNCES ILLINOIS SIGNED A $70 MILLION SALES AGREEMENT WITH DEVELOPER PRIME GROUP TO SELL THE THOMPSON CENTER.

THE BUILDING WILL BE PRESERVED AS A MIXED-USE BUILDING FEATURING OFFICE, RETAIL AND HOTEL SPACE WHILE ILLINOIS RETAINS 30% OWNERSHIP.

THE POST MODERN BUILDING DESIGNED BY HELMET JAN IN THE MID-1980s IS THE SOURCE OF FRUSTRATION FROM OFFICE WORKERS WHO DECRY THE DILAPIDATED CONDITION AND INEFFICIENT HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM AMONG OTHER COMPLAINTS.

>> STARTING TOMORROW BEWARE WHERE YOU PARK YOUR CAR.

THE STREET SWEEPING SEASON IS BEGINNING.

FROM APRIL UNTIL MID-NOVEMBER OR LATER STREETS AND SANNIZATION TRUCKS WILL BE CLEARING DEBRIS ACCUMULATED DURING THE WINTER.

CHECK FOR BRIGHT ORANGE SIGNS WHERE SWEEP SOMETHING PLANNED.

THE SIGNS ARE POSTED TWO DAYS PRIOR TO SCHEDULED SWEEPS.

>> UP NEXT, NEW DETAILS ON A WTTW NEWS INVESTIGATION INVOLVING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR RICHARD IRVIN.

STAY WITH US.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> NEW REVELATIONS TONIGHT ABOUT REPUBLICAN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE RICHARD IRVIN.

MONDAY WTTW NEWS REPORTED ON A COMPANY THAT DONATED BIG TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS CONNECTED TO THE AURORA MAYOR AND GOT CITY CONTRACTS AND LEGISLATION.

IRVIN IS BACKED TO THE TUNE OF $20 MILLION BY THE STATE'S WEALTHIEST RESIDENT, KEN GRIFFIN.

NOW A WTTW EXAMINATION OF FURTHER CAMPAIGN FILINGS AND CITY CONTRACTS SHOWS DEVELOPERS THAT DONATED TENS OF THOUSANDS TO CAMPAIGN FUNDS CONNECTED TO IRVIN AND HIS FORMER LAW PARTNER STAND TO RECEIVE TENS OF MILLIONS FROM AURORA TAXPAYERS.

NICK BLUMBERG AND PARIS SCHUTZ JOIN US FOR THE LATEST IN THIS INVESTIGATION.

>> PARIS LET'S START WITH YOU?

>> GRIFFIN STATED HE BELIEVES IRVIN IS THE CANDIDATE TO CLEAN UP WASTE AND CORRUPTION IN SPRINGFIELD.

BUT WTTW'S REVIEWED CAMPAIGN FILINGS AND AURORA CITY RECORDS AND FOUND TWO DEVELOPMENT COMPANIES THAT DONATED $100,000 IN TWO FUNDS CONNECTED TO IRVIN AND HIS FORMER PRIVATE PRACTICE LAW FIRM PARTNER BRITTANY PEDERSEN TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSALLING $30 MILLION IN THE FORM OF INCENTIVES AND BENEFITS.

BRITTANY PEDERSEN IS RUNNING FOR A DEMOCRAT FOR KANE COUNTY JUDGE THIS FOLLOWS OUR REPORTING ON MONDAY ABOUT A SCIENTEL SOLUTIONS THAT THROUGH THE COMPANY AND EMPLOYEES DONATED $135 TO FUNDS CONNECTED TO IRVIN AND PEDERSEN AND $1 MILLION CONTRACTS FROM THE CITY AND LEGISLATION BACKED BY IRVIN THAT ALLOWED THEM TO BUILD A LUCRATIVE COMMUNICATIONS TOWER.

>> AND YOU FOUND A FIRM THAT DONATED HEAVILY AND RECEIVED INCENTIVES FROM THE CITY?

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

REDEVELOPING AURORA'S DOWNTOWN HAS BEEN A PRIORITY FOR CITY LEADERS N2019 THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A DEAL WITH JH REAL ESTATE PARTNERS TO REDEVELOP THE HOBBS VACANT LONG VA KANTD AND IN DISREPAIR.

IT CALLED FOR A $13 MILLION OVERHAUL OF THE HOBBS AND TWO BUILDINGS NEXT DOOR THAT JH OWNED TO CREATE APARTMENTS AND COMMERCIAL SPACE.

JH GOT THE HOBBS BUILDING FOR FREE, A $300,000 ASSESS MANY AND GOT A 1.5 MILLION GRANT AND BRIDGE LOAN FROM THE CITY.

AND THE CITY CREATED A TIF DISTRICT THAT COVERS THE THREE BUILDINGS AND JH ASSISTANTS TO -- STANDS TO GET 80% OF THE TAX REVENUE TO PAY FOR REDEVELOPMENT COSTS.

SINCE 2019 THE YEAR THE DEAL WAS APPROVED, JH AND OTHER COMPANIES DONATED $10,000 TO IRVIN'S MAYORAL CAMPAIGN FUND.

MORE THAN $16,000 TO BRITTANY PEDERSEN'S JUDICIAL CAMPAIGN FUND AND $48,000 TO THE BUILD OUR FUTURE PAC CONTROLLED BY IRVIN'S MAYORAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER.

IN AN E-MAIL JH'S OWNERS TOLD US THE DONATIONS WERE BECAUSE THEY SUPPORTED IRVIN'S VISION FOR AURORA.

IRVIN HAS BEEN SUPPORTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN IN AURORA AND THE CRIME RATE DWINDLED.

>> AND PACIFICA SQUARE TELL US ABOUT THAT ONE.

>> PACIFICA SQUARE IS A 360,000 SQUARE-FOOT ASH VAN THEMED MALL AND SHOPPING CENTER DEVELOPED BY WINDFALL PROPERTIES.

THE PROJECT STANDS TO RECEIVE NORTH OF $17 MILLION IN TAX INCENTIVES.

THIS DEVELOPER ALSO WON A CONTRACT TO DEVELOP PRIME RIVERFRONT PROPERTY NEAR DOWNTOWN AURORA WITH A TOTAL OF $9 MILLION IN PUBLIC INCENTIVES THE CITY VOTED TO DONATE THE LAND FOR FREE.

AND THEN ANOTHER 7 MILLION IN FORGIVABLE LOANS AND CASH TO GET THE PROJECT STARTED.

CAMPAIGN FILINGS SHOW THAT PACIFICA, PACIFIC SQUARE WITH THE SAME OWNERS AND TWO PRINCIPLES DONATED $25,000 TO IRVIN'S CAMPAIGN FUND.

NOW, WINDFALL OWNER EDDIE NI SEEN IN A VIDEO SURPRISING IRVIN WITH A BIRTHDAY CAKE ON HIS BIRTHDAY IN 2018.

HE IS A FAMILIAR NAME.

HE IS THE DEVELOPER THAT IN CONVERSATIONS RECORDED BY DANNY SOLIS, AGREED TO HIRE MICHAEL MADIGAN'S LAW FIRM TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP STATE-OWNED LAND IN CHINATOWN.

NI WANTED TO BUILD ON STATE OWNED LAND IN CHINATOWN.

PART OF MADIGAN'S SPRAWLING FEDERAL CORRUPTION CASE.

NI TOLD US QUOTE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT INCENTIVES NOBODY WOULD DO BUSINESS HERE.

IRVIN AND PEDERSEN AND A SPOKESPERSON DECLINED TO RETURN OUR CALLS.

>> NICK, IS IT UNUSUAL FOR A POLITICAL LEADER TO ACCEPT CAMPAIGN MONEY FROM FOLKS THAT GET THIS KIND OF BUSINESS WITH THE CITY?

>> WELL, IN ILLINOIS, NO.

AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT NO ONE INVOLVED IN THE STORY HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF WRONGDOING BUT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM SAYS ILLINOIS' LAWS ARE WEAK AND IT LEADS TO CANDIDATES WHO ARE NOT INDEPENDENTLY WEALTHY ACCEPTING THE LARGE DONATIONS.

CAPLAN WHEN COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS WITH THE MUNICIPALITY DONATE BIG TO LOCAL POLITICIANS THAT CAN ERODE CONSTITUENTS' TRUST.

LIMITS ON HOW MUCH COMPANIES WHO WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE CITY CAN DONATE TO POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS CAN HELP ADDRESS THE ISSUE.

AND SHE POINTED OUT IN 22 STATES AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL COMPANIES CANNOT GIVE DIRECTLY TO CAMPAIGNS OR TO CANDIDATES.

BUT THAT IN ILLINOIS IT'S LEGAL.

IN A STATEMENT, THE IRVIN CAMPAIGN SAYS UNDER MAYOR IRVIN'S TENURE AURORA HAS SEEN MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAN AT ANY TIME IN THE CITY'S HISTORY AND THE PROVEN TRACK RECORD OF REVITALIZING AURORA IS IN CONTRAST TO J.B. PRITZKER WHO HAS GRIFFIN FAMILIES AND BUSINESSES OUT OF ILLINOIS WITH THE HIGH TAX, PRO CRIMINAL AGENDA.

>> GOOD REPORTING FROM NICK BLUMBERG AND PARIS SCHUTZ THANK YOU TO YOU BOTH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> UP NEXT, TWO LOCAL ECONOMISTS WEIGH-IN ON PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BUDGET PROPOSAL.

BUT FIRST, A LOOK AT THE WEATHER.

STAY WITH US.

>> PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S PROPOSED $5.8 TRILLION BUDGET AIMS TO PROVIDE MORE MONEY FOR POLICE, EDUCATION, PUBLIC HEALTH AND HOUSING WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LOWERING THE FEDERAL DEFICIT.

IN ORDER TO HELP MAKE THE NUMBERS ADD UP HE INTENDS TO RAISE TAXES ON PEOPLE EARNING MORE THAN $400,000 A YEAR.

AND PROPOSING A MINIMUM 20% INCOME TAX FOR HOUSEHOLDS WORTH MORE THAN 100 MILLION.

>> FOR MOST AMERICANS, LAST FEW YEARS WERE VERY HARD.

STRETCHING THEM TO THE BREAKING POINT.

BUT BILLIONAIRES AND LARGE CORPORATIONS GOT RICHER THAN EVER.

RIGHT NOW BILLIONAIRES PAY AN AVERAGE RATE OF 8% ON THEIR TOTAL INCOME.

8% THAT IS THE AVERAGE THEY PAY.

NOW, I AM A CAPITALIST BUT IF YOU MAKE A BILLION BUCKS GREAT.

JUST PAY YOUR FAIR SHARE.

>> EDWARD STUART PROFESSOR EMERITUS OF ECONOMICS AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND MICHAEL MILLER PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT DePAUL.

>> WE HAVE INFLATION AT A 40-YEAR EYE.

WE ARE BARELY EMERGING FROM THE PANDEMIC AND THAT IS HOPEFULLY THIS MAJOR WAR IN EUROPE.

HOW WOULD YOU ASSESS THE STATE OF THE U.S. ECONOMY RIGHT NOW AND THE CHALLENGES IT FACES?

>> WELL, THAT IS EXACTLY IT IS A GOOD-BAD THING.

TWO BAD THINGS ARE WE HAVE INFLATION AND THAT IS NOT JUST SOME INFLATION IT IS A LOT.

BUT I'M HOPING IT'S TEMPORARY.

IT WILL BE DOWN DRAMATICALLY BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

AND OF COURSE WEIGHED HEAVILY ON CONSUMER CONFIDENCE.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LABOR MARKET IT IS AS GOOD AS WE HAVE EVER HAD.

AND GDP IS GROWING NEAR THE POTENTIAL WHICH MEANS IT CAN CONTINUE TO GROW FOR A LONGTIME WITHOUT CREATING ADDITIONAL INFLATIONARY PRESSURES.

I THINK THE ECONOMY IS IN GOOD SHAPE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT PRICE PROBLEM.

>> EDWARD STUART WE HEARD PRESIDENT BIDEN'S RATIONALE FOR WANTING TO RAISE TAXES AND THOSE EARNING MORE THAN $400,000 AND HOUSEHOLDS EARNING MORE THAN $100 MILLION.

HOW MUCH ADDITIONAL REVENUE COULD THAT RAISE?

AND IS IT ENOUGH TO BALANCE THE BOOKS?

>> PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH TO BALANCE THE BOOKS.

BUT ENOUGH TO MAKE A SIZABLE DENT.

I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN'S BUDGET FORECASTS REDUCING THE DEFICIT TO -- FROM 5% OF GDP TO 3% OF GDP AND THAT IS A GOOD STEP IN ONE YEAR.

IT'S NOT GOING TO COVER THE ENTIRE DEFICIT BUT YOU DON'T WANT TO CLOSE THE DEFICIT TOO FAST BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A GROWING ECONOMY.

WE HAVE A HEALTHY LABOR MARKET.

AND WE DON'T WANT TO CHOKE OFF THIS ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

WE'RE STILL BELOW IN TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT ESPECIALLY WE'RE STILL BELOW WHERE WE WERE IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC.

WE HAVE LESS JOBS THAN WE HAVE THEN AND MORE OF A POPULATION.

SO WE NEED TO STILL EXPAND EMPLOYMENT SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE COMING YEARS.

>> THE SUPER WEALTHY UNDER THE PRESIDENT'S PROPOSAL WOULD PAY 20% ON THEIR INCOME.

THE CORPORATE TAX RATE WOULD RISE TO 28%.

THE TOP INDIVIDUAL TAX RATE WOULD GO UP TO UNDER 40%.

MICHAEL MILLER, AS AN ECONOMIST WHAT DOES ADJUSTING THE TAX SYSTEM IN THAT WAY WHAT DOES IT DO TO THE ECONOMY?

>> YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IT IF YOU LOOK PURELY THROUGH THE LENS OF A TAX DOES IT HAVE A STIMULATIVE OR CONTRACTION AREA EFFECT.

IT HAS A CONTRACTIONRY WORK FOR ADVISERS CONCLUDED THAT.

HOWEVER THE POINT OF THE TAX INCREASE IS TO FUND Mr. BIDEN'S SPENDING PROGRAM.

HE DID PROMISE THIS WHEN HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

AND THE ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES AND HE IS DELIVERING ON WHAT IT IS HE PROMISED HE WOULD BRING.

I WOULD BE HAPPY THAT IN FACT IF HE IS GOING TO SPEND MORE HE IS NOT GOING TO PRINT THE MONEY TO DO SO HE IS GOING TO RAISE THE TAXES NECESSARY TO PAY FOR IT.

AND IF YOU ARE EVER GOING TO RAISE TAXES YOU DO SO WHEN AN ECONOMY IS DOING WELL NOT IN TROUBLE.

>> THE BUDGET IS SAID TO ASSUME THE INFLATION WILL RETURN TO NORMAL FROM 40-YEAR HIGHS.

EDWARD STUART, I THINK EVERYBODY CRIES WHEN WE GO TO GET GAS.

IS IT A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION?

>> IT IS A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS TO BE CLEAR IS THAT THIS INFLATION THAT'S BEING DRIVEN BY SUPPLY SIDE ISSUES LIKE ENERGY PRICES, IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM.

YOU HEAR A LOT OF COMMENTARY PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS PRESIDED OVER THE INCREASE IN ENERGY COSTS OR INCREASE OF INFLATION.

EVERYWHERE HAS INFLATION.

I WAS TALKING TO THE PRODUCERS BEFORE THIS, I CAME BACK FROM PORTUGAL THIS MONTH.

PEOPLE IN PORTUGAL ARE PAYING $9 A GALLON FOR GASOLINE.

AUSTRIA AND GERMANY ANNOUNCED TODAY THEY MAY BE INSTITUTING A NATIONAL PROGRAM OF RATIONING FOR NATURAL GAS.

SO YES, IT IS A WORLDWIDE PROBLEM.

EVENTUALLY, ENERGY PRICES WILL STABILIZE AND PROBABLY COME DOWN.

BUT IT MAY BE SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR BEFORE THAT HAPPENS.

I'M STILL WORRIED THAT THE FED IS GOING TO BE TIGHTENING TOO MUCH AND WILL CHOKE OFF DEMAND AND DEMAND IS NOT THE MAIN REASON WHY PRICES ARE GOING UP.

WE HAVE TO END THE WAR IN UKRAINE.

WE HAVE TO GET BETTER ENERGY EFFICIENCY WHICH THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS IN THE BUDGET OF PRESIDENT BIDEN THAT IS ONE OF THE KEY SPENDING COMPONENTS IS TO INCREASE ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND TO INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH WILL HAVE LONG-TERM PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS FOR THE ECONOMY AND BRING DOWN THE LONG-TERM INFLATION RATE.

SHORT-TERM INFLATION I AM AFRAID I DON'T HAVE GOOD NEWS.

AND IT'S EVERYWHERE.

IT'S NOT JUST IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> THE DEFICIT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 WOULD BE 1.15 TRILLION.

THE NATIONAL DEBT SURPASSED 30 TRILLION.

IT'S HARD FOR US TO GET AROUND NUMBERS THAT LARGE.

MICHAEL MILLER PRESUMABLY THE U.S.

CANNOT RUN DEFICITS LIKE THIS FOREVER?

>> BASED UPON THE FORECAST I SAW IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET, THERE ARE GOING TO BE DEFICITS OF OVER A TRILLION FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

BUT UNDERSTAND AS WELL THAT THE ECONOMY IS GROWING.

IN NOMINAL TERMS IF YOU COMPARE THE DEFICIT TO THE SIZE OF THE ECONOMY IT IS NOT CHANGING DRAMATICALLY.

IT'S 4.5% OF THE GDP WILL BE IN THE FORM OF THE DEFICIT.

WE SEE THAT THE ACCORDING TO THE PROJECTION FROM THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF, THE NATIONAL DEBT WILL RISE TO JUST UNDER $40 TRILLION.

NOW, THAT WILL BE A LITTLE BIT HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF GDP THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW BUT NOT DRAMATICALLY HIGHER.

IN SOME SENSE THE PEOPLE I'M NOT -- I PREFER A SMALLER GOVERNMENT WITH ENUMERATED POWERS.

I WILL HAVE IT LARGE THEN DOING IT SUCH THAT YOU PAY FOR IT NOW MAKES SENSE.

>> THANKS TO MICHAEL MILLER AND EDWARD STUART FOR JOINING US.

>> MY PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU, BRANDIS.

>> YOU GOT IT.

>> UP NEXT, INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TAKES OFF AT O'HARE.

WHAT IT COULD MEAN FOR THE CITY'S TRAVEL ECONOMY.

STAY WITH US.

>> FAST ESPECIALLY YOUR SEATBELTS INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL IS TAKING OFF AT O'HARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

SO MUCH SO THAT U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION IS PREDICTING THE AIRPORT MAY EXCEED PREPANDEMIC PASSENGER LEVELS.

JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS LAFONDA SUTTON-BURKE, DIRECTOR OF FIELD OPERATIONS FOR THE CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE OF U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.

DIRECTOR THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

FIRST, AS THE DIRECTOR FOR THE CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR ROLE AT O'HARE?

>> I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CHICAGO AREA PORTS THAT IS MANAGED BY THE AREA PORT DIRECTOR SHANE CAMPBELL.

I'M ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THREE OTHER AREAS WITHIN THE CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE.

THE AREA PORT OF ST. LOUIS, THE AREA PORT OF MINNEAPOLIS AND THE AREA PORT OF [INAUDIBLE] >> I WOULD IMAGINE BECAUSE OF CHICAGO'S POSITION A LOT -- IT IS A BIG AREA TO BE IN CHARGE OF?

>> YES, IT IS.

IT'S IN THE TOP 10 IN THE UNITED STATES.

>> SO SINCE OCTOBER, YOUR OFFICE HAS PROCESSED MORE THAN 1.73 MILLION INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS THROUGH O'HARE.

YOU ARE EXPECTING TO GET UP TO PREPANDEMIC OR EXCEED PREPANDEMIC NUMBERS OF SIX MILLION PASSENGERS IN 2019.

TO WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THIS VOLUME IN TRAVELERS?

>> I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THE COVID RESTRICTIONS ARE LIFTING.

THE MASK REQUIREMENTS ARE LIFTING.

WE HAVE A LOW RATE OF INFECTIONS THAT ARE OCCURRING.

SO MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BECOMING MORE CONFIDENT AND COMFORTABLE IN TRAVELING.

>> DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERN?

BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS NEW OMICRON SUBVARIANT, ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT MIGHT HAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL NUMBERS?

>> WELL, AS WE STATED WE ARE AT ABOUT 1.73 MILLION OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR WE WERE AT 700,000 PASSENGERS THE SAME TIME-FRAME.

WHICH TODAY WE ARE 148% INCREASE.

THE ENTIRE FISCAL YEAR FOR FY OR FISCAL YEAR 21 IS 2.2 MILLION PASSENGERS.

SO WE DO FEEL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ON TRACK TO EXCEED THE NUMBERS THAT WE WOULD SEE NOT ONLY IN 21 BUT IN FY20, WE HAD 2.7 MILLION PASSENGERS TOTAL.

AND WE ARE IMPLEMENTING WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL THINGS TO HELP FACILITATE THE FLOW AND DECREASE WAIT TIMES.

SUCH AS TRUSTED TRAVELER PROGRAM.

TSA PRECHECK.

THE LOCAL PASSENGERS PROCESSING TIMES.

BRINGING IT DOWN TO FIVE SECONDS AND THE ARRIVAL TIMES.

TOUCHLESS AND IT IT ALLOWS FOR THAT DECREASE OF SPREADING GERMS AND PROTECTING THE TRAVELER AND MY STAFF.

>> BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION, IN FISCAL YEAR 21 THERE WERE 2.2 MILLION TRAVELERS COMPARED TO 2.7 MILLION IN 2020.

HOW DOES YOUR OFFICE PREPARE DIFFERENTLY AS THOSE NUMBERS FLUCTUATE?

YOU SAID THIS TIME A YEAR AGO IT WAS 700,000 AT THIS TIME?

>> THAT IS TRUE.

SO TRADE AND TRAVEL IS OUR PRIMARY MISSION.

SO WE ARE NOT GOING TO COMPROMISE NATIONAL SECURITY BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO TO PREPARE IS THAT WE MONITOR THE WAIT TIMES.

WE INSURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, OUR DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION AND ALL OF THE AIRLINES THAT ARE OPERATING WITHIN THE CHICAGO AREA.

>> AND WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BEST WAYS FOR TRAVELERS TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON INTERNATIONAL COVID RESTRICTIONS AND CHANGES?

>> I THINK THE BEST WAY ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO ADD IS INSURE YOU HAVE A VALID PASSPORT OR TRUSTED TRAVEL PROGRAM CARD OR BUT YOU CAN CHECK THE C.D.C.

WEBSITE THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION WEBSITE TO INSURE YOU HAVE THE MOST UPDATED INFORMATION ON INSURING YOU HAVE YOUR VACCINATION CARD WITH YOU.

AND THAT YOU ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE VACCINATED WHEN YOU TRAVEL.

AND I WOULD ALSO RECOMMEND THAT YOU CITIZENS LOOK AT THE PEAK HOURS AND MAYBE ASSUME TO TRAVEL DURING NONPEAK HOURS.

>> COVID WAVES IN PARTS OF THE WORLD RIGHT NOW SOME COUNTRIES IN EUROPE ARE EXPERIENCING THIS.

HOW DO WEISE WAVES AFFECTED TRAFFIC FLOW THAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE HERE?

SY.

CURRENTLY, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THOSE WILL BE AN IMPACT BASED ON THE COMMUNICATIONS WE'VE RECEIVED WITH THE AIRLINES.

HOWEVER, TO BE HONEST THERE ARE TIME-FRAMES WHEN IF IT'S A HIGH SURGE IN A COUNTRY, THOSE COUNTRIES ARE LIMITING THE ABILITY FOR THE INDIVIDUALS TO FLY IN AND OUT.

IT DEPENDS ON THE RATE.

EITHER, LOW, MEDIUM OR HIGH IF THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES WITH THOSE FLIGHTS COMING IN.

>> AND BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, YOU MENTIONED A NUMBER OF PROGRAMS TRUSTED TRAVELER, GLOBAL ENTRY WHAT IS THE BEST PLACE FOR A TRAVELER TO LEARN INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAMS AND IF IT'S RIGHT FOR THEM?

>> SO I RECOMMEND TO GO TO CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION.GOV.

AND GO INTO GOOGLE SEARCH FOR GLOBAL ENTRY OR TSA PRECHECK.

AND I DO BELIEVE THAT FOR GLOBAL ENTRY, THE CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE AT 610 SOUTH CANAL STREET HAS A GLOBAL ENTRY PROCESSING OFFICE IN THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

>> A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION.

LAFONDA SUTTON-BURKE DIRECTOR OF FIELD DIRECTIONS-CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION CHICAGO FIELD OFFICE, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> AND WE'RE BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

>> Announcer: "CHICAGO TONIGHT" IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY... >> AND THAT'S OUR SHOW FOR THIS THURSDAY NIGHT.

STAY CONNECTED WITH US BY SIGN UP FOR YOUR DAILY BRIEFING.

AND YOU CAN GET "CHICAGO TONIGHT" STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YouTube AND OUR WEBSITE, WTTW.COM/NEWS PLEASE JOIN US TOMORROW NIGHT AT 7:00 P.M. FOR "THE WEEK IN REVIEW".

FOR ALL OF US HERE AT "CHICAGO TONIGHT" I'M BRANDIS FRIEDMAN.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

[♪♪♪]