>>> A CITY COUNCIL PUSH TO ALLOW TIPPED WORKERS TO BE PAID LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE, ANT ANOTHER SUPREME COURT JUSTICE EMBROILED IN ANTICS SCANDAL.

HERE WITH ALL THAT IS OUR POLITICS SPOTLIGHT TEAM.

ALLIES OF MAYOR JOHNSON LAUNCHED AN EFFORT TO REQUIRE CHICAGO BUSINESSES TO PAY THEIR WORKERS THE SAME MINIMUM WAGE HOUR REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY HAVE TIPS AS A WAY TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT.

>> IF INDIVIDUALS ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN CHICAGO, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE WAGES THAT REFLECT THE COST INCREASE THAT IS CREEPING UP ON ALL OF US.

ANY EFFORT THAT WE PUT FORTH WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO SECURE THE ECONOMICS FOR WORKING CERTAINLY PLACES US IN A FAR BETTER POSITION TO HAVE A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY.

>> IS THIS GOING TO BE A BIG FIGHT LIKE IN 2019 WHEN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY KILLED A SIMILAR PROPOSAL?

>> THE FACT THAT THE MAYOR AND HIS LAWYER LEADER AND SEVERAL CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE CHAIRS ARE ALL IN FAVOR OF IT SETS IT UP TO BE ONE OF THE MAYOR'S HIGHEST PRIORITIES OVER HIS 2024 SPENDING PLAN.

VERY DIFFERENT THAN IN 2019, WHEN THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY WAS ABLE TO PREVAIL OVER THE FORMER MAYOR THAT THIS WOULD BE TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THEM.

HOWEVER, WE'LL SEE A LOT OF DEBATE ABOUT THIS BECAUSE CHICAGO'S RESTAURANTS ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND STILL FACING A STAFFING CRUNCH.

THIS IS ALL GOING TO SORT OF PLAY INTO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS THE WAY TO GO.

BUT YOU HEARD JOHNSON, HE SEEMS LIKE THIS IS KILLING MULTIPLE BIRDS WITH A SINGLE STONE.

>> AND PARENTS IN THE GROUP FUNDED BY THE MAYOR MET FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY.

>> INTERESTING NAMES ON THIS WORKING GROUP, AND POLICE PENSIONS ARE A BIG PART OF THE ISSUE AT HAND.

THE SOLUTION HERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME.

IT'S NOT COMPLICATED.

IT'S ONE OF TWO THINGS, EITHER YOU DRAG OUT THE AMORTIZATION PERIOD AND SPEND MORE YEARS PAYING TO GET TO THIS 90% FUNDING LEVEL FROM 24%, WHERE THEY ARE NOW, OR YOU POUR MORE MONEY IN THERE.

THE CITY HAS POURED ABOVE THEIR REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION THIS YEAR AND STILL, DESPITE ALL THAT, IT'S ONLY MAKING INCREMENTAL PROGRESS IN THAT LONG-TERM DEBT.

SO THEN THERE'S THE CASINO, AND MONEY FROM THAT GOING TO THE PENSION.

THERE'S NO RABBIT IN THE HAT HERE.

THIS WORKING GROUP, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE BUT IF THEY COME UP WITH A SOLUTION THAT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE TWO THINGS, I'LL BE VERY INTERESTED.

>> IF IT'S PUTTING MONEY IN, WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?

>> WHAT ARE THE CHANCES LEGISLATORS IN SPRINGFIELD WOULD BE USING STATE MONEY TO HELP?

>> NO, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

IN FACT, IF ANYTHING, WHAT YOU COULD SEE IS ADDED PENSION DEBT BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING AT TRYING TO BRING UP THE PENSIONS PAID TO FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE, SOMETHING THE LEGISLATURE HELD OFF DOING BECAUSE THEY HAD TO WITH FORMER MAYOR LIGHTFOOT.

THIS WORKING GROUP CAN SAY, WE WANT FIXES THERE THAT WOULD ADD TO THAT.

>> WHEN THERE WAS PENSION REFORM 10, 12 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS CONSTITUTIONAL TO ADD A NEW TIER.

FOR NEW WORKERS, THEIR BENEFITS WILL BE DIMINISHED COMPARED TO THEIR ELDERS.

NOW THESE BILLS ARE GOING TO CHANGE THAT, WHICH MEANS AND ADDED BILL FOR THE CITY OF CHICAGO INTO THOSE PENSION FUNDS.

>> IT WILL GIVE MAYOR JOHNSON THE ABILITY TO GO TO SPRINGFIELD AND SAY, GIVE ME THE ABILITY TO RAISE THE TRANSPORTATION TAX, TO RAISE OTHER REVENUE OTHER THAN PROPERTY TAXES.

AND YOU'LL SEE A CONCERTED PUSH FROM PEOPLE LIKE ALDERMAN ROSA TO IMPOSE THAT TAX ON BIG CORPORATIONS THAT HAVE LOST EMPLOYEES IN CHICAGO SO THAT BURDEN IS NO LONGER BORNE BY PROPERTY OWNERS, WHO HAVE FACED HIKES IN RECENT YEARS.

BUT WEALTHY CORPORATIONS WHO MAY HAVE A LITTLE MORE TO GIVE, ACCORDING TO THE MAYOR.

>> AND NEW MAYORS MAY DISCOVER THE FISCAL SITUATION FOR THE CITY IS WORSE THAN THEY THOUGHT IT WAS WHEN THEY WERE RUNNING FOR THE OFFICE, AND BACKTRACK ON CAMPAIGN PROMISES.

DO YOU THINK HE WILL HAVE TO BACKTRACK ON HIS NO NEW PROPERTY TAXES PLEDGE WHEN THE ECONOMIC REALITY BITES?

>> HIS PLATFORM IS VERY CLEAR, NO NEW PROPERTY TAXES COMING.

HE'S VOWED TO REVEAL THE AUTOMATIC PROPERTY TAX INCREASE THAT LORI LIGHTFOOT DID.

HE'S GOT TO PULL MORE RABBITS OUT OF THE HAT.

>> CPS IS GOING TO VOTE TO RAISE ITS PROPERTY TAX LEVEE, AND JOHNSON SAID, THAT'S MAYOR LIGHTFOOT'S SCHOOL BOARD.

I'M NOT BREAKING MY PROMISE BECAUSE THAT'S NOT ME.

HE'S RIGHT, HE DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THAT.

>> BUT HE HAS CLOUT.

HE COULD MAKE SOME CALLS.

>> SO TO SAY NO PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS?

>> NOT A GUARANTEE.

>> WE HEARD SENATOR DURBIN PREPARING LEGISLATION ONLY SUPREME COURT ETHICS AS JUSTICE ALITO HAS BECOME EMBROILED IN AN ETHICS SCANDAL.

WHAT'S YOUR LIKELY CONCLUSION?

>> THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPORT THE GIFTS AS INCOME AND RECUSE THEMSELVES IF THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

ALITO FOUND THAT HE HAD TAKEN $100,000 PRIVATE JET FROM A BILLIONAIRE CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST WITH BUSINESS BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT, AND THIS ELABORATE FISHING TRIP IN ALASKA.

THEN HE GOES TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL SAYING, IT WAS KIND OF A RUSTIC CABIN.

>> NOT FANCY, THAT MAKES IT OKAY.

>> HE SAID, I HAD NO REASON TO BELIEVE THERE WAS A CONFLICT OF INTEREST.

BUT THE APPEARANCE IS TERRIBLE.

IT APPEARS TO BE PAY TO PLAY TYPE BEHAVIOR.

I'M NOT SAYING LEGALLY THAT'S WHAT IT IS, BUT THEY HAVE TO HOLD THEMSELVES TO A HIGHER STANDARD.

SEEMS LIKE SO FAR THOMAS AND ALITO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES BUT TO SAY YES TO THESE LAVISH VACATIONS.

DURBIN SAYS HE'S IN A TOUGH POSITION.

HE WANTS TO MAINTAIN THE CREDIBILITY OF THE COURT BUT DOESN'T WANT TO ADMIT THERE'S A PROBLEM.

>> AND ANOTHER VIOLENT WEEKEND, 75 PEOPLE SHOT, 13 FATALLY OVER THE JUNETEENTH WEEKEND.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE SEARCH FOR THE NEW AND PERMANENT POLICE SUPERINTENDENT?

>> IT'S COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE.

THE COMMUNITY SAFETY ACCOUNTABILITY COMMISSION HAS 20 MORE DAYS TO GET THEIR PICK IN.

19 ALDER PEOPLE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION AND ANGER THAT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT BRIAN MCDERMOTT, THE NUMBER THREE, HAS ADVANCED INTO THE POOL OF FINALISTS, AND THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY.

BUT THE BOARD SAYS,