>> CITY COUNCIL VOTES WHETHER OR NOT TO BRING CHICAGO HOME WITH A NEW TAX ON HIGH VALUE PROPERTY SALES TO HELP THE HOMELESS.

THE INVEST IN KIDS PROGRAM TAKES ITS NEXT STEPS TOWARDS A POSSIBLE EXTENSION.

AND CITY HALL GETS IN THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE AS OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM ARE SPOOKY SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM OF HEATHER SHARON AND I'M AND I'M GOING THANK YOU FOR TREATING TONIGHT WITH YOUR LITTLE ONES TO BE TO SAY THAT WE'RE NOT DOING HEATHER, WE MENTIONED.

>> BRING CHICAGO HOME.

THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX SURCHARGE ON HOMES OVER A MILLION.

ANOTHER SURCHARGE ON HOMES OVER 1.5 MILLION.

WHAT'S AT STAKE WITH THIS PROPOSAL?

SO THIS, IF IT'S APPROVED BY VOTERS IN MARCH WOULD GENERATE 100 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A DEDICATED SOURCE OF FUNDING TO HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE UNHOUSED.

>> NOT JUST TO FIND APARTMENTS OR HOMES, BUT TO GET SOCIAL SERVICES LIKE SUBSTANCE ABUSE, COUNSELING OR MENTAL HEALTH CARE.

THIS WOULD RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY THE CITY APPROACHES HOMELESSNESS AND ADVOCATES SAY IT IS LONG PAST DUE AS THERE ARE NEARLY 70,000 CHICAGOANS FOR EITHER HOMELESS ON THE STREETS OR LIVING DOUBLED UP WITH FRIENDS AND RELATIVES POINTS OF THIS.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, THE REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY, WHAT THEY HAVE TO WELL, THEY SAY THAT THIS WILL BE A DEATH KNELL FOR CHICAGO'S COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MARKET, WHICH THEY SAY IS STRUGGLING TO RECOVER FROM THE SHIFT DURING COVID TO REMOTE WORK WHICH IS LEFT LOTS OF EMPTY OFFICE SPACE DOWNTOWN.

AND THEY SAY IF YOU MAKE IT MORE COSTLY TO SELL THESE PROPERTIES, THEY WILL SIMPLY BE WORTH LESS.

AND THAT WILL HURT THE CITY'S WHOLE ECONOMY.

ADVOCATES FOR THE PROPOSAL SAY THAT FEAR-MONGERING AND WE ARE GOING TO ANOTHER ROUND OF ARGUMENTS TOMORROW AT THE CITY COUNCIL.

AND THEN IF IT PASSES THE CITY COUNCIL, WE ARE IN FOR DONNYBROOK OF AN ELECTION SEASON FOR THE MARCH ABOUT THE 6 THERE'S GOING TO BE COMMERCIALS ON TV TRYING TO SWAY VOTERS ON THIS ISSUE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT, ALTHOUGH IN MARIAH HADN'T HAD TO SAY IN RESPONSE TO THOSE CONCERNS.

>> SPECIFICALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.

>> WE'RE TYING WE'RE TYING THE FUNDS THAT WE'RE HOPING TO CREATE TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM.

EVERY SINGLE CHICAGO SHOULD BE WORKING TO SOLVE TO THE SUCCESS OF THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY.

I JUST KNOW THAT THIS BODY, SO, YOU KNOW, FOR FOR BOMA FOR OTHER FOLKS, A LOT OF OUR LABOR THAT RELIES ON THAT COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY.

I'M JUST KNOW YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE LET DOWN AND ABANDONED BY CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL.

>> OKAY.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABANDONED BY CITY COUNCIL.

HAVE A STRONG LIKE SOME OF THOSE BUILDINGS ARE RIGHT >> HOW HOW CITY COUNCIL GOING TO COME TO THEIR AID?

WELL, THEY VOTED 32 TO 16 TO ADVANCE THIS.

AND I SHOULD NOTE THAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD ALSO REDUCE THE REAL ESTATE TAXES FOR PROPERTIES WORTH LESS THAN A MILLION DOLLARS.

AND THAT IS 96% OF ALL SALES IN CHICAGO.

>> THE CITY IS SAYING, LOOK, YOU WANT TO TURN SOME OF THESE BUILDINGS INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AND APARTMENT UNITS WHICH REALLY RESHAPE THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT.

THEY'RE GOING TO NEED CITY SUBSIDIES TO DO THAT.

AND I THINK WHAT WE NEED CUT THE SUBTEXT OF WHAT ALDERMAN HADN'T SET RIGHT.

THERE WAS LUCK.

WE CAN GIVE A LITTLE AND PERHAPS YOU WILL ALSO GET A LITTLE AS WELL.

MAYBE THERE'S SOME KIND OF DEAL IN THE OFFING THERE LET'S MOVE IT TO SPRINGFIELD, THIS INVEST IN KIDS PROGRAM, WHICH IS.

>> TAX CREDITS FOR PARENTS SEND THEIR KIDS TO PRIVATE SCHOOL, PAY PRIVATE TUITION.

>> NEEDS TO BE RENEWED.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH SOME HER IS JUST BE CLEAR, IT IS A TAX CREDIT TO ANYBODY CAN GIVE.

YOU COULD GIVE MONEY TO THIS PROGRAM.

HEATHER COULD I COULD REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ATTEND SCHOOL IS THIS STUDENTS, HOWEVER, WHO ARE PARTICULARLY POOR THAT ARE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS A HUGE WAITING A LIMITED POOL OF STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACTUALLY USE THOSE DOLLARS.

IT'S JUST YOU GET A TAX CREDIT IF YOU GET TO ONE OF THESE PROGRAMS.

>> AND IT HAD LONG BEEN PLANNED SINCE IT WAS STARTED TO BE DONE.

IT WAS ACTUALLY EXPANDED ONCE JUST FOR YEAR.

AND SO NOW THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO GO AWAY.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THE AD BECAUSE OF THIS PROGRAM SAY DEEPLY UNFAIR TO ALL THOSE STUDENTS WHO ATTEND SCHOOLS NOW LEFT THEM WANT TO CONTINUE WANT TO GRADUATE FROM THEM.

AND WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF THE PROGRAM SUDDENLY ENDS AS IT WILL HAPPEN IF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND GOVERNOR, THEY HAVEN'T TAKEN ACTION.

THEY'VE HAD A WEEK OF VETO SESSION.

SO WHAT WHAT'S THE PROSPECTS HERE?

REALLY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS, I TALKED ABOUT WHAT THE BACKERS OF THIS PROGRAM BELIEVE IN THAT IS THAT THIS IS BEST IN A FAIR CHOICE FOR STUDENTS WHO WANT TO FINISH AT SCHOOLS OF THEIR CHOOSING.

HOWEVER, THE OTHER SIDE SAYS THAT THIS IS MONEY BY TAKING ANY SORT OF MONEY SORT OF AWAY FROM PUBLIC COFFERS.

THAT'S MONEY THAT COULD OSTENSIBLY AT LEAST GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ALSO NEED IT IN FURTHER.

YOU HAVE REALLY DEEP OPPOSITION FROM AWAIT VERY POLITICALLY POWERFUL TEACHERS UNIONS.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

THERE IS COMPROMISE THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED.

THAT WOULD DO A LOT OF THINGS.

PARIS.

THAT QUESTION GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT.

SO DEMOCRATS KIND OF CAUGHT IN A ROCK AND HARD PLACE.

GOT CONSTITUENTS THAT WANT THIS TO CONTINUE.

>> THEY'VE GOT A VERY LARGE FINANCIAL BACKER AND POLITICAL BACKING THE TEACHERS USE THAT DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE.

LET'S BACK THE HEATHER.

SO OKAY.

MARKET 71ST IN PULASKI.

WE HAVE REPORTED BACK IN FEBRUARY THAT THE STATE OF PLANNED ON USING THIS AS A MIGRANT SHELTER.

LOCAL OFFICIALS ARE SAID, NO, WE DON'T WANT THIS NOW.

IT LOOKS LIKE THE CITY IS REVIVING PROPOSAL.

THAT'S RIGHT.

AND THIS IS PART OF REALLY WHAT APPEARS TO BE A MAD SCRAMBLE BY MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON IS HIS MINISTRATION TO GET THE NEARLY 3,000 PEOPLE LIVING ON THE FLOOR OF POLICE STATIONS AT O'HARE.

>> HOUSED AS THE WEATHER IS VERY, VERY COLD.

AND WELL, IT'S SUPPOSED TO WARM UP A LITTLE BIT THIS WEEK.

THAT WON'T BE FOR LONG.

SO THERE IS REALLY STARTED THE SENSE THAT NO STONE IS BEING LEFT UNTURNED AND THIS IS A LARGE WAREHOUSE IN A COMMERCIAL AREA AND IT SEEMS LIKE MAYBE IT COULD HOUSE MANY OF THESE PEOPLE WHO RIGHT NOW HAVE NOWHERE TO GO EFFECT.

THE ORIGINAL STATE PLANS WERE FOR OVER 600 MIGRANTES.

OBVIOUSLY, 11TH HOUR RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE PRESENTED IS WE'RE SEEING.

IT SNOWED WHO WANTS TO BE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW.

POLICE STATIONS DURING THE DAY THEY HAVE TO BE OUT.

SO, YEAH, I MEAN, TOTALLY AWFUL.

AND THE THAT IS BEEN SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF FOLKS AT.

ALL, RIGHT.

SO WHAT IS THE DEAL?

WE TALKED ABOUT ABANDONED PROPERTIES OR AT LEAST BIG COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT ARE NO LONGER HAVING FOLKS BECAUSE >> MANY ARE WORKING FROM HOME.

SO LET'S DO SOMETHING WITH THEM.

THE ISSUE, THINK, HOWEVER, COMPOSE BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, EVEN IF IT'S EMPTY, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT.

THIS IS WHAT IT FOR THE USE OF THAT PROPERTY AND PEOPLE MAY TAKE GREAT OFFENSE TO THAT.

OTHER PEOPLE WOULD SAY, PLEASE, WE WELCOME THEM.

OTHER FOLKS ARE SAYING, NO, NOT IN MY BEEN SITTING THERE FOR EMPTY FOR ABOUT 7 YEARS AND IT'S IN A COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR ON A BUSY STREET TO HEATHER.

LET'S GET BACK TO THE HALLOWEEN SPIRIT A LITTLE CITY COUNCIL HAVING A LITTLE YES, A LITTLE FUN AND IT WAS KIND OF POLITICAL TELL US ABOUT THIS PICTURE ANDREA VASQUEZ IS DRESSED AS A LITTLE FREE LIBRARY AND HE IS ALDERMAN RAY LOPEZ, WHO I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE TODAY IS DRESSED AS SUBZERO FROM THE MORTAL KOMBAT.

>> VIDEO GAMES NOW ALDERMAN LOPEZ LOVES HALLOWEEN AND FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS, ALDERMAN VASQUEZ HAS GOTTEN INTO SPIRIT BY USING HIS CON HIS COSTUMES TO MAKE A POLITICAL POINT.

ALDERMAN VASQUEZ OPPOSES THE CHANGES THAT ALDERMAN LOPEZ IS MADE TO THE LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, >> THEY GOT INTO A TODAY VERY GOOD NATURED.

BUT THIS WILL BE UP FOR A VOTE TOMORROW.

AND THERE ARE SOME STRONG FEELINGS ON BOTH SIDES.

ALDERMAN VASQUEZ SAYS THAT ALDERMAN LOPEZ PROPOSAL WOULD BAN LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES PEOPLE GO TO THE CITY TO GET A PERMANENT ALDERMAN.

LOPEZ SAYS THE CITY HAS TO REGULATE THESE THINGS WILL TURN THE PUBLIC WAY SOMETIMES TO HAS PASSED BOOKS AND CITY.

CANDY DID NOT.

HE DID NOT A SEPARATE UNIT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

AND ANOTHER STATE TO ISSUE REPORT THAT EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR OF AIEA AND MADE AN EMERGENCY MENTION AGENCY QUIT AMID QUESTIONS OVER THEIR PAY.

THEY'RE MAKING SOMETHING LIKE $40,000 A MONTH PARIS, NOT DAY.

IF YOU CAN GET IT, I GUESS EXCEPT FOR WHEN THE TAXPAYERS ARE PAYING FOR IT.

AND THERE ARE A WHOLE LOT OF QUESTIONS HERE.

SO GREAT REPORTING BY THE SUN-TIMES LEARN FITZPATRICK, ANYTHING REALLY THAT THE POINT OF THIS IS NOT ONLY THIS INDIVIDUAL WAS GETTING PAID THAT MUCH MONEY FOR AS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT.

>> BUT ALSO SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

WHY WAS A CONTRACTOR NEEDED FOR THIS WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE?

4 OTHER INDIVIDUALS WERE FIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS OR AT LEAST I'M SORRY, LET GO.

BUT THE STATE ISN'T SHARING WERE NOT GIVE.

THE STATE IS NOT SHARING ANY OF TIME KEEPING.

AND THE HOURS WHEN THIS IS OK, SO LET'S SAY DID A LITTLE BIT OF MASS HERE LET'S TAKE 160 HOURS.

IT WITH A MONTH IS WHAT WE WOULD WORK.

IF YOU SAY WORK 40 HOURS A WEEK ABOUT THAT, RIGHT?

THIS PERSON SUPPOSEDLY WORKS 350 HOURS A WEEK REGARDING EVIDENTLY SOMETHING WITH THE PANDEMIC, PERHAPS WHEN IT FIRST STARTED THAT JANUARY OF 2023, THAT WASN'T PARTICULARLY THE HEIGHT OF AN ID PH DISASTER, AT LEAST SO LOTS OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS COUNTING OUR INVESTIGATOR NEED TO GET ON THE CASE HERE.

HEATHER THROWN THEM IN A HAPPY