FOR JOINING US ON THE WEEKEND REVIEW.

I'M AMANDA FINICKY.

SUMMER IS OVER IN SCHOOL IS BACK IN SESSION.

AFTER THE BELL RINGS COME THE TEST, NOT JUST FOR STUDENTS BUT FOR CITY LEADERS GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START IS SO CRITICAL.

TESTS LIKE FINDING MORE BUSES TO ALL STUDENTS CAN GET TO CLASS STAYING ON BUDGET OR GIVE IN TO PRESSURE FROM THE CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION TO SPEND MORE.

WE CAN'T CAPITULATE TO GET ENOUGH.

CAN'T LATE TO LABEL DEBUT.

MORGAN CHASE CONTINUED TO ROB OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FUTURES OF RESOURCES AND CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS CEO FIGHTS TO KEEP HIS JOB.

I DON'T MIND THE PUSH.

I DON'T MIND.

I REALLY DO.

BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY AND I REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE ALL NEED TO WORK ON THIS TOGETHER.

MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON WILL ALSO HAVE TO DO SOME SERIOUS MASK TO CLOSE A CITY DEFICIT OF ALMOST 1 BILLION DOLLARS.

WILL HE BREAK A PROMISE TO LEAP PROPERTY TAX RATES ON HOLD?

CHICAGO'S BETTING ON VALLEYS, WHICH ITSELF IS DOUBLING DOWN ON ITS BIG GAMBLE.

THIS IS LARGER THAN THE MUSEUM LARGER WRIGLEY IN TERMS OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WOULD BE PUTTING IN AND OUT HERE DEMOLISHING THE FREEDOM CENTER TO MAKE WAY FOR A PERMANENT CASINO WHILE IN THE RACE FOR PRESIDENT, KAMALA HARRIS GIVES HER FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE BECOMING THE NOMINEE.

WHAT I BELIEVE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DESERVE, WHICH IS A NEW WAY FORWARD AND TURN THE PAGE THE LAST DECADE.

REPUBLICAN DONALD TRUMP WANTS TO KNOW WHY IT DIDN'T THEIR LIFE AND SHE DID LOOK LIKE A LEADER TO ME.

I'LL BE HONEST.

I DON'T SEE NEGOTIATING WITH PRESIDENT XI OF CHINA.

I DON'T SEE HER WITH KIM JONG-UN LIKE WE DID.

JOINING US FOR THIS WEEK'S WE CAN REVIEW PANEL ARE LAURA WASHINGTON FROM ABC 7 AND THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE SHOULD SAFE FROM BLOOMBERG NEWS NIKKI-DEE OF CHALK THE CHICAGO AND STEVE DANIELS FROM THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE GOING TO START WITH THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

STEVE SUMI, YOU WATCH THE BIG INTERVIEW.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THAT WAS KIND OF BORING, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHAT KAMALA HARRIS WANTED OUT OF IT WHY WHAT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE WANTS A BORING INTERVIEW?

WELL, BECAUSE OF THE CONCERNS GOING IN IN TERMS OF WHAT WHAT WHAT WAS HER JOB AND HER JOB THERE WAS NOT GOING FROM THE RIGHT IS THAT SHE'S A WILD-EYED LIBERAL AND WHAT SHE WANTED TO TRY TO SHOW US THAT.

NO, I'M NOT.

I'M A I'M I'M NOT CERTAINLY MAYBE A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER, BUT I'M NOT I'M NOT THAT I'M ALSO A NORMAL PERSON.

I SMILE.

I TELL I LAUGH.

I TELL SOME JOKES.

YOU KNOW, I THINK IT I THINK IT TURNED OUT FOR FROM HER VANTAGE POINT.

OKAY.

I DON'T THINK IT WAS IT WOUD ANYBODY BUT IT BUT I BUT I THINK IT WAS FINE AND DID THE JOB FOR THEM FOR THE TIME BEING DIDN'T NEED TO WOW, ANYBODY BACKING?

WELL, THIS IS THE THING I WAS THINKING.

I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE SOME OF THESE PRIMETIME INTERVIEWS DON'T HAVE THE SAME BOAT DEALERSHIP THAT THEY USED TO.

AND ALSO SAME IMPACT, I GUESS ON THE CONVERSATION AND THE CULTURE.

SO I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO SWAY VERY MANY PEOPLE, BUT I CAN COUNT ON.

I DON'T KNOW.

COCONUT TREE MEANS FOR THAT GO STRAIGHT TO THE PEOPLE IN 5 PASS OUR IT TRUE FOR STRATEGY.

NEGOTIATED THE FACT THEY WOULD HAVE LOSS ICE PRESENT THERE WITH HER WAS LIKE A 27 MINUTE INTERVIEW.

WAS IT A NICE RELAXED TABLE?

REALLY?

LAX SETTING JUST ONE REPORTER.

AND SO I THINK THAT WAS ALWAYS GOING TO WORK IN HER FAVOR.

AND SHE'S REALLY STILL TRYING TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO THE PUBLIC AND TO VOTERS AND SHE IS SEEN, AS YOU SAY, HE WANTS TO SHOW THAT SHE'S NOT THE EVIL PERSON OR THE FAR LEFT PERSON THE TRUMP SUGGESTING.

BUT THEY WERE US.

THERE WERE SOME MOMENTS WHERE SHE WAS PUSHED BY DANA BASH ON HER POSITIONS THAT HE HAS TO SIT IN THE CENTER NOW.

BUT SHE WASN'T IN THE SENATE ONE TIME.

SO SHE HAS MOVED TO THE CENTER.

TRUMP SAYING THAT MEANS SPECIES MEAN HE'S A FLIP-FLOPPER, ESPECIALLY THE VERY GOOD JOB OF EXPLAINING THAT SHE DID CHANGE.

PEOPLE CAN CHANGE YOUR MIND, ESPECIALLY IN POLITICS.

AND I THINK THAT SHE DID OR SHE DIDN'T DO HERSELF ANY DAMAGE.

THAT WAS THE BEST THING SHE CAN GET COMING OUT OF IT.

PRESIDENT TRUMP, OF COURSE, HAS CHANGED HIS VIEWPOINT ON MANY AN ISSUE AS WELL.

STICKING WITH YOU ARE YOU WROTE THIS WEEK ACTUALLY WITH SOME ADVICE FOR PARIS AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T REALLY COME A LOT LAST NIGHT.

BUT THIS IS HE SAID SHE SHOULD ENGAGE ON THE ISSUE OF CRIME.

HOW COME BECAUSE DONALD TRUMP IS SPENDING WHOLE POLITICAL CAREER BEING UP ON AMERICAN CITIES IN PARTICULAR, THE BLUE STATES, THE BLUE CITIES WHERE SHE'S GOING TO GET HER VOTE ABOUT RAMPAGE, A CRIME BY THE ALL THE TERRIBLE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING AND SHE'S GOING TO BE PERCEIVED ORDER.

HE'S GOING TO TRY TO PURSUE MAKER RECEIVED A SOFT ON CRIME.

SHE'S FORMER PROSECUTOR.

SHE'S A FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL.

FOLKS LIKE THAT USUALLY ARE IN THAT CATEGORY.

SO SHE'S GOT SOME ROOM TO SHOW THAT SHE IS.

SHE COULD BE JUST AS TOUGH ON CRIME IS IS ANYONE ELSE?

AND I THINK THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SOME OF THAT DURING THE CAMPAIGN.

OKAY?

BECAUSE RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOCUS ON THE ECONOMY FOR THAT.

YOU THINK TRYING TO BECOME ADDICTED TO CRIME IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE AND DID BOOGEYMAN THAT THE REPUBLICANS, I THINK IN THIS CASE, ARE GOING TO TRY PUT OUT THERE, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO THE BORDER AND SHE'S VULNERABLE ON THE BORDER BECAUSE HE THE TRUMP CLAIMING THAT SHE HASN'T BEEN EFFECTIVE IN TERMS OF STOPPING ILLEGAL MIGRATION SIGN AND HE CLAIMS AT LEAST A CRIME.

SO SHE'S GOT TO SHOW THAT YOU COULD BE TOUGH ON THE CRIMINALS.

AND SHE'S SHE'S MAKING A CASE FOR HAS DONE SOME POLLING IN THAT THIS WAS PRETTY INTERVIEW.

BUT POST DNC, WHAT DOES IT SHOW ABOUT THE STATE OF THE RACE IN ONE OF THE QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW IS WHETHER THE HONEYMOON PERIOD FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT TOWARDS THE TAIL END.

AND IT'S UNCLEAR RIGHT NOW BECAUSE SHE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A BIG BUMP THAT SHE SAW PRESIDENT BIDEN IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, MOVEMENT, AND THEN THE DNC MAY HAVE GIVEN HER A BUMP TO ITS UNCLEAR.

BUT RIGHT NOW WHAT IT SHOWS IS THAT ON IN SWING STATES, SHE'S CLOSING THE GAP AND THIS IS AGAIN PULLING THAT NO REAL ANNOYANCE FOR POLE BECAUSE WE DON'T MATTER.

THIS IS IN SWING STATES AND THEY'RE MORE OF THEM.

I MEAN, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STATES LIKE ARIZONA AND NEVADA.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PLACES WHERE I THINK BOTH SIDES ARE LOOKING TO MAKE AGAIN.

BUT IT IS STILL SUPER SUPER SUPER CLOSE ANYTHING.

STEVE, TO ADD BEFORE WE GET TO CITY ISSUES?

NO.

I MEAN, I THE DEBATE THAT'S COMING UP AND SEPTEMBER 10TH GOING TO BE A BIG ONE.

YOU KNOW, THE ONE WITH BIDEN AND TRUMP.

YEAH, WE'RE ABOUT THAT BEFOREHAND THAT THIS WAS THAT WAS GOING TO BE HUGE AND IT TURNED OUT THAT IT WAS.

I THINK THIS ONE'S GOING TO BE HUGE TO AND AND HUGE.

MAYBE NOT QUITE CLOSE.

I THINK I THINK IT'S HUGE.

MUCH MORE HUGE FOR DONALD TRUMP.

BUT THEN IT IS FOR KAMALA HARRIS.

I THINK KAMALA HARRIS HAS SHOWN HERSELF TO BE A PRETTY DECENT DEBATE OR I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE'S HE'S REALLY STRUGGLED TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO TO GO AFTER HER.

REALLY HASN'T FOUND ANY PUNCHES THAT LAND HE'S NEED TO TRY TO FIND FOR THAT DEBATE AND ORDER TO CHANGE THE MOMENTUM AND HE'S PART KEEPER FAIRLY POORLY IN THAT LAST DEBATE, HE GOT OVERSHADOWED HIS PERFORMANCE OVER SHOW BY THE FACT THAT BIDEN SO BADLY, BUT HE WAS C HE WOULD HE WASN'T.

HE DIDN'T.

HE WASN'T PUNCHING.

HE DIDN'T GET TO THE ISSUES THAT THAT I THINK IS PEOPLE WANTING TO GET TOO.

SO HE'S GOING TO REALLY PERFORM AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL.

I THINK THIS IN THIS CASE, WE WILL TALK ABOUT THAT.

BUT IT'S TRULY LET'S GO TO YOU BECAUSE MAYOR JOHNSON THIS WEEK REVEALING THAT THE CITY IS FACING A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR OF NEARLY BILLION BUCKS IS THIS IS PRICE.

NO, I THINK THIS THE WHAT THE FORECAST IT INDICATED A YEAR AGO.

THEY USUALLY DO A THREE-YEAR FORECAST.

AND SO LAST YEAR WHEN THEY PASS THE 24 BUDGET, THEY ACTUALLY SAID THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE ABOUT 980 MILLION OR SO.

AND THAT'S JUST ROUGHLY WHERE THINGS ARE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THE THING THAT WAS UNEXPECTED IS THAT THEY'RE NOW PROJECTING A DEFICIT FOR 2020 FOR THE YEAR THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN.

SO THEY HAD ALREADY CLOSED THE GAP OF MORE THAN 500 MILLION WITH A PASS THE BUDGET LAST YEAR.

NOW THEY'RE SAYING BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE NOT GETTING THE PENSION CONTRIBUTION FROM CPS.

NOW THEY'RE FACING A BUDGET DEFICIT OF ABOUT 223 MILLION TO CLOSE OUT THIS YEAR.

SO THAT'S ONE THING THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO DEAL WITH BEFORE THEY EVEN GET TO.

25 WILL BACK WITH YOU IN JUST SECOND.

BUT LET'S TAKE CARE EXPLAINS SO THAT THE MAYOR APPOINTS THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

HE HAD ONE PLAN, ONE OF THE THE BOARD REJECTED.

THAT'S ARE JUST NOT PAYING THE PENSION PAYMENT.

SO THIS LET'S GO BACK IN TIME A LITTLE BIT.

SO THIS WAS A SHIFT THAT MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT MADE TO SAY, HEY, LISTEN, CPS, THIS PENSION FUND IS A MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES FUND.

MOST OF THE EMPLOYEES RETIREES AND THEIR AT LEAST HALF MORE THAN HALF OF THEM.

I BELIEVE ARE CPS EMPLOYEES, FORMER CPS YOU KNOW, CPS RETIREE STILL LIKE THAT SAID, HEY, CPS, YOU'RE GONNA START MAKING A CONTRIBUTION TO HELP CORRECT ON THE CITY SIDE FOR THESE PENSION FUND AND JOHNSON AND THE TEACHERS UNION WERE VERY AGAINST THAT SHIFT AT THE TIME.

AND SO THEY TALKED A LOT ABOUT HOW LIGHTFOOT WAS SADDLING CPS WITH EXTRA COSTS.

SO WHEN HE GOT INTO OFFICE AND I THINK SOME OF HIS APPOINTEES ON HIS BOARD WERE LIKE, LISTEN, YOU SAID YOU WERE TAKING THIS BACK.

AND I DON'T YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING.

BUT THE CPS DID PASS THE BUDGET IN JULY.

THAT SAY THAT WE EXPECT THE CITY TO PICK THIS BACK SO WHERE IS THIS MONEY GOING TO COME FROM?

AND, YOU IT'S A BIT OF YEAH.

IT'S 75 MILLION DOLLARS.

SO I'M LIKE BECKY SAID THEY'VE BEEN CPS HAS BEEN PAYING THIS ANNUALLY AND IT'S NOT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

BUSH AND CPS AND THE CITY HAVE BEEN SPLITTING IT SINCE ABOUT 2020.

SO LAST IT WAS ABOUT 175 MILLION DOLLARS THAT CPS PUTIN TOWARDS US.

NOW, THE QUESTION IS, WHERE IS THAT GOING TO COME FROM?

BECAUSE BOTH SIDES HAVE DEFICITS.

AND BUT RIGHT NOW THE CITY IS UNDER THE OBLIGATION IN TERMS OF PAYING THAT THERE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BUT IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THAT LEGAL STANDING IS WRITING BECKY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK IT'S ON TO BECAUSE THEY'RE ON SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT BUDGET CYCLE.

SO THE CITY PASSES A BUDGET THAT WILL START JANUARY ONE.

THE DISTRICT PASSES THERE STARTS JULY ONE.

AND SO THERE'S SOME LIKE WEIRD LAGGING THAT'S HAPPENING.

SO THE FACT THAT THE PAYMENT THEY'RE SAYING WE'RE NOT, YOU KNOW, MAKING THIS PAYMENT THAT ADDRESSING THIS YEAR'S ISSUE HALF A LITTLE REALLY KNOW.

WE TERMS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNTS.

I STEVE, WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY BRANDON JOHNSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF YOUR AND THAT'S THE THING THAT MAKES THIS SQUABBLE.

SO KIND OF RIDICULOUS.

IT'S SO HE'S HE'S THE MAYOR.

AND HE'S WORRIED ABOUT CITY BUDGET.

HE'S GOT A BOUNCE THAT THEN THERE'S CPS, BUT IT WILL AT LEAST NOMINALLY SUPPOSEDLY CONTROL CPS, TOO, AND AND HAS SOMETHING.

AND HE'S SITTING HERE TRYING TO TO CPS NEED TO TAKE IT WHILE HE'S IN CHARGE OF A LITTLE EXTRAORDINARY THING IS THAT THE CPS IS PUSHING BACK.

SUPERINTENDENT AND THE BOARD, RIGHT?

I MEAN, HE APPOINTS THESE FOLKS AND IT'S VERY UNUSUAL FOR THEM TO SAY NO TO THE MAYOR.

AND ONE OF REASONS THEY'RE SAYING NO IS ONE OF HIS SUGGESTIONS, I BELIEVE IS TO BORROW MONEY?

YEAH.

TOOK TO BORROW MONEY, VERY HIGH INTEREST RATE.

THEY'RE SAYING, YOU KNOW, THIS IS JUST NOT REALLY WISE FINANCIAL THING TO DO.

RIGHT.

AND HE'S ESSENTIALLY WE OBTAINED A MEMO THAT DISTRICT'S BUDGET OFFICE PUT TOGETHER, BASICALLY SAYING IF YOU IF YOU WANT US TO TAKE OUT A HIGH INTEREST, SHORT-TERM LOAN, THIS IS WHAT IT WILL DO TO THE CPS BUDGET FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND HOW THAT WILL STACK ON TOP OF THUS THE DISTRICT'S OWN FINANCIAL ISSUES.

IT WAS AMAZING THIS, YOU KNOW, AND IF SOME OF THE REPORTING SHOW MEN CBS IS TALKING ABOUT BEING THE LARGEST JUNK BOND ISSUER IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

POINT IS A STRONG ON OR I'M JUST MEANS IT'S NOT IT'S NOT IT'S NOT CREDIT.

IT'S NOT GOING CREDIT GREAT BODY TO ITS HIGHER INTEREST RATE AND TELLING TO SO WHITE.

AND BASICALLY THEY WERE SAYING OUT ON WHY WOULD WE ADD TO THAT?

WHY WOULDN'T THE CITY BORROW THE MONEY?

THEY HAVE A BETTER CREDIT RATING.

I THINK HAVE CREDIT RATING, BUT I THINK THAT FINANCES IN GENERAL OF STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE HEADED TOWARDS A CHALLENGING PERIOD BECAUSE THEY RECEIVED BILLIONS OF DOLLARS ACROSS THE COUNTRY FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT AND THAT WAS TO HELP WITH RECOVERY DOLLARS.

THEY LOST BECAUSE THE ECONOMY HAD BEEN HINDERED BY COVID IN VARIOUS WAYS.

RIGHT TO PART OF IT WAS REVENUE REPLACEMENT.

PART OF IT.

THE ECONOMY GOT A BOOST AS WELL.

RIGHT?

SO THERE IS A REBOUND IN GENERAL THAT THE ECONOMY SO NOW THEY'RE HEADED TOWARDS A FEW YEARS NOW WHERE STATE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT SLUSH, YOU KNOW, BANK ACCOUNT THAT THEY USED TO THE LAST YEAR OR 2.

SO I THINK THERE'S CHALLENGES ALL AROUND.

AND ARE THERE ANY ANSWERS?

BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN FOCUSING ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, BUT AGAIN, FAR BIGGER NUMBER IS COMING AHEAD NEXT YEAR.

BRANDON JOHNSON CAMPAIGN SAYING THAT HE WILL NOT HIKE PROPERTY TAXES.

IS THAT ON THE HE HASN'T TAKEN OFF THE TABLE WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT.

HE WOULDN'T RULE IT OUT.

AND HE'S ALSO TALKING ABOUT OTHER KINDS OF, YOU KNOW, OPPORTUNITIES, YOU PUTTING SLOT MACHINES AND AT THE AIRPORTS, THOSE THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE NOT GOING TO GET ANYWHERE NEAR THE NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IN THERE.

AND YOU, AS WE CAN SEE FROM CHICAGO'S CASINO WHEN IT COMES TO GAMBLING, WE CAN'T RELY ON TO BE THE KIND OF REVENUE SOURCE THAT WE ONCE HOPED IT WAS GOING TO BE.

SO THERE'S ANY REAL CLEAR ANSWERS.

HE'S GOT REVENUE COMMITTEE IN THE CITY COUNCIL IS SUPPOSED TO BE STUDYING THIS, BUT THEY'VE BEEN STUDYING FOR A LONG TIME.

A THEY MET ONCE AND WE'LL SAY.

SO THAT'S WHAT THEY'VE GOT.

BASICALLY SAY IT'S SAFE.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE THEY'RE DOING BEHIND THE SCENES.

BUT I MEAN, IN TERMS OF THIS, BUT MOSTLY BEING A HIGH PROFILE PROBLEM SOLVING SORT OF ENTITY, LEAST PUBLIC.

AND NOBODY SEEMED THINK THERE IS A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT NEW TAX REVENUES ARE BUT ADJUSTMENTS ON THE REVENUE COMMITTEE.

YOU'RE RIGHT.

THEY HOPE THEY'VE ONLY MET ONCE, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THEY TALKED ABOUT AND THE ADMINISTRATION TALKED ABOUT IS, YOU KNOW, ARE WE TAXING AND LEVYING THE RIGHT PLACES, THE RIGHT THINGS, THE RIGHT PEOPLE, THE RIGHT COMPANIES, THE RIGHT TYPES OF PRODUCTS.

AND NOW PEOPLE ARE TALKING YOU KNOW, SHOULD THERE BE A TAX ON SERVICES WHICH IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S DONE IN ILLINOIS FOR THE MOST PART THE CITY CAN'T DO THAT ON THAT.

DON'T KNOW THE STATE, AS YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, COVERING STATE GOVERNMENT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE GOING TO NEED HELP FROM STATE FOR THE STATE HAS NOT BEEN INTERESTED IN HELPING THE CITY OUT OF ITS FISCAL STRUCTURES.

YEAH, I MEAN, IT USING CPS AND THE CITY IN THE SAME ONE.

YEAH.

IN TERMS OF THE STATE'S INTEREST OR LACK THEREOF, RIGHT, THEY WERE VERY, VERY INDIFFERENT WHEN CPS AND ITS SUPERINTENDENT AND MAYOR WENT DOWN TENTS TO SPRINGFIELD AND THEY'RE SAYING NOW ONE REASON WHY WE WANT A SHORT-TERM LOAN IS BECAUSE WE GIVE US SOME TIME TO GO DOWN TO SPRINGFIELD, LOBBY AND GET MORE MONEY IN.

BUT LIKE YOU SAID, A CALL REAL RELUCTANCE.

I THINK FROM THIS ADMINISTRATION RAN PROPERTY INCREASES BUT ALSO RAN ON BEING A PEOPLE, INVEST OR AN INVESTOR IN PEOPLE.

AND THERE IS A REAL RELUCTANCE TO EVEN DIDN'T REALLY DISCUSS EXPENSE SIDE OF THE YOU KNOW, WE DO KNOW THAT AT LEAST ON THE CPS, I THAT THERE WAS THERE HAS BEEN A GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF STAFF AND EMPLOYEES IN SCHOOLS, WHICH MANY WOULD SAY WAS WELL OVERDUE.

YOU KNOW, LOT OF UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOLS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WITH THE COVID DOLLARS.

THEY WERE ABLE TO REALLY INVEST IN THOSE POSITIONS AND ADD A LOT KNEW A LOT OF NEW POSITIONS, SOCIAL WORKERS.

AND NOW WE HAVE CONTINUE RIGHT.

AND THEY HAVE HAD GAMES.

NOW, THE QUESTION IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE THAT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE REVENUE IS TO MATCH THAT 2.8 BILLION DOLLAR CUSHION AS 50 TALKS ABOUT THAT.

WE HAD THE LAST 3 YEARS.

AND SO THESE STRUCTURAL DEFICITS.

YOU KNOW, BOTH AN EXPENSE AND REVENUE SIDE OF THE EQUATION.

AND I I DO GET THE SENSE THERE'S A REAL RELUCTANCE TO TALK ABOUT.

WELL, WE DID THIS IN THE PANDEMIC BUT MIGHT HAVE TO PULL IT BACK.

THERE'S ONE AREA I KNOW THAT CPS HAS TALKED YOU KNOW, OPEN WITH US AT LEAST ABOUT THAT.

THEY CUT BACK COLD OUT OF SCHOOL TIME.

ITS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS.

THEY DID HAVE PULLED BACK FUNDING THIS YEAR ON THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THAT WAS BOOSTED DURING COVID.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I DON'T SEE THEM MAKING BIG CUTS AND ALL RIGHT.

SHOULD USE IT THERE.

I MEAN, THE ONE THING I WANT KNOW ALSO IS THAT IN TALKING ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET AND, YOU THIS DISCUSSION IS ON THE PENSION PAYMENTS BETWEEN THE CITY AND CPS.

BUT YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET OR PROPERTY TAXES WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT PENSIONS BECAUSE ROUGHLY 80% OF PROPERTY TAXES IN THE CITY GO TOWARDS THE PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS.

SO GETTING THEIR ARMS AROUND, WHO IS GOING TO PAY?

WHAT WHAT LEVEL?

I MEAN, THEY HAVE A MANDATE THAT THEY THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING WHERE THOSE GO, THOSE DOLLARS GO AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO REACH THAT MANDATE.

IT'S PART AND PARCEL OF THEIR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS IN STATE.

YOU WANT TO LAND VALUES CAN SAY THE CPS AND THE ONLY PLACE WHERE STAFF HAS GROWN CITY GOVERNMENT STAFF HAS GROWN 7% SINCE THE PANDEMIC AS WELL.

LIKE 2,400 PEOPLE AND THEY CAN AFFORD IT.

AND IT'S SO YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE.

I THINK IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO BE A CHOICE WILL BE PROBABLY A HIRING FREEZE.

WE WILL SEE FURLOUGHS POTENTIALLY.

YOU MAY SEE LAYOFFS IF IT COMES TO THAT.

THE PROBABLY LAST RESORT.

BUT I THAT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT ALL OF THOSE THINGS WILL COME BEFORE A PROPERTY TAX, BUT STILL NOT GOING TO MAKE A VERY BIG DEBT.

WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A NEARLY BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT LIKE THAT, I DON'T KNOW.

TRULY MIGHT HAVE A BETTER IDEA OF THAT THAN I DO.

BUT I THINK THAT YOU CAN GET SOME CAN MAKE SOME MOVIES OF.

YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S HARD TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO, BUT I ALSO WANT TO JUST NOTE WE USUALLY TALK ABOUT THE DEFICITS ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT THE DEFICIT IN 2024 AND THEN EVEN LARGER ONE 25.

BUT LET'S ALSO REMEMBER THAT THERE'S A LONG-TERM DEBT FOR THE PENSIONS.

AND I DO WANT TO JUST KEEP GOING BACK TO THAT.

BUT THERE'S A 37 BILLION DOLLARS, UNFUNDED PENSION LIABILITY THAT THE CITY CARRIES NOW THE CITY'S BUDGET ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

IF YOU TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LIKE ALL OF THEIR FUNDS IS ABOUT 16 TO 17 BILLION.

SO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.

THEN THAT THE LONG TERM LIKE IF YOU KNOW, YOU'RE LOOKING AT 30 YEARS OUT, THE WHOLE LIABILITY, THE NET UNFUNDED PORTION OF 37 BILLION THERE.

SO THERE'S BOTH AT THE TABLE ISSUES AND THEN THERE'S PAYING THE MORTGAGE.

AND STUART SAYS, WELL, THAT YOU CAN'T FORGET THAT PART.

ALL COMES AS BECKY IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS EPS BUDGET IS PART AND PARCEL OF THIS CITY'S ONGOING MONETARY ISSUES.

MAYOR ONCE TO GET RID OF THE CEO STILL, BUT THEY WERE TOGETHER THIS WEEK.

WHAT CAN YOU SHARE ABOUT THEIR THEIR INTERACTIONS?

SO RANG THE BELL TOGETHER ON MONDAY.

AND THEN I MARTINEZ WAS HERE ON W T TW AND ADMITTED THAT THEY HAD MET IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

AND DON'T HAVE PLANS TO MEET HEARD PERSONALLY THAT HE WAS GOING TO.

YEAH.

I WAS LOOKING FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO REPLACE HIM.

IT'S HARD TO TELL BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S SOME THE PRESSURE OF THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TEACHERS UNION RIGHT NOW KIND OF HANGS OVER ALL OF THIS.

AND SO IT'S HARD TO TELL IF THIS IS A PRESSURE TACTIC GETTING OUT TO, YOU KNOW, PUT PRESSURE ON HIM TOO.

YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING.

MARTINEZ TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AT THE TABLE WITH THE CTU OR WHAT?

NOT CLEAR TO ME WHERE EXACTLY THAT'S COMING FROM.

BUT I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN THIS NEWS BROKE, THE BOARD WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY CLEAR THAT THEY NOT INTERESTED IN REMOVING MARTINEZ AND IT WOULD TAKE A BOARD VOTE UNLESS HE RESIGNS, WHICH, YOU KNOW, THE MAYOR CAN SAY, YOU KNOW, I DEMAND RESIGNATION LETTER WE'VE SEEN THAT HAPPEN WITH OTHER POSITIONS.

THE BOARD DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY'RE READY DO THAT, TAKE THAT KIND OF MEASURE.

AND ACTUALLY, THIS WEEK, 400 PRINCIPALS AND ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS WROTE A LETTER TO THE BOARD SAYING, PLEASE DO TAKE ANY ACTION.

LEAVE MARTINEZ AT THE HELM.

THEY THEY PRAISED HIM FOR, YOU KNOW, HELPING PROPEL SOME OF THE MOMENTUM.

YOU MENTIONED THE GAINS THAT THEY'VE SEEN ACADEMICALLY SINCE THE PANDEMIC AND THESE PRINCIPLES.

WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING FOR THE SAKE OF STABILITY, PLEASE DO NOT PUT, YOU KNOW, TO NOT LET THE APPLE CART GET UPSET UP AT THE TOP THERE BECAUSE, WELL, WHAT HAPPENS DAY TODAY, AT A SCHOOL CAN FEEL FAR AWAY FROM CENTRAL OFFICE.

CHAOS AT CENTRAL OFFICE CAN TRICKLE DOWN IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKES IT DIFFICULT PEOPLE.

SCHOOL LEADERS TO PUT LAURA ITS USE IS IF CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION DOES IS NOT BUYING THIS, ARE FRUSTRATED WITH MARTINEZ NOT WANTING MORE DOING ENOUGH STACY DAVIS GATES TO HIT IN THE SEAT WHO'S BEEN VERY EMPHATIC ABOUT IN VERY CRITICAL OF OUR TEAMS.

SHE'S EVEN WROTE OP-ED IN THE TRIBUNE ABOUT IT AND SAID, YOU KNOW, HE SHOULD HE MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE SHOULD UNDERSTAND.

HE'S A PRODUCT OF CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

HE GREW UP IN CHICAGO.

HE SHOULD UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT THIS IS.

AND SHE'S BEEN PRETTY STRONG BASICALLY DEMANDING DID IT RESPOND AND THAT AND SHOULD HER ARGUMENT.

AND I THINK TWO'S ARGUMENT IS THAT THEY'RE NOT FOCUSED ON THE CHILDREN THAT THAT THEY'RE JUST FOCUSED ON THE BOTTOM LINE AND BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE'S NO NOSE ANSWER THE QUESTION OF WHERE THIS MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM.

HE HAS THAT ANSWER.

I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW FOLKS ON TODAY OR LATE LAST NIGHT, WBZ REPORTED HE'S CONSIDERING OR PLANNING TO MAKE AN OFFER AT THE TABLE OF 5% RAISES.

AND SO WILL WILL.

THE TEACHERS UNION SAY, OK, WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN WORK WITH.

DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL CREATE SOME SORT OF BREAKTHROUGH.

I'M NOT SURE.

I JUST THINK IT'S IT'S I IT'S AN INTERESTING TIME RIGHT HERE AGAIN, WHERE YOU'VE GOT.

YEAH, YOU'VE GOT A NEGOTIATIONS.

WERE HOT AND THEY HAVE THIS PUBLIC SESSIONS SPECIFIC ABOUT FINANCES ON AUGUST 13TH AND ON AUGUST 14TH.

NEWS LEAKS THAT RON JOHNSON WANTS TO REPLACE HIM.

I JUST THINK THERE'S TIMING THINGS HERE THAT TO ME, YOU CANNOT TO COUPLE THIS CHATTER AND YOU KNOW, RUMOR MILL ABOUT HIS POSITION FROM THE NEGOTIATION.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES.

I'M SURE AT THE TABLE THERE.

STEVE, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF BUT IT'S JUST GOING TO SAY THE RISK BRANDON JOHNSON AND THIS IS I THINK A LOT CHICAGOANS AND NO PEDRO MARTINEZ WAS BEFORE THIS WHOLE KERFUFFLE AND AND AND A LOT OF THEM DO NOW AND A LOT OF THEM LIKE THE FACT THAT HE IS TAKING THE POSITION THAT HE HAS THEIR TAXPAYERS.

JOHNSON'S NOT A PARTICULARLY POPULAR MAYOR.

I THINK WE KNOW THAT HIS HIS HIS RATINGS ARE VERY, VERY LOW HEAT.

HE'S TAKING A BIG RISK IN MY OPINION IN IN BEING THE HEAVY IN THE BAD GUY PUSHING OUT SOMEBODY WHO PEOPLE ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO KIND OF LIKE IS THIS IS FLOATED AND TIMES.

NO, BUT I DO THINK THAT IT IS INTERESTING IF YOU GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WHEN HE WAS SPECIFICALLY ASKED, HOW WILL YOU BE?

YOU KNOW, HOW WILL YOU BE ACROSS THE TABLE FROM YOUR FRIENDS OF THE TEACHERS UNION AND HE SAID BETTER TO DELIVER BAD NEWS TO A FRIEND AND A FRIEND.

AND I DON'T KNOW THAT I SEE HIM TAKING ON THAT ROLE.

TO DELIVER ANY SORT OF BAD NEWS OR GET, YOU KNOW, GET IF YOU HAVE THEM SIT MICE.

MIGHT LOOK REALLY NOT GOOD FOR RIGHT IN MIDDLE OF NEGOTIATIONS.

ACTUALLY, IT'S AND GOING GOING TO GET HIS CRITICS FUEL.

AND IT'S IT LOOKS AS THOUGH HE'S NOT REALLY A NEUTRAL PLAYER HERE THAT HE REALLY IS TAKING THE SIDE TEACHERS UNIONS AND SAND AGAINST CPS INTERESTING.

AND I THINK FROM WHEN MARTINEZ WAS ON THIS PROGRAM, HE SAID IN TERMS OF KILLING BUDGET GAP, HE SAID SCHOOLS AND CLOSING ANY ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS WHEN SUMMERTIME LIFTS WILL NOT BE SOMETHING THAT HE CONSIDERS UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP.

BUT I KNOW THAT THAT IS ON THE TABLE ELSEWHERE.

SO THAT, WE ARE OUT OF TIME.

OUR THANKS TO LAURA WASHINGTON SHOULD THINKING BACK EVP STEVE DANIELS.

WE WILL GET BACK TO WRAP THINGS UP RIGHT AFTER THIS.

CHICAGO TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE ALEXANDER AND JOHN NICHOLS FAMILY.

THE POPE BROTHERS FOUNDATION, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY.

AND THAT IS OUR SHOW FOR THIS FRIDAY HOPEFULLY FOR MOST OF YOU IS A LONG WEEKEND.

DON'T FORGET, YOU CAN GET CHICAGO TONIGHT AND THE WE CAN REVIEW STREAMED ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND ON OUR WEBSITE.

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO IT'S CALLED THE DAILY CHICAGO AND YOU CAN FIND IT AT W T TW DOT COM SLASH NEWSLETTER.

NOW FOR THAT, WE CAN REVIEW MY MUM AND IF ANY THANKS FOR WATCHING, STAY HEALTHY AND SAFE AND GOOD NIGHT.

THE LABOR DAY WEEKEND.

LET'S CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION.

CHICAGO OPENING VALLEYS TO COME THROUGH.

WAS AN EMOTIONAL AT ALL TO SEE TRIBUNE PUBLISHING PLANT KNOCKED DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR I THINK FOR SOME SOME PEOPLE WAS I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T A LOT LOVE, THOUGH, WORKING COMPARED SAY TRIBUTE.

YEAH.

YEAH.

SO.

AND WHAT DO YOU THINK MORE ABOUT FOR THAT MATTER ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY THE CASINO'S I THINK THE WILL BE OPERATIONAL THAT BRING.

WE STILL HOPE ASPIRATION I KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING START OPERATING AND WE DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO FULLY OPERATES.

SO I THINK THAT THE GOAL IS DONE BY 26.

SO FACT BUT ANYTHING IN THERE AND SOME NUMBERS.

CLOSED CAPTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY ROBERT A CLIFF AND CLIFFORD LAW.

PERSONAL INJURY LAW FIRM