>> Everyone, thanks for joining us on the week.

In review on the mend of in a cave Chicago public school students are off for 2 weeks when they return to class.

The district may well have a new head honcho reminded, by the way, this program is live at 5.30 if you're watching in 7th, the story may have advanced beyond discussion.

Now, Mayor Brandon Johnson, handpicked Board of Education is meeting this evening.

As I likely terminating CEO Pedro Martinez.

That is despite Johnson's public protestations, he hasn't been gunning former teams.

>> Is it still your wish to replace CPS CEO Peter Martino, are just lack of time, which are you speaking of to ever wished that before.

>> Are outlets have reported on steps your administration has taken to replace CPS CEO.

He such which steps.

>> Asking him to resign.

So you heard me ask him to resign.

We've reported on it based on sources.

Martinez reportedly threatening to sue if he's fired the board of Education appears poised to settle his future just weeks before elected school board members take their seats some incoming members are urging the board wait.

They elected They wanted independent voices.

Give us an opportunity to get on the board.

>> do our due diligence.

Meanwhile, the teachers union wants a new contract wrapped in under the tree by Christmas.

Well, there's tumult at CPS.

Chicago did pass city budget before the holidays hit.

This has been one of the most expensive.

Budgetary process ease in the history of Chicago.

We have to be honest negotiators here with the administration and amongst ourselves.

>> And meet each other at a place true compromise.

And this is where we are at with this budget.

>> The plan raises a host of fees in order to avoid a 300 million dollar property tax increase to critics say it's not enough, but if you look how it's being paid for.

It's can Also on holiday break, the jury in the corruption trial against former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Prosecutors rested their case.

Madigan's defense team will get the next crack.

>> Joining us on our week in review panel, our quarterly Jay from the try that could from chalked the Chicago Maisel of Capitol News, Illinois and Jake Sheridan of the Chicago Tribune.

Now, Becky, and when to start with you, because you are resident education expert and as we are talking at about 5.30, in the evening Friday.

got a weird like pretty going into the holiday evening meeting of the Chicago Board of Education foremost on that agenda is the termination of Pedro Martinez.

What is the latest?

So the latest actually is that Pedro Martinez is legal team has filed in.

>> Court a request for a temporary restraining order and injunction against the school board a few hours earlier in the day today, his legal team did release a letter that they sent to board members basically trying to kind of lay out that this would be an off on lawful and improper termination.

And reason these for that, well, that he, you know, prior to the in their actually, there was a a detail in the letter about his performance evaluation, which was, I guess, given to him on Monday of this week.

That is in accordance with this contract.

He always gets evaluated in December.

It was a one page evaluation that Mark Martinez on satisfactory.

But his previous valuation last year from the previous board was pretty glowing and pretty pretty good.

And so his legal team is really trying to lay out the reasons why this is an unlawful termination.

If they do decide tonight to vote on terminating his contract.

Now there's another item on the agenda settlement agreement.

There have been all kinds of sort of possible scenarios floated that the board maybe could appoint a Co-CEO while Martinez finishes out a contract in the next 6 months.

Take until the end of the school year.

It is very fast moving very fast.

Moving, Jake, to what end is all of We know that, of course, this board is and picked appointed by Mayor Johnson.

But >> when elected board comes in Mid-January, he'll also have pix most of the border, at least those who want election together will account for a majority that had backing from CTU, which is it involved in all this as well?

Of course.

So why the rush?

>> Yeah, well, there are 2 major components of this right?

The mayor wants the CPS to take on high interest loans to help close its budget, help pay for its pension costs.

And he also wants the board and CBS to reach a contract agreement with CTU CTU Is You know where it comes from.

He was an organizer It was his most important base, both in people knocking on doors people give him money to run a campaign.

So they are paying close attention to what he does and it's really important them.

That's got to be comes through But again, he'll still have a majority of the port.

So why does this have to happen right now?

Right away.

>> Well, you know, this is a conversation that is months calming and it has been, I think interesting to see because I think the although he will still have 11 of the 21 members who he has appointed.

I will remind folks he appointed 7 members last year when he took office.

They resigned en masse in October because they didn't want.

>> To carry out this directive to you terminate Martinez's contract.

Ron, you know, because Martinez would get a payout and it is costly to depart with him.

They didn't think he was doing anything wrong and that there was anything for cause to fire him for >> and I think you know, coming up in January, you do have.

People voices on the school board, even though they may come not constitute a majority voices on the school board.

That certainly will you know, oppose these moves.

I think the other thing that I should note in the time line here is that, you know, the CTU and CPS did enter a process of mediation or a mediation arbitration a few months with their negotiations.

And that timeline was supposed to take us to sometime in Mid-January when a mediator would put out on the table, kind of here's what we think a reasonable settlement would be and maybe they're waiting because that that report could not fall in the union's favor necessarily.

That report might say, well, we think this is a reasonable settlement and maybe the new wouldn't get, you know, the things that is hoping to should also may be no.

And this is something that folks, maybe it's not front and center, but the union will have their own internal election come spring.

Stacy Davis Gates, one of the mayor's top allies will be up within her union for her own reelection in May.

So I, you know, delivering a contract sooner than later is is a good thing for her, particularly contracts.

It has a hefty raises.

And a lot of the other asks in terms of education that members of the sea to have been asked, sure are.

And, you know, the contract did expire last June.

>> If you're a teacher in the school system, you again, the sooner the better and I think there's just a desire to get the contract settled by a lot of parties and including the people at CPS, I would say and Martinez himself.

clearly, what is your impression?

Somebody who doesn't, you know, cover the board, but of course, cover city Hall politics.

Is this something that is we've talked about is going to help the mayor because it is what his base wants or is this?

>> Harmful?

Because I imagine a lot of people who aren't overly keyed in to the Board of Education or who Pedro Martinez's know that name by I think that allowed opponents will use fire against him.

But again, you know, you see is base kind of like for the dividing from Johnson.

So it'll be interesting to see what happens, especially if the termination happens tonight.

>> Can you weigh in on that?

>> You know, I I think this has been a long and drawn-out fight is Corley was saying, you know, that has made the mayor look pretty bad in some ways.

You know, I think people have heard a case over and over again from Pedro Martinez about know, his own vision is is fine.

And you know that taking on loans might be a financial risk for the I think it really puts a lot of the mares decisions.

And the question does feed into fodder that he is in?

>> Doing the bidding of the sea to you?

>> I mean, I definitely think you know, it's reasonable to think that at this point.

>> you know, obviously he is very close said, you know, that is where he comes from.

But, you know, to Jake's point on the taking on more debt, Springfield has made it abundantly clear multiple times that the state is not gonna be able to step in and fill any budget gaps for CPS.

You know, the state is going to be facing its own kind of fiscal cliff in the spring.

And so, you know, to it to have plan that is, you know, not forward-facing, not long-term thinking, you know, that can only come back to bite.

You if they take out where is the money going to come from to pay it back Yeah, I think it's worth noting, too, that for many years CPS did engage with a lot of borrowing and has a lot of debt on its books already.

>> And I there's think, a valid argument he made that the the district.

Just as they are facing a cliff that a lot of governments are facing as federal COVID relief dollars are running out and they, you know, putting forward us short-term borrowing solution is not entirely unreasonable concept.

When you are like, oh, wow, suddenly we're on this cliff and rather than do something drastic, we would do something short term.

And like I said, the district used to do a lot of that short-term borrowing before in 2017 when the state approved new funding formula to put all schools on sort of a ramp toward getting more funding.

We're still on that ramp.

And I think the >> the mayor is arguing, listen, like we we should get more under that evidence base for me.

A lot and we wish we could get it now, but we're not going to get now.

So when we take a short-term loan to get us to that point and the whole objective to training are going And I think there's, you know, from >> the philosophy of the mayor even certainly the CTU has argued like.

>> Chicago, Public Schools have.

>> Suffered from underfunding for many years.

>> That said, I think Pedro Martinez and his administration.

You know, have been very fiscally thoughtful.

And I think they're trying to think also long term because if you want great schools and you want those great schools to thrive, taking short-term on top of all of this pasta is also not smart.

Even if you did in the past doesn't mean you should keep doing you know, I hear, you know, in conversations with people in Springfield is Of course, recognize the, you know, long-term underfunding of CPS.

But they also see CPS's numbers continue to go down in terms of enrollment.

And, you know, they wonder, you know, should there be.

>> Or restructure.

Should we think more about, you know, actual restructuring and yes, that does, of course, you know, bring into play school closures and at you know, we have, you know, moratorium that.

But reason a lot of pain community thing.

23 very, very painful >> Other people are saying, you know, we really should look at and maybe it doesn't have to be as painful and maybe that's being being a little pine Pollyanna ish.

But, you know, that's what I'm hearing.

I think also this is another not to get too big picture, but I do think it speaks to something that this mayor still seems to be on a learning curve with which is just how do you.

>> it can't be all or nothing.

It can't be so black and white.

There has to be some sort of compromise and tennis point, yes, enrollment has been down and yes, like the district has benefited from this federal COVID relief money.

But it kind of did like paper over a structural issue.

And and maybe there's maybe there is a middle ground.

And I think trying to find a path for the district.

2, right, its fiscal ship without being risky is something that he surely leading that conversation.

And I don't see So before close the books on this, a final question of is the legal action and what is going on.

We do.

We anticipate anybody here that that is enough to give the board pause or >> as this is evolving, we don't know what's going on.

This Pedro is and Martinez is gone regardless.

I will say this.

I don't think tonight's meeting the ongoing drought.

I think there will be more to come and >> maybe will begin.

It will be at the beginning of the end of this.

But I think there will be new chapters this.

No way.

No.

How is that the end over this?

but we do happen and 2 other has been playing out at City Hall.

>> And that, of course, is this ongoing discussion of what was going to make up the 2025 city budget.

And after 4 times that was evidently the charm of Different variations of proposals, Corley that got budget past.

Yes, a for time how.

>> I think the it depends on where you are.

If you see it as a it was a lot of tension, month-long debate, you know, and it opened up a lie, maybe for some things that maybe a lot of people speculated that divide between the progressive caucus and him.

You know, we all the people hadn't come out kind of scrutinize the and say, you know, he was anything but Democratic in this process.

But she voted yes.

But you have other artists like under basket, morning, know, and also had the same kind criticism of the mayor.

So has a very narrow lead.

27 to 23, but I'm definitely glad they get out before Christmas.

You it's a relief to so many employees and others who depend government unprecedented.

But as you noted, >> just really alienating factions, including members of the progressive caucus that he is generally aligned with.

>> Now, Johnson says that this final product is a result of his making changes based on all the persons feedback.

Critics, though, say this exercise ruined their trust in him.

>> If you had 10 ammonia fittipaldo.

We better get on the right track with distrust because they everybody's dog distressing.

We got a problem.

>> So does he recognize that he needs to mend relationships?

Can he, Jake?

>> You know, I'm not sure he recognizes that needs mend these relationships he stalked really celebratory tone Monday after the vote he definitely use.

This is a win he views you continues to call himself a collaborator in chief.

He continues to say I had the most open process of of any budget process ever in Chicago.

A lot of all there's don't feel that including the alders that he absolutely needs to do anything in the city council to get to 25 votes.

The progresses.

Even the ones that voted, a lot of them squarely pointed out.

put an Asterix on that.

They said, well, I'm passing I'm voting for this budget because it is.

Almost the end of the month.

We do want to have a shutdown.

So >> I'm not really sure the for praise.

There are suggestions, though, Don, is that actually care?

Let's play another sought another bite here.

This is to Johnson's budget director was actually in Chicago tonight earlier this week and she said that the reason the mayor had predicated his spending plan on that wiped out in the final version, 300 million Dollar Property tax hike was because that is a stable future looking revenue source.

>> So that in out years we can depend upon revenues that are gonna come in and property taxes are the most stable for municipalities to put in place.

>> To that end, the property tax that he had originally put out there is not part of this in any capacity.

How is that?

Not a compromise?

So it's a good point.

There was definitely compromise that occurred here.

I think alderman a lot of aldermen feel that information.

>> On a >> specific departments and spends wasn't shared with them quickly enough for them to make informed recommendations on what should happen.

And, you know, there was a whole half of the council that was calling for cuts, but didn't really materialize and the way that they hope for the mayor is opposed to them for, you know, find reasons you know, because he deeply believes that government shouldn't be shrunk.

He doesn't believe in austerity.

And that was important for him to, you know, continue to have the support of the labor community and to continue to keep Chicagoans who, you know, they might not like paying for everything, but they might also not want to see their services cut to keep those folks happy.

So, you know, there was some compromise, but I think also the process the way things played out, the kind of suddenness of some of the changes and lack of communication about them security even terms of as we heard earlier that clip, I find so striking that exchange with a reporter where he was >> really seemingly denying publicly that he wanted Martinez out, despite reporting from the Tribune this week that leaked a memo making it very clear he, in fact, for a month has been trying to push out the CEO Corley.

Is this just a structural issue with the budget overall or is this emblematic of?

The wave?

It Johnson leads.

I just think they it is an example of city council becoming more independent anyway, you know, a little bit with the pushback Lightfoot.

You know, listen, I'm a little less definitely Bailey and I spoke on the woman, Janet Taylor and she kind of talk about that like.

>> She was saying how she was surprised that many people thought causes more so slow when she was like this is what democracy looks like.

This should be pushed back against the mayor.

You know, it shouldn't just be all.

Yes, we do this.

You know, they all have different needs and wants of the people in and they're worth a constituents.

So we're seeing more of and I think as far as the property tax thing, I think that it is an example of kind of working and not just taking take it or leave it.

But also in that same vein, I think some the people also want a post Johnson anyway, right?

You see that they had a problem with property taxes and then once they were gone, it was a problem with something else.

And that was something that all the women just 20 this point out, it will have people that opposition with the mayor no matter just because of who he So you always get that position because he's coming from that kind of I believe, a progressive background, you know, as the organizer and you have the opponents of that that just don't like it.

>> And just why it's so odd to me he would spend a lot more time and energy then to solidify his allies.

I mean, I think that that is what is sort of so surprising or not.

This process.

If you know that you have people in the council who will oppose everything because we're just philosophically dessell lined then, you know, being able to work with your allies and not.

I mean, I think not.

It sounds like there's some maybe things happening behind closed doors where there is not the trust is not.

Do you say are going to be one thing that you don't do?

Another thing?

I mean.

I don't know enough about that.

I know, you know, the example the top of the show and him saying he didn't ask Martinez too resign when now we have proof that he did like that.

So ally.

And when put that out and lie, there's great ability will then think, OK, well, can I trust what you're saying and so the distrust from no, that's okay.

But like from his allies of surprising.

Ben, surprising to me.

I'm definitely very well into that.

And we have just a couple minutes left because I want to go to the Hana Show Mannequin Trial.

But Jake.

>> in terms of the budget, he again did propose this property tax increase breaking a huge campaign pledge.

But now there's a lot of nickel and dime fees.

Is this going there?

How does this resonate?

You think the Chicago risk?

Yeah.

Well, you know, when Chicago and see subscription fees rise, businesses are going to see.

>> Cloud computing taxes.

Parking is gonna get a little more expensive.

Among lot of things.

It's going to be really interesting to see.

But I think compared to a property tax, lot more spread out.

I think Chicagoans are going to feel this last than homeowners would have felt a 300 million dollars that's recognized it last perhaps is because same amount of money coming in.

All right.

>> Hanna to you because it was a big week in the long going trial against longtime House former House Speaker Michael Madigan, where the prosecution this week wrapped its case.

What stood out to you?

Did they make the case that night against I mean, that's it's up to the 12 jurors who are ultimately on that panel in that room.

>> But, you know, they've mounted 9 almost 9 weeks of testimony.

And in this case, they called 50 witnesses.

And, you know, 2 star witnesses to, you know, people were secretly cooperating with the FBI, you know, tons of material, tons of tapes tied for the most compelling.

I mean, I definitely think that the things that will stick with the jurors because, again, just such a long trial.

And we also have these to, you know, 2 weeks of break.

And I wonder what will stick with But I do think that the things that they saw on those tapes, the videotapes on some of the wiretapped phone calls, the things that are going to stick with them because if you actually you know, biologically in coded into their brain differently, then, you know, the qna that goes by so fast.

In all of those, you know, do guess actually, let's go forward and minute because?

>> Now the prosecution has rested its case Madigan's defense team gets to go next.

We have any inclination as to what line they are going to argue before jurors.

>> Well, you know, they're arguing, as they've argued all along because they've, you know, been very effective in their cross-examination of all of these government witnesses.

You know, they're arguing that this was just normal lobbying.

It was bribery that the Kings were, you know, done in the normal course.

It just because, you know, Madigan had a certain way of talking just because his co defendant Mike mclane longtime state House lobbyist, head of a certain way of talking doesn't mean that there, you know, corrupt, that was no crop dealing and that there was no quid pro quo.

Of course, the government, you know, he's tried to make the case that these relationships constituted.

What's you know, there's a stream of benefits theory.

theory, you know, especially when we're talking the comment bills that got through Springfield in the years, 2011 to 2019 and, you know, alleged that it was because of these jobs and contracts.

That comment gave to mapping and allies.

You know, I I also think that a lot of the things that when Alderman Danny Solis for Alderman Dennis you know, the FBI informant was on the stand.

A lot of those things when it came to Meghan's private property tax law firm, those are the things that are also going to stick with.

The jurors because they heard so very much.

They saw so much on those tapes.

And, you know, they're going to have to decide whether, you know, it a cropped solicitation you know, these property tax businesses, these real estate developers that Alderman introduced Madigan to just a business deal.

We've got about 10 seconds left to lose.

So, Jake, I'm gonna put you on the spot here it talked about former Alderman Danny Solis on the stand.

Is this something you think members of the city Council are are watching?

>> You know, there have been a lot of corruption trials court after the Burke went on.

Yeah, you know, I will be more someday, but it's I'm sure they're watching.

but you know, whether lessons will be learned, we'll And then in that holiday at time.

So our thanks to Carly V B Hannah Maisel.

>> And pictured and we will be back to wrap things up right after this.

>> Tonight's presentation of Chicago Tonight Week in review is made possible in part by and and rich car.

Bnsf railway, Francine and Doctor Anthony Brown.

And the moment, however, progressive philanthropic fund in honor of them and how supporting quality journalism.

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>> And that is our show for this Friday night, my last of the year.

But be sure to join us next Friday.

It's going to be a special year in review.

Looking at the biggest stories of 2024, no forget you can get Chicago tonight and the week in review streamed on Facebook, YouTube and our website now for the Week in review on the mend of any keep.

Thanks for watching and happy holidays.

>> And by the way, of course, you can check our website as well as years to find out what is going on at the CPS board meeting.

Let's turn, however, to something else.

>> guess Illinois has additional people.

Now.

Some 68,000 more according to latest census figures.

This after losing population.

Why is that?

It's mostly on international migration.

That's to think we are finally kind losing fewer residents to other states.

>> you know, relative to before, but we're still second in out migration to your second.

Yeah.

>> In the nation, yes.

And he told that now by.

>> Closed captioning is made