On Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson (D-IL) held a press briefing.
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00:00:00Everyone, thank you for being here. Happy Earth Day to all. We just returned from Alt-Gale Gardens, where the Executive Director of People for Community Recovery, Cheryl Johnson, gave us an environmental justice tour this morning.
00:00:19Today, seeing the impacts of pollution on the Alt-Gale Gardens community serves as a strong reminder that we still have so much work to do to make up for the systemic problem of excessive industrial pollution, which mainly affects communities of color.
00:00:41Last week, we introduced the Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, letting us take the first step toward addressing this problem and ensuring that every Chicagoan can breathe clean air, no matter what zip code they live in.
00:00:58The introduction of this ordinance is not only about regulation, it's about transformation.
00:01:04It's about listening to community voices and honoring lived experiences and putting justice at the center of our climate work.
00:01:12And more importantly, it is about ensuring that no one's health is sacrificed.
00:01:18So today, we are celebrating Earth Day. We are reminded that fighting for environment means fighting for the people of this beloved city.
00:01:29I'm sure we can all agree that clean air, clean water, and a safe and healthy place to live are fundamental human rights.
00:01:37And these rights must be guaranteed in every single neighborhood and corner of our city.
00:01:43My administration is not just responding to the harms of the past.
00:01:48We are also planting the seeds for a more sustainable future for generations to come.
00:01:53And through initiatives like our roots, we are expanding the tree canopy in areas that lack tree cover.
00:02:02We are investing in green stormwater infrastructure planning to reduce flooding and improve stormwater management.
00:02:10Through the climate infrastructure fund, we are supporting local businesses and organizations, making investments in sustainability.
00:02:20And through our Green Homes Chicago program, we are making homes more energy efficient, lowering utility costs, and reducing emissions.
00:02:31Together, these efforts are part of a broader vision, one that not only prepares our communities for the changing climate, but also the impact of community safety.
00:02:44Bringing people together in clean, green public spaces is critical in changing the way our communities interact by creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
00:02:56So this Earth Day, we are grateful that I was joined by my wife, the First Lady of this beloved city, which this is an important area of focus for her.
00:03:06Let's continue to take a moment to celebrate the work that we have already done and challenge ourselves to continue the work needed to secure a cleaner, greener, and a more sustainable future.
00:03:18And so thank you all.
00:03:19And with that, I will turn it over to our Deputy Mayor for Community Safety, Gary and Gatewood, who has a short presentation on how the investments that we are making are driving violence down in our city.
00:03:35Thank you, Mayor Johnson.
00:03:36Good morning, everyone.
00:03:37Gary and Gatewood, Deputy Mayor of Community Safety.
00:03:41Y'all all right?
00:03:42We're good?
00:03:43Cool.
00:03:44So we do have a short presentation.
00:03:46We'll talk a bit about some of the journey in crime that we've been seeing around the city, crime trends.
00:03:51And, you know, I know historically we've talked about crime as a year over year.
00:03:56So we'll talk a bit about the history.
00:03:58We'll talk about some of the work that's happened this year in comparison to last year as well, too.
00:04:02We'll start with homicides.
00:04:04Homicides are always the focal point in the city of Chicago.
00:04:07As you can see, we went all the way back to 2016 up through 2024, where obviously we all know there was a spike in homicides in 2016.
00:04:16We saw another spike in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
00:04:21And you've also seen a pretty precipitous drop on a consistent basis since that time.
00:04:27This tracks with some of the things that we're seeing nationally, but unlike other places, we have very distinct issues here in the city of Chicago.
00:04:34We have a lot of interpersonal issues, and it takes a full force of government approach to actually address these crimes and the violence that we've been able to see.
00:04:43This comes from the work with our Chicago Police Department.
00:04:46This comes with the work of our community violence interrupters, our victim services partners, all literally working together to help continue to drive crime and these trends down.
00:04:55So, again, we've seen from 2024 to 2016 around a 25% decrease.
00:05:02Similar numbers in 2020, 2021, and 2022 compared to 2024 of last year.
00:05:08And as we stand today in the city of Chicago, year to date right now we're sitting at a 24.7% decrease in homicides in our city.
00:05:18For the month, this month alone, we are at a 56% decrease in homicides from April this year to April of last year.
00:05:26So, we're going to continue that work, and obviously we know it's important to continue to drive those trends down.
00:05:32I'll go to the next slide and talk a bit about, again, we talked about homicides when our shooting incidents are also down.
00:05:39So, our shooting incidents have dropped 30% over that same timeframe.
00:05:43And if you pay attention to this red portion here at the top, the red line, it highlights our robberies.
00:05:49We saw a pretty significant spike in robberies in the city of Chicago.
00:05:53And this was last year where robberies continue to go up, and the mayor had a conversation with the superintendent and the leadership over at CPD.
00:06:02We've also had conversations with our street outreach partners and created a robbery task force.
00:06:08Since the inception of the robbery task force, we have seen a 37% decrease in robberies year to date.
00:06:16And for the month, we are sitting at a 45% decrease in robberies.
00:06:20The robbery task force is the members of the Bureau of Detectives, the Bureau of Counterterrorism, and the Bureau of Patrol,
00:06:30all working together with other law enforcement entities and partners on the ground to help drive robberies down in our city.
00:06:37I know you all spent a lot of time on robberies because it was covered a lot in the media last year.
00:06:42So, really thinking about ways that we could address robberies along with other trends that we were seeing.
00:06:46So, we've continued to see a decline in that area, and again, I think that's a big piece of the collaboration and partnership that we've continued to see,
00:06:53not only in the police department but across our agencies, including OEMC, the Office of Emergency Management Communications.
00:07:01And we'll talk about our violent crimes from 2024 to 2025.
00:07:07You know, 2024, again, that was our first year since 2019 that we were under 600 homicides in the city of Chicago.
00:07:15We have continued to see those decreases so far this year.
00:07:20We're sitting at a 23% decrease in all violent crime across the city.
00:07:24So, that is nearly, well, that's around 1,700 fewer violent crimes than we were at last year.
00:07:30At this point in the year, a 24% reduction in homicides so far this year as well, and a 31% decrease in shootings.
00:07:39Beyond the numbers, these are the families and the lives that we're impacting across the entire city, meaning these are families that continue to have experiences in our city.
00:07:49These are people who were victims last year who are no longer victims now.
00:07:54These are resources that we're putting in communities and we're working hand in hand.
00:07:58I know a lot of, we did a lot of work last summer as well on our series on Take Back the Block.
00:08:03We had six Take Back the Block events last year.
00:08:07And I'll highlight one on Madison and Leamington.
00:08:10We were in the 15th district a couple of weeks back and we talked to the commander over there.
00:08:15Since we launched that Take Back the Block on Madison and Leamington, that area, that four block radius, has seen over a 40% decrease in crime.
00:08:23The reason I tell you that story is it is important to know that not only are we addressing root causes, we're also addressing rapid responses to this work and the decrease in crime that we're seeing across the city.
00:08:35I promise the presentation will be short so we can get the questions and I'm going to put us back on the home screen and we can open it and pass it back to the mayor.
00:08:42So we're going to open up the Q&A.
00:08:44Thank you to our deputy mayor.
00:08:46And thank you to all the residents of the city of Chicago who have committed themselves to building a better, stronger, safer Chicago.
00:08:52And our investments are up and violence is down.
00:08:55And I'm looking forward to the work that we will continue to do together.
00:08:58Okay.
00:08:59So we have time for one question, one follow up.
00:09:01We're just going to do questions today.
00:09:02Thanks.
00:09:03Hey, Mayor.
00:09:05Hi, Mayor.
00:09:06So I think we're anticipating some bill in Springfield on regional transit up here.
00:09:13You know, how involved have you been in that?
00:09:15What do you want to see in that bill?
00:09:18I believe you're against consolidation, but what level of new coordination kind of mix there?
00:09:24And then also, how do you think they should fund, you know, a new funding source?
00:09:31And would you be acceptable to any taxes imposed upon Chicagoans for that?
00:09:35Well, look, I think there's no secret that our transit system is grossly underfunded.
00:09:42The city of Chicago, I think we make up roughly 87% of the overall ridership for the entire region.
00:09:50And what we're asking for is pretty straightforward, just equitable distribution of those resources.
00:09:55As far as the source of those resources, that's something that, you know, Springfield will have the opportunity to debate.
00:10:02It has to be progressive, right?
00:10:04That's something that I think most people are clear about.
00:10:07You know, and, you know, in terms of our involvement, we've been involved in, you know, every step of the way.
00:10:13Really grateful for the leadership of the CTA that has worked in coordination with our entire team.
00:10:19Our budget and finance team meet with the governor on a regular basis.
00:10:23Those relationships are critical to having an economy that works for everyone.
00:10:28But, you know, I'm going to remain optimistic and hopeful that the city of Chicago receives its just due,
00:10:35particularly at a time when the federal government continues to threaten our democracy,
00:10:38as well as everything that's sensible about how we generate revenue for working people.
00:10:43This potential new entity, would you fight any proposal that somewhat watered down the mayor's, you know, ability to make appointments to that board,
00:10:56you know, some level of control that the city of Chicago currently has?
00:10:59Well, as I said, you know, the city of Chicago, we make up 87% of the ridership and the contribution to our transit system.
00:11:08It is only right to ensure that the people of Chicago have authority to provide direction.
00:11:15And that's something that it's important to our region.
00:11:18And that's the value system that we will hold to.
00:11:22Hi, Mayor.
00:11:23Two months ago, you formed a task force and charged it with examining city policies in an effort to recommend changes
00:11:31that would root out Chicago police officers with ties to extremist and anti-government organizations.
00:11:38How many times has that task force meant and what have they accomplished?
00:11:42Yeah, thank you for that question.
00:11:44As you know, I'm committed to ensuring that every single city employee represents the values of working people.
00:11:52And, you know, whether they're a police officer or a teacher or anyone who works in street and sanitation, they have to uphold those principles.
00:12:00But I'll allow my deputy mayor to expound on that work.
00:12:05Thank you, Mayor.
00:12:06Thank you for the question, Heather.
00:12:08So, as you mentioned, the task force was formed a couple of months ago.
00:12:11We've had several meetings, including meetings as the entire group and individual meetings to have a better sense of what's happening in every department.
00:12:18We're not only looking at the Chicago Police Department because, as the mayor mentioned, rooting out extremism in other agencies across the city is a priority, right?
00:12:26We want the best quality people working for the city of Chicago.
00:12:29And that's a part of that work.
00:12:30You also have impeccable timing because our next task force meeting is tomorrow.
00:12:34So, this will be the third official meeting in that two-month span.
00:12:37We have around four meetings after that.
00:12:39We'll take our recommendations with our partners over at CCPSA, sharing with the mayor.
00:12:45And then we'll make our recommendations public and make sure we get that public input and that partnership there.
00:12:50So, looking forward to those recommendations and having a better sense of what is happening, what can be improved upon, and when people can expect results.
00:12:58And I'll just follow up with you, if you don't mind.
00:13:01When is there a deadline for that recommendation going to the CCPSA from the task force?
00:13:06Well, CCPSA is a part of the task force.
00:13:08So, they're working with us on those recommendations.
00:13:10They know the timeline that we're working on as well.
00:13:13And, as I mentioned, we have a meeting tomorrow and four additional meetings after that.
00:13:17Because, as you know, we're leading into the summer.
00:13:19I may be a little busier during the summer than I am now.
00:13:22So, we'll try to make sure we get things wrapped up before then, making sure that work is quality, presented to the mayor, presented to the public, and go from there.
00:13:29Is there a need for greater public updates on this work?
00:13:33Inspector General Deborah Wissberg's recommendation urged this task force to update the public periodically.
00:13:39This is the first time I've heard anything about this.
00:13:42Does there need to be more transparency into its work?
00:13:45Well, look, I mean, I think that's a fair question.
00:13:47Look, there's a lot of work that we're doing in the city of Chicago, responding to a variety of things.
00:13:51You know, again, there's nothing surreptitious about our administration.
00:13:56The information that we put forward is information that is ultimately improving the lives of people.
00:14:02And, you know, that's why this public forum is important, too.
00:14:05There are multiple ways in which information can be transferred.
00:14:08And we're going to use every single means to ensure that people of Chicago know that those who work for this city, not just in our police department, share their values.
00:14:17Thank you for taking the question, Mayor.
00:14:19I wanted to ask you about the working group that you've set up yesterday with the executive order.
00:14:24And are you surprised?
00:14:26I know.
00:14:27So the city of Chicago, as you've talked about, has had long-term budget issues, deficits annually, debt, pension-related issues.
00:14:37So why is it that you wanted to set up this working group now and not at the beginning of your administration two years ago?
00:14:43Well, look, here's what's important here, is that you have an administration that is committed to working with everyone, right?
00:14:53And that's what we've done.
00:14:54We closed the deficit in my first budget working with people.
00:14:58We closed the deficit in my second budget working with people.
00:15:03We're taking a more strident approach because, you know, the circumstances have changed dramatically, right?
00:15:09You know, the Trump takeover is real.
00:15:12And, you know, he threatens the very fabric of our democracy.
00:15:16And what you have probably noticed is that this is not just isolated in the city of Chicago.
00:15:22Having conversations with people like Mayor Bass.
00:15:25We know what's happening in the state of Maryland.
00:15:27We know what's happening in the state of Illinois.
00:15:29Budgets across this country are grossly underfunded and dealing with the same challenges.
00:15:35Here's an opportunity for the city of Chicago to lead the way to further demonstrate our commitment to a collaborative approach.
00:15:42Now, look, we take full responsibility for what we've inherited.
00:15:46We know that a couple of administrations ago raised property taxes by almost a half a billion dollars every single year, left our credit rating in junk status, right?
00:15:56It was an incredibly anti-business approach towards governance.
00:16:00We're taking on a different task here.
00:16:03And that task is to ensure that the future of our budget is secure.
00:16:08This is not just about one or two budgets.
00:16:10But in terms of just the timing, I'll turn it over to our budget director.
00:16:13She can expound more on that.
00:16:15Yeah, I mean, I think the mayor encapsulated this pretty well, right?
00:16:21We are facing threats at every single level of government that are unique to this time period, right?
00:16:27I think that what's happening at the federal level has only heightened our resolve to ensure that the city is in a position to withstand those types of attacks in the future.
00:16:37But we're also seeing that the state is having pressures as well.
00:16:41And so we've got to put our city in the best position possible to address and deal with issues on its own while working with partners at the federal and state level where we can.
00:16:57And we think that the best way to do that is to bring a bunch of voices to the table because, as you know, people are always commenting on our budget.
00:17:05People have always commented on what they think we should do without actually engaging in the conversation with the city itself.
00:17:11And so this is the chance for everyone to get at the table together and have those discussions.
00:17:15And are you open to options such as layoffs at this point?
00:17:20I know that's been something that you have not supported in the past.
00:17:23Well, who supports layoffs?
00:17:25I don't know anybody who supports layoffs.
00:17:27Or service cuts.
00:17:28Or service cuts, right.
00:17:29As I said earlier, you know, our ability to continue and to sustain staffing and services at the level in which we've done is threatened by the federal government.
00:17:40I shouldn't even refer to them as threats anymore.
00:17:44I mean, these are real attacks.
00:17:45And, listen, despite how incorrigible this president is, it's not going to dilute our work.
00:17:51What we are offering here is a pathway forward.
00:17:54And the voices that have been historically neglected and have not been permitted to participate in our budget process, we're giving voice to those individuals.
00:18:03And, listen, this is the culmination and the manifestation, quite frankly, of our community meetings that we've had.
00:18:12We literally went all over the city of Chicago for residents to voice their hopes and aspirations into our budget.
00:18:20We're growing as a result of what it means to be an administration that is committed to co-governance.
00:18:26And I'm very proud of the direction that our budget director has helped move us in.
00:18:33And as I said before, this is a problem that is literally all over the country.
00:18:38We're taking an approach that, you know, might be more unique just because of the historic entanglements as well as the lack of willingness to cooperate with a variety of voices.
00:18:51And we're doing that. I'm proud of it.
00:18:53We've got to keep moving, Shruti.
00:18:55I don't know if we're in a unique position.
00:18:59Thank you for getting that extra one in there.
00:19:01All I'm saying is that this is not just Chicago, right?
00:19:05My good friend in Los Angeles, Mayor Bass, is doing an exceptional job.
00:19:10And, you know, we're not having a conversation about how we respond in this moment.
00:19:18You can't start off with cuts.
00:19:20That's just not how you start the conversation.
00:19:23You start the conversation with, you know, how do we, first of all, find ways to be more productive?
00:19:29How do we make sure that, you know, we're able to strengthen and streamline our services in a way that saves dollars, right?
00:19:37What are the revenue options that people have that we should be exploring?
00:19:41You know, again, nobody wants to cut services, especially because, you know, the great concentration of our budget is in public safety, right?
00:19:54And so we're going to do everything that we can to continue to bring people together to have budgets that match the values of working people.
00:20:00And I would just add, I would challenge you, Shruti.
00:20:03I know that you cover not just the city of Chicago, but I would challenge you to go look really deeply at what other cities are facing right now.
00:20:09It's almost eerie to the degree of how the challenges of the city of Chicago mirror exactly the city of L.A., the city of New York, like, eerie.
00:20:20And so I think that what you'll find is cities are at the front lines of dealing with the hopes and aspirations that people who are residents and business owners of those communities are dealing with.
00:20:35And so when it comes to that, those municipalities need all the tools possible to meet those needs and to provide, you know, working people, business owners, and those that come in and enjoy that city the services that they desire, the services that they expect, and the services that, frankly, they deserve.
00:20:56And so he's right, you know, I've had conversations with the city of L.A. and other cities throughout the country.
00:21:03We're not in a unique position.
00:21:06Good afternoon, Mayor.
00:21:08Good afternoon.
00:21:09Almost exactly a year ago, you unveiled a proposal for the domed stadium for the Bears on the lakefront.
00:21:19This week, we're hearing that Arlington Heights is starting to review impact statements for a possible stadium in Arlington Heights.
00:21:33What's your assessment of the dynamics of this process of finding a new home for the Bears as it stands right now?
00:21:40I think the state of Indiana is working on trying to get the Bears to Chicago, to get the Bears to Indiana as well.
00:21:45Look, there's not a politician in this city or this state that has actively worked to keep the Bears in Chicago.
00:21:55That's the goal.
00:21:57There has to be a public benefit and use for this stadium.
00:22:02And, you know, this is an opportunity not just to transform the lakefront, but it's an opportunity for us to grow our economy.
00:22:14Look, at the end of the day, you know, the Bears and their ownership, you know, have a financial decision that they'll have to make.
00:22:22I feel good about what's been presented in the city of Chicago, and we're going to continue to work with ownership.
00:22:30We're going to work with the General Assembly to find a way to keep the Bears in the city of Chicago.
00:22:35How confident are you that a financial package can be crafted that would be acceptable not just to the city, but to the state?
00:22:45Look, it all has to work together for everyone.
00:22:47I mean, we're talking about billions of dollars of income for those who are working.
00:22:52Again, we're also talking about being able to host multiple events.
00:22:57You know, just yesterday I had a chance to talk with some of the folks that choose Chicago.
00:23:01Hotel occupancy is up.
00:23:03Revenue generated from downtown is up.
00:23:06We're at pre-pandemic levels of investments.
00:23:08People are coming to Chicago, right?
00:23:10As violence continues to go down and investments continue to go up, Chicago is positioned to be a transformational space.
00:23:17I would love for the Bears to be a part of that, but that's a decision that doesn't solely just rest on my wishes.
00:23:23We're going to continue to work with the state of Illinois, the Bears ownership, and we're going to continue to grow our economy one way or the other.
00:23:29You know, and I still believe that Chicago Bears belong in Chicago.
00:23:33Good afternoon, right?
00:23:40Back to the budget.
00:23:43I know if this working group comes out and says, you don't have a choice, you're going to have to look at furlough days, look at city hall salaries.
00:23:52Is that something that you would consider?
00:23:54I know you said you would not start out with cuts, but let's be realistic right now in terms of revenue options.
00:24:00There really are not that many revenue options out there.
00:24:03Well, there are many revenue options.
00:24:05It's a matter of whether or not people have the political will to actually engage in those options.
00:24:09So we're not short on revenue options, but I hear the premise of your question.
00:24:13You know, look, again, the effort here is ultimately to bring everyone's voices together so that we can come up with multiple options, right?
00:24:26This is not about a singular component of the options that will be presented.
00:24:31And, you know, as far as what we'll have to decide when the culmination of this working group places on the table, we'll make that decision when it's upon us.
00:24:41What would you consider it?
00:24:44You know, again.
00:24:45That's what they say.
00:24:46They come out and say, hey, we have to look at not just service cuts, but you have to look at city hall salaries.
00:24:54Yeah, look, we've looked at that.
00:24:56There was a 3% cut across the board.
00:24:58This is not like, you know, breaking news, right?
00:25:01I mean, the city of Chicago made 3% cuts across the board last year.
00:25:063%, right?
00:25:07Across the board.
00:25:08So it's not that it's unprecedented, right, to have cuts.
00:25:11What we have said is that the people of Chicago want quality services, and we're going to do everything in our power to ensure that quality services are available.
00:25:20That does require person power, right?
00:25:23As far as what will be recommended, there'll be some ideas that will be recommended for revenue.
00:25:28Perhaps there'll be concessions that people are willing to make.
00:25:31Perhaps there will be, you know, people who will place furloughs.
00:25:35It's not like that has not been presented to us, right?
00:25:38You know, so again, once the culmination of all of the incredible minds that are being assembled by my administration put forth recommendations, I'll look at them seriously.
00:25:48This is not a futile exercise.
00:25:50This is about the future of our economy.
00:25:53Again, it can't be lost on us, though, that the, again, American cities are under attack by the Trump takeover.
00:26:00We're under attack.
00:26:01These are unique circumstances in that regard where you have literally the erosion of what is sensible about our democracy that is happening right in front of us.
00:26:10We will have to use force.
00:26:11Let me just say this last part because I think it's a healthy question as part of our overall dialogue.
00:26:16This is not a response just simply from government.
00:26:19We need people to organize and take it directly to the federal government to push government to respond to working people.
00:26:28I'm going to do my part as an executive.
00:26:30I will.
00:26:31We will bring people together.
00:26:32We will assess and analyze every single possible option.
00:26:35And this city has to continue to lead the way when it comes to pushing back against the nastiness from this administration.
00:26:43I believe there's another big rally this weekend that's being planned.
00:26:47I would encourage people to participate in and join in those efforts.
00:26:50Is this my follow-up?
00:26:52This is the follow-up to the follow-up.
00:26:54Go ahead.
00:26:55You're fine.
00:26:56Go ahead.
00:26:57I'm fine.
00:26:58Okay.
00:26:59I know your predecessor, like all your predecessors always come out when the trends are down.
00:27:06You know, everybody, you talk about them.
00:27:09But the issue is people don't feel that way.
00:27:12And I think I asked your predecessor the same thing.
00:27:14How do you change that perception?
00:27:15You know, you come out and say everything is down, but then you have a kid that was killed
00:27:20in Lincoln Park last week.
00:27:22You have, you know, obviously shootings every day in other neighborhoods.
00:27:26So how do you make, how do you change, how do you make people feel differently?
00:27:31I mean, people look at statistics and they're like, they don't really register.
00:27:35Yeah.
00:27:36No, thank you for that question.
00:27:37I can tell you how I feel.
00:27:39Maybe that's a good place to start.
00:27:41Every time someone is shot and injured, or even worse, their life is taken, I feel that every single day.
00:27:49My chief of staff, this , she has the arduous task of being my first call in the morning to talk to me about what happened the night before.
00:28:01And I know it affects her because she has to sort of ease into it, right?
00:28:05Because there is anxiety around violence in general.
00:28:13And what our work is translating into is that it is working.
00:28:22And so part of why I think these sit downs are important is so that people at least know we're moving in the right direction.
00:28:30It doesn't mean that we don't have a long way to go.
00:28:33It doesn't mean that.
00:28:34I mean, we do have a long way to go still.
00:28:37You know, and as a parent, as a husband, a parent of young children, by the way, one of which is determined, you know,
00:28:49I would rather he stay in Chicago to go to college, but he's looking and exploring other options.
00:28:54And I think about just what it's going to feel like when he is out by himself.
00:28:59I know that feeling.
00:29:02And what I want to convey to the people of Chicago is that the feeling of being insecure or unsecured is one that I grapple with every single day.
00:29:20But know that my entire administration is working hard every day to change the direction of the city.
00:29:28And we're doing that, but it's going to take all of us.
00:29:31All of us have to find ways to put our arms around our children.
00:29:34All of us have to do that.
00:29:36All of us have to find our ways, find a way to not just put our arms around people, but to show up for people.
00:29:45Right?
00:29:46And look, the numbers are encouraging.
00:29:49Even the return that people are experiencing downtown, those investments are paying off.
00:29:55So we're going to just continue to tell people the truth and we're going to find opportunities to give people a little bit more hope by building more affordable homes,
00:30:03providing mental health and support services.
00:30:05And then here's the last thing.
00:30:06We have to tell our own story, Chicago.
00:30:08I think it's pretty cool that our investments are up and violence is down.
00:30:14We have to tell that story.
00:30:15Most people don't even know that we're not the most violent city in America.
00:30:19We're not even the first 25, top 25.
00:30:22And we have a responsibility to tell people that story.
00:30:25And we also have a responsibility to ensure that no one gets injured, no one gets hurt.
00:30:30And to the best of our ability, we're going to continue to do that.
00:30:32Thank you for that question.
00:30:33Can I ask something?
00:30:34Sure, please.
00:30:35That's a great question.
00:30:36I think the filling piece is a real concern.
00:30:41And I think the biggest thing is we need help from you all.
00:30:45We need help from the media to tell the story about violence that we are stopping and crime trends that we are stopping and the impacts that it is having.
00:30:55And that piece, and I know talking about crime is very difficult because you're really comparing your success on decreasing violence from the prior year.
00:31:06But there are lives that are being saved, and we have to work together to tell that story better.
00:31:12And that's not just on media.
00:31:14That's on us as well to be able to help tell the story around the lives we're saving, the impacts of our work, and just the trajectory that the city is going.
00:31:24The mayor's right, right?
00:31:25We, you know, often people talk about the city of Chicago, and on Monday mornings during the summer the first thing that comes up is the shootings from the weekend.
00:31:33Not the work that went in to stop those or the families that are being impacted, but it's always about the shootings.
00:31:40So I would challenge all of us to really think about that narrative as we go into the summer.
00:31:45How do we tell the story of the violence that we are stopping?
00:31:48How do we also tell the story of the opportunities that we're creating and the people that we're holding accountable?
00:31:53Think about the work that we've done to sue gun manufacturers to try to stop guns from coming into our streets.
00:32:00The work that we have done with our returning residents community.
00:32:03The work that we have done with our victims and survivors of crime.
00:32:06So us coming together to be able to tell those stories and actually bringing more people into the work will help.
00:32:12And I think that was not even think that was a part of the work that we set out with the people's plan.
00:32:16Literally going to blocks where people have been riddled with violence so they can help us tell the story and help those communities heal.
00:32:23So we all go through that, we all have those feelings, but it's important that we tell the story of the work that's happening and make sure we continue to bring more people in.
00:32:33Good afternoon, Mayor.
00:32:37I want to pick up on Craig's question about the Bears.
00:32:40I'm wondering if you think the half million dollars that the team has spent either on their own research and the money that they're funding the city of Arlington Heights to make sure that their numbers are legitimate.
00:32:49And all of that work that the mayor of Arlington Heights told me today, he believes it is our very real likelihood that the Bears could be coming to their town.
00:32:58Do you believe that this is a leverage play by the Bears to kind of make it look like, hey, we're very serious out here to put pressure on you?
00:33:06Or do you take them at their word that this is a very viable option for them?
00:33:12You know, I don't I don't see this as pressure.
00:33:16If you haven't noticed, I'm under no pressure as mayor of the city of Chicago.
00:33:21Hey, thank you. Craig got that one.
00:33:23This is a very tough crowd today.
00:33:25Look, there's no more pressure to apply for me.
00:33:35I want the Bears to stay in Chicago.
00:33:37I do.
00:33:39Now look, ultimately, you know, it's going to come down to their own.
00:33:45Right.
00:33:46But if you look at all of the assets, I mean, we're talking about prime real estate that, you know, overlooks, you know, the Great Lakes.
00:33:57Right.
00:33:58Twenty percent of the world's fresh water.
00:34:00You're talking about a booming economy.
00:34:02Right.
00:34:03Where eleven billion dollars of new investments last year, eight billion dollars already of new investments this year.
00:34:08We're building more homes, more affordable homes.
00:34:11And, you know, if you look at our ability to attract large scale events and what that means for the overall trajectory of our city.
00:34:18Again, voted as the best big city in America eight years in a row.
00:34:22Corporate relocation right here in the city of Chicago.
00:34:24People want to be in the city.
00:34:25They do.
00:34:26I don't think it's a coincidence that the city of Chicago is targeted by this administration.
00:34:32Right.
00:34:33To undermine, you know, the hopes and aspirations of working people.
00:34:37So, you know, they don't have to use leverage.
00:34:40We just have a conversation.
00:34:41I'm not that person.
00:34:43Right.
00:34:44We want to come together with a deal that makes sense.
00:34:47And if it makes sense that we can all celebrate that collectively.
00:34:50We're talking about one of the most storied franchises in sports history.
00:34:55I have a great deal of respect for the family.
00:34:57But again, there's not a politician in America that has worked harder to make sure that the Chicago Bears remain in the city of Chicago.
00:35:04So you take them at their word that they're very serious about Arlington Heights.
00:35:07You're not thinking that this is some sort of public theater.
00:35:10I can't get into the framework of someone's thinking.
00:35:14What I'm simply saying is that's not how I function.
00:35:16Understood.
00:35:17Do you talk to mayors of other cities that have danced this dance with NFL teams and gotten any insight or advice from them to how to navigate?
00:35:24These are pretty tricky waters.
00:35:26Mayors are remembered for winning or losing in moments like this.
00:35:29So I understand you're not feeling the pressure.
00:35:31Well, but clearly you want to apply pressure to Mayor Johnson or the pressure of keeping a franchise in the city of Chicago.
00:35:38You know, look, again, I've put forth, you know, a team that has been engaged with the family.
00:35:44And, you know, I don't I don't rest my marrowship on one decision.
00:35:50Right.
00:35:51That that would be that would placate the pundits, quite frankly.
00:35:55Right.
00:35:56And no disrespect to the pundits.
00:35:57Not that any of you are pundits.
00:35:59You're serious journalists and reporters.
00:36:02But it just would placate the pundits.
00:36:04I don't mess around and play in that sort of pure route approach towards governance.
00:36:10We have put together an operation to help this process land itself in the city of Chicago.
00:36:20You know, you know, and as you know, there are other mayors of Chicago that have dealt with, you know, this aspect.
00:36:27And I feel confident about our approach and confident about the package that we've assembled.
00:36:37And I trust that the Bears and the organization and Kevin Warren has negotiated with our team in good faith.
00:36:46And we fully anticipate and expect that to continue to happen.
00:36:49Hey, man.
00:36:50Hey.
00:36:51Can you confirm you're returning to Springfield next week?
00:36:54And can you tell us a bit about your agenda there?
00:36:56What caucuses you're meeting with, what you're going to ask for, stuff like that?
00:36:59I can confirm that.
00:37:00I will be in Springfield next week.
00:37:02Our agenda hasn't changed.
00:37:04I'm happy to turn it over to our chief of staff and she can talk to you about our agenda.
00:37:08Sure.
00:37:09It's the same five areas that, you know, we've been talking about since the beginning of session, right?
00:37:17Various avenues for creating additional revenue or sustaining revenue.
00:37:23So that's the telecom tax as well as the 9-1-1 surcharge.
00:37:28There's been some discussions around the PPRT within the budget, the one system initiative investments.
00:37:34And then, of course, you know, transit and having those discussions overall.
00:37:41And then I am, I feel like I'm missing one more.
00:37:44Ah, yes.
00:37:45Mandated categoricals with Illinois State Board of Education and increasing the proration, ideally getting it up to 100%
00:37:53so that we can get fully reimbursed for the services that we are mandated to provide for children
00:37:59with respect to transportation, special education, and bilingual education.
00:38:03Any elaboration on what the agenda is while you're there?
00:38:05Not just what you're asking for, but what you're doing?
00:38:07Just what I'm going to be up to?
00:38:10We're going to meet with people to discuss our agenda, right?
00:38:16Okay.
00:38:18Over 200 people in the arts.
00:38:19If you're asking if I'm going to go out and party and kick it, you know I don't do that, right?
00:38:23I'm a pretty boring guy, Jake.
00:38:25We're going to go and have meetings and have a serious conversation about what Chicago needs in this moment.
00:38:30That's my only responsibility and job.
00:38:32Okay.
00:38:33Well, over 200 people in the arts community sent you a letter last week criticizing Commissioner
00:38:38Clint A. Hedspeth at D-Case.
00:38:41What is your reaction to that letter?
00:38:43Well, you know, look, there's a lot more engagement in government these days and I welcome that.
00:38:50You know, arts is incredibly important to me and my administration.
00:38:55We put together a full transition presentation around the arts.
00:39:00We know that, you know, funding is a challenge across the board.
00:39:05How we invest in our community festivals, how we invest in our artists is something that I have long presented opportunities for that.
00:39:17And, you know, look, preserving and protecting art is the preservation of our democracy.
00:39:26And it ultimately provides space for the freedom of expression, the First Amendment being chief amongst them.
00:39:35You know, so, you know, look, I take the feedback seriously and will continue to work with all of our partners to ensure that our values are carried out in every single department and that includes D-Case.
00:39:48Good afternoon, Mayor.
00:39:49Good afternoon.
00:39:50Back on Springfield, will that ask for CPS be enough to address the district's financial issues for next year without needing to go back to maybe previous borrowing plans or that budget amendment?
00:40:02Well, look, if you're asking me if there is ever going to be enough funding for our public education system,
00:40:09my hope and aspiration is built around the evidence-based funding model that I know the state of Illinois is committed to increasing that funding year over year.
00:40:18How we get to full funding over time is something that is the responsibility of all of us.
00:40:24As I said, our budget director and our chief financial officer meet with the governor's staff on a regular basis to address a whole host of issues.
00:40:34Look, in order for us to be fully realized, it's going to take some time to get there.
00:40:38And no one is disputing that.
00:40:40So whatever we ask for, you know, I think there's no secret that whether it's the School District 299 or other school districts are going to be perpetual asks over time.
00:40:53Look, here's the most important thing, though.
00:40:56There's not a mayor that's fighting hard to ensure that our public schools are fully funded and supported.
00:41:01You know, I was...
00:41:03Here we go.
00:41:04I do this once.
00:41:05I'm sorry, Aaron.
00:41:06All right.
00:41:07So I'm going to upset my...
00:41:09Somehow, Alice, you just managed to bring out the best in me.
00:41:13I was watching an interview between Rahm Emanuel and someone else, and I was incredibly bothered by his temerity.
00:41:26You know, look, there's a long-sustained movement in this city that has pushed back against neoliberalism and the neoliberal agenda that worked to set up austere budgets to ultimately undermine public accommodations.
00:41:44Like the playbook that Donald Trump is running is a playbook that Rahm Emanuel executed in this city.
00:41:51And, you know, we didn't get here because we just happened to have a tyrant in the White House.
00:42:02We got here because someone gave him the script.
00:42:05And the shutting of schools, the firing of black women, privatizing our public education system is why the system is as jacked up as it is today.
00:42:15And, yes, we have to ask more, but we have to also be clear about how we got here.
00:42:21The Emanuel administration had immense disdain for public education, and particularly black, brown, and poor children.
00:42:30And he was vocal about it.
00:42:33He told one of my heroes, sheroes, that 25% of children won't become anything.
00:42:38Those are his words directly to Karen Lewis.
00:42:41And now he is prancing around this country asking people to reconsider him.
00:42:48It is not just frustrating.
00:42:50It is beyond offensive.
00:42:53Now, again, to your question, it won't be enough until every single child has everything that they need in this city.
00:42:59And I'm going to fight with everything in me to ensure that that happens.
00:43:03And then in terms of, you know, revenue to fund issues like that, I understand what you're saying about it's up to Springfield to discuss this progressive revenue, but as...
00:43:11It's not up to Springfield.
00:43:12I'm just saying they play a part of it.
00:43:13What is it?
00:43:1460% of our budgetary options are controlled by Springfield.
00:43:19So it's incumbent upon all of us to work hand in hand.
00:43:24Look, our enemy is pointing all of their ammunition directly at progressive leadership like mine.
00:43:34It is.
00:43:36And in Springfield, I'm going to have conversations with the Speaker of the House, the Senate President, the Governor, all Democrats.
00:43:45We have one common enemy in this country right now.
00:43:49And maybe enemy is too harsh of a word.
00:43:51We have one common opposition.
00:43:55And that is the extremism in this country that has demonstrated that public accommodations and that government in and of itself should only benefit the ultra-rich.
00:44:07The fact that we have billionaires circling around all that which is meaningful for working people in this country is problematic.
00:44:22The last thing that this country needs is the ultra-rich controlling and dictating how working people live and how poor people experience government.
00:44:35That's why we put forth the 1.25 bond investment, the largest investment in the history of Chicago for housing and economic development.
00:44:43The $830 million to respond to the infrastructure needs that we have.
00:44:48The green social housing to give us another tool so that we don't have to rely upon the federal government to build affordable housing.
00:44:55These are all of the efforts that we've put forth, hiring more young people, growing our community colleges, investing in our public schools,
00:45:02making sure the behavioral mental health support services are available, attracting more businesses.
00:45:07A city that is open for business, not for sale for the sake of working people is what I ran on and is what I'm delivering in this moment.
00:45:15And so, no, it's not incumbent upon just one level of government.
00:45:18It's requiring all of us to work together.
00:45:20And that is what I'm desperately organizing in this moment, bringing people together to solve critical issues that working people are counting on us to do.
00:45:29So when you meet with these state leaders, are there any specific new taxes you might want to propose, put your weight behind, such as another go at the progressive income tax, the corporate head tax?
00:45:38You know where I stand on that issue, right? I think we should take on it all.
00:45:41And it's going to require us in this moment to have a little bit of gall and some political fortitude to show up for working people.
00:45:48That's what they want. That's what they get out of me as mayor.
00:45:51No one in this room questions my values. You all don't question my values. You certainly don't question my motives.
00:45:56I'm going to repopulate this city with working people, and whatever it takes to do that, that's what I'm committing myself to.
00:46:03Alice, we got to keep it going. Thanks.
00:46:07Staying on the topic of Springfield, you hired two people to lobby on your behalf, right?
00:46:12Can you talk a little bit about how that's been going and just obviously on the different topics that you guys will be bringing up once you're there tomorrow and so on and so forth, how that's been going?
00:46:21Thank you. Look, we've assembled a pretty robust team.
00:46:24You know, they have a regular cadence and check in with my chief of staff.
00:46:28I'll turn over to her, but I just want to make sure that we're also clear.
00:46:32I am the chief negotiator for the city of Chicago.
00:46:38And, you know, my chief of staff checks in with the chief of staff and the speaker of the house on a regular basis.
00:46:45Me and the speaker and the senate president, we have regular conversations. We sit down.
00:46:53I think the two individuals that I believe that you're referring to are doing a solid job.
00:46:58I just got a call from the senate president's chief of staff during this meeting.
00:47:03As you know, in Springfield, it's about communication, coordination and collaboration, right?
00:47:11Our director of Springfield Affairs and the senior legislative assistant are in Springfield on a weekly basis when they are in session.
00:47:21When they're not in session, they are having in-district meetings with members.
00:47:26They're talking through, you know, the various asks that I just enumerated.
00:47:31In some cases, if there's language to be discussed to kind of get a finer point on those particular asks, there's that.
00:47:39We have members of the Chicago delegation that are carrying different elements of those asks forward, bringing them back to their caucuses.
00:47:49And then it's just, you know, kind of watching how the plays are carried out and making sure that all the members of the body,
00:47:58because, you know, it's always about the numbers, right?
00:48:0060, 30, 1.
00:48:0260 votes in the House, 30 votes in the Senate, and one governor to sign off on it.
00:48:08And then there's always, you know, as the mayor has been discussing, the coordination with the governor's office.
00:48:13So on top of the finance team meeting with the governor's office, our team members are also touching base with them and making sure that they have that information.
00:48:23It's, you know, in Springfield, it's a lot of discussions.
00:48:26It's a lot of coordination.
00:48:28It's a lot of hurry up and wait.
00:48:30But then when it moves, it moves very quickly.
00:48:32And so that's why you've got to have people embedded on the ground in Springfield.
00:48:38Yeah.
00:48:39Yeah.
00:48:40Good afternoon, Mayor.
00:48:41How are you doing?
00:48:43I wanted to ask about back to the budget and this working group.
00:48:49In terms of the timeline, we've got this preliminary report in four months.
00:48:53How are you feeling about that?
00:48:55That's a pretty quick timeline.
00:48:57Can you address that and why it's four months?
00:48:59Yeah, well, that's a great question.
00:49:00And I do apologize in advance, Annette.
00:49:03I've put a lot of pressure on you to do things in very little time.
00:49:06But I'm going to turn that over to our budget director.
00:49:09Yeah.
00:49:10I mean, it's not unusual, right?
00:49:11I was looking back at some of the other working groups that the city has put together.
00:49:15And I hearken back to like the police accountability task force group, which had an amazingly large
00:49:20task and produced a report in four months as well, right?
00:49:23That literally shook up and transformed how we do police accountability work in the city
00:49:28of Chicago.
00:49:29So it's not uncommon.
00:49:31It's a big ask, but it's not an impossible ask.
00:49:34You know, we've already been in conversations with proposed members of the working group who
00:49:40are excited, dedicated and ready to get to work.
00:49:44And I will also say that the ideas, there's no shortage of ideas that haven't already been
00:49:49out there in the, you know, kind of in the ethos that people have been thinking about.
00:49:55So I fully expect that this working group will get together and have, you know, preliminary
00:50:00recommendations within that timeframe.
00:50:03I'd also say that, you know, in addition to this working group, the mayor also tasked
00:50:06me with doing a comprehensive review.
00:50:08And so, you know, to ensure that we aren't duplicating efforts, we'll be able to bring
00:50:13a lot of that information that I'm doing already to that working group and say, here's
00:50:17a bunch of ideas.
00:50:18Here's a bunch of research that we're doing in addition to what you'll be doing.
00:50:23So I think it'll be a comprehensive approach, bringing all of those things together to put
00:50:26together a very preliminary report in August.
00:50:29But again, this working group currently is tasked with 12 months worth of work, right?
00:50:35Because it's not just as the mayor says, he doesn't want to have the city continue to
00:50:39lip along year after year with these structural budget gaps, which is essentially what the city
00:50:44does every three years.
00:50:46It seems to be another crisis that we're dealing with.
00:50:49Part of this is looking at the larger Springfield play.
00:50:52Part of this is thinking about the federal play and saying, okay, how do we really protect
00:51:00the city going forward so that we're able to make these decisions and be a little bit
00:51:05more flexible?
00:51:06I think, Justin, you asked me the question yesterday about, you know, what happens if
00:51:10federal funding is taken away.
00:51:12You know, the city is not in a position to replace federal funding.
00:51:17It never has been, right?
00:51:18But how do we put the city in a position to make continued investments year over year in
00:51:25our city to see those crime statistics drop every single year, to see our public schools
00:51:31fully funded and thriving, to see public health be able to be there when people need it, right?
00:51:37And that's what this working group is really put together to do.
00:51:40I've had members, potential members already tell me, is this something that can stay in
00:51:44place beyond the 12 months, right?
00:51:46People are excited.
00:51:47I've got my inbox filling up with people asking to be on this working group.
00:51:51People are excited.
00:51:52They want to be a part of this conversation.
00:51:54And just as a follow up to that, you've called this historic.
00:51:56This is the first time to this magnitude.
00:52:00I know that other folks in city council have said, well, we've done this before with COVID.
00:52:06Can you sort of expound on that?
00:52:08Why this is different than what has happened in the past?
00:52:11Sure.
00:52:12It was a once in a generation crisis pandemic, right?
00:52:20That's a much different scenario, right?
00:52:22I mean, we're talking about the entire, our entire economy essentially shut down.
00:52:29This situation is different in that, again, historically, the city of Chicago and other cities have just limped
00:52:40along and figured out just how to patch things together.
00:52:44So let me give you an example.
00:52:46The selling of our parking meters.
00:52:50It's patchwork.
00:52:51Look, I may sound a little bit judgmental, and I'm not trying to be judgmental.
00:52:58At the time, that was the decision that the mayor of the city of Chicago was presented with.
00:53:06And whether it's the skyway, whether it's, you know, the parking meters, you know, whether it's pension holidays, right?
00:53:17This is all patchwork.
00:53:18What I'm simply saying is that my administration is going to take accountability.
00:53:23That we're going to put forth a concerted effort to put our city in a position for long-term solvency.
00:53:30And here's the other unique thing, too, is that, look, the Trump taxes right now, the tariffs, could on average cost families $4,000, $4,500.
00:53:45You know, 11,000 people losing their jobs is going to disrupt our economy.
00:53:49We're working to build homes.
00:53:51This could cost us more to be able to make those kind of investments.
00:53:55It's different in that I don't know if we have seen this level of animus from a president that has made it his business to attack American cities the way he's doing it.
00:54:09Like, he's literally threatening and willing to withhold tax dollars that people send to the federal government and not returning those tax dollars.
00:54:20I don't know if, yeah, in modern history, if that type of ominous form of governance is being applauded by the ultra-rich.
00:54:31I don't know if there's anything else you want to add to that, you know?
00:54:34Yeah, the only thing I would add is, sure, the city has had working groups, right?
00:54:38And I think, if I recall correctly, I think during the Rahm Emanuel administration there was a working group.
00:54:44They're usually focused on very specific things, right?
00:54:46And I think in his administration they were focused on county-city overlap, right?
00:54:51We're asking for essentially a financial plan for the city of Chicago.
00:54:55That's never been asked for before and never been asked of a broad working group of people.
00:55:00That's going to hit on how do we sustain our services and ensure that the very people who provide those services are provided for while they're working for the city of Chicago and when they retire.
00:55:12And so I think this is different.
00:55:14And again, as I said before, I've had working group members say, hey, can this stay in place after, you know, the report is done?
00:55:22My initial reaction is like, let's see how this goes, right?
00:55:25But I think that the other thing I would say is different is the accountability piece of this, right?
00:55:32The people that I've approached and had conversations with already about the working group have said, are we actually going to implement the stuff that the working group presents?
00:55:42Because their experience in the past of working groups with the city of Chicago is we present a bunch of recommendations and you never do it, right?
00:55:51I think that we've already shown the proof is in the pudding with the cut the tape working group that presented, I don't know, over 70 recommendations.
00:55:59A good chunk of them have been put in practice and you can actually go online and see the status of each of those recommendations that that working group put forth to the city.
00:56:10So I think that this is a different approach and under a different mayor who's not only committed to bringing people together, but saying, hey, the proof is in the pudding.
00:56:18Let us show you how we're taking what you tell us and actually implementing it.
00:56:21And, you know, for the members of city council who are either skeptical or want to see, you know, cautious optimism around this working group, I invite them to be a part of that conversation.
00:56:33In fact, we have invited them to be a part of that conversation.
00:56:36And so I think it's up to them to actually engage and be a part of progress rather than blocking progress.
00:56:46Good afternoon, Mayor. How are you?
00:56:48I know that at the beginning of the Q&A you just said that you don't support the layoff that nobody does, but also you said yesterday that Chicago will have to do more with less.
00:56:58Are the layoff or city services cuts are going to be imminent?
00:57:06You know, again, I mean, I think let me just maybe expound on the statement doing more with less.
00:57:12We're doing that, right? That's just that's the reality that everyone is experiencing.
00:57:18That's not unique to Chicago.
00:57:20We're hiring more people for summer youth positions.
00:57:25We are investing more in behavior and mental health.
00:57:29Though our revenue streams have not been as potent as we would like, we're doing more of that work with less revenue stream coming in.
00:57:38And we're also responding to our obligations to ensure that people's retirement is secure.
00:57:45So that we're actually doing that.
00:57:47And, you know, in terms of what's imminent, look, perhaps it's because I'm a middle child.
00:57:54I tend to be just optimistic naturally.
00:57:57That might have something to do with it.
00:57:59And I understand because your colleague, Sarah, asked the same question about like layoffs, furloughs.
00:58:05Look, the task of this working group is to present us with opportunity and options.
00:58:13We're going to look at all of it.
00:58:15And we're not going to start the conversation.
00:58:18I am not starting the conversation about what I'm going to take away from someone.
00:58:22Just in a personal relationship, if someone just approaches you and just says, hey, listen, you know, I want to continue to figure out ways in which we can move forward.
00:58:31But let's start about let's start with a conversation around what you cannot have.
00:58:35That's that's not a I don't believe that's an adult approach.
00:58:40I think an adult approach is looking at the full scope, analyzing and assessing the full scope, and then making a decision.
00:58:48It's personal, too.
00:58:49You know, my father is 82 years old and he's suffering from Alzheimer's.
00:58:54And he's such a stubborn man because sometimes he remembers that he forgot.
00:58:59That's just how tough he is.
00:59:01He was part of a generation of people who saw how Reaganomics ruined our economy.
00:59:08He lived through that.
00:59:10And, you know, sometimes we do have these moments where we're able to see each other.
00:59:15And I reminded him of the days where we would pull into Dairy Queen and we thought that would be the day that we would all get Sundays.
00:59:23And then he would come out with those sad dilly bars.
00:59:27It was still ice cream, though.
00:59:29Right.
00:59:30Still ice cream.
00:59:31And listen, I'm not saying that we're going to be able to provide Sundays for everyone.
00:59:35But in the political financial budget of Andrew Leon Johnson II, if we can find a way to still make sure that we show up with something, at least people know that they are loved and cared for.
00:59:48May not be able to get everything that you want, but hopefully there will be a season where we can deliver more on behalf of the people of Chicago.
00:59:54But in the meantime, you know, we're going to continue to make sure that we are investing in our young people, investing in affordable housing, you know, investing in our behavior and mental health.
01:00:04And we're going to continue to make these investments to drive crime down in this city.
01:00:07And if I could add to that, I'm going to try not to get too philosophical or emotional like I just did.
01:00:13I'm sorry.
01:00:14You are you are you deserve you.
01:00:16You are warranted in your emotion because I know how much you feel it.
01:00:19But I think I think I think what you're hitting upon is really, really important.
01:00:23And what the mayor said is really important to just pause on for a second, which is not only the city of Chicago, but most governments do more with less.
01:00:31And I think that it's incumbent upon us to continually remind people that we're doing more with less.
01:00:38You know, during last budget cycle, we spent a lot of time with city council helping them understand how little our budget actually increases relative to the cost of everything else in society.
01:00:50Right. And people people don't question the increases for the other things in their day to day budgets, but they question the increase of the city or their municipal state federal governments constantly without recognizing what they're getting in return.
01:01:07And we have to do a much better job of explaining to people what it is that we do every single day that brings value into their lives, because once it's not there, they recognize it's not there.
01:01:17And I think that people are seeing that right now about what's happening at the federal level when those things are being taken away.
01:01:24And so, you know, when it comes down to what is it that you truly value that brings value into your lives?
01:01:31And, you know, what happens when those things are no longer there, we have to have real conversations about that, because we are doing a lot more, and people are asking us to do a lot more, but yet doing it with a lot less.
01:01:47And at some point, those mathematics don't actually add up.
01:01:50So, I would like to know if you can confirm, excuse me, if there's any cuts in the health department, we're hearing that Dr. Geraldine Luna is transitioning out.
01:02:05And the health department and the city's health department?
01:02:07Well, I don't discuss personnel issues, you know, and, you know, I'm very grateful for the leadership that Dr. Ige has provided.
01:02:15Our chief of staff just reported something to me yesterday about containing, yet again, a potential outbreak of measles.
01:02:26So we're doing some incredible work.
01:02:28The threat that is ultimately real is the one from the federal government.
01:02:33The Trump administration has made it very clear that the resources that public health has relied upon, he's not willing to continue to support those efforts.
01:02:45And to Director Guzman's point, this is also going to have an impact on county government, potentially county care as well.
01:02:53There are a host of services that we provide as a public good that will be disrupted by the Trump takeover.
01:03:02We have to do everything in our power to fight back against that.
01:03:05Hi, Mayor.
01:03:06Hi.
01:03:07I have a quick question on, a follow-up question on the Springfield agenda and then my own question.
01:03:11Is pushing Springfield to change who's ultimately responsible for paying the CPS non-teacher pensions and the MABF on your agenda for next week?
01:03:20Well, look, Senator Martwick, who is the chief negotiator and sponsor around our elected school board, we made this very clear from the very beginning that we have to work to disentangle the district.
01:03:33That's an ongoing assignment.
01:03:35That's not something that is necessarily provocated by a trip to Springfield.
01:03:42That work continues.
01:03:44And then more than a month ago, you know, on Trump administration threats, the Justice Department announced it would investigate Chicago for what they allege is anti-Semitism on school campuses and demand that you sit down with investigators.
01:03:56What's your understanding of the status of that probe?
01:03:58Have you gotten any requests or formal subpoenas as part of that investigation?
01:04:04Well, the first thing that I'll say is that we don't have, you know, tolerance and we will not accept any forms of anti-Semitism in our city.
01:04:15And I have been quite vocal about my position on making sure that the Jewish community and all of our communities feel protected, loved and safe.
01:04:27We know that there has been a concerted effort, however, to intimidate and to provocate fear amongst the Jewish community.
01:04:41And we're going to stand firm as a city and continue to put our arms around our Jewish neighbors to ensure that they have maximum support.
01:04:51And, you know, as far as the direction of this particular investigation, we can have somebody get back to you about any specifics related to that.
01:05:01But what I can say unequivocally is that I'm not going to tolerate it.
01:05:08You know, and, you know, I want our Jewish siblings to know the profound and deep love that I have for them.
01:05:20It's a love that, quite frankly, comes from my own personal faith as a believer, as a Christian.
01:05:31I never want to see harm promulgated against a particular group because of their beliefs, their religion, or just their cultural identity.
01:05:41It is antithetical to my value system.
01:05:44And so I'm going to remain firm in my position and continue to surround, again, of course, all of our communities,
01:05:50but in particular the Jewish community that has been under an incredible amount of an attack, that they are loved and supported by my administration.
01:05:59MS. Sorry, are you aware of any requests from the Justice Department to sit down with that task force?
01:06:04MR. You know, again, we'll get back with you on that.
01:06:05All right, thank you all very much.
01:06:07MR. Thank you all very much.
01:06:08MR. We've been very patient today.
01:06:08DR. Thank you.
01:06:09MR. Thank you.
01:06:10MR. Thank you.
01:06:11MR. Thank you.
01:06:12MR. Thank you.
01:06:13MR. Thank you.
01:06:14MR. Thank you.
01:06:15MR. Thank you.