Chicago Megathread: With CTU on strike, Lightfoot lays out her budget

[Green Line]

I would say LLF is almost definitely in at this point.  Up to 66% in now.  Its down to Toni or Daley.

[Green Line]

Lightfoot and Preckwinkle increase their raw vote lead with every update - up to 70% now.  Almost ready to call it.

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Ed Burke needs to once again take up the #resistance mantle against whoever the new extremist mayor is.

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Glad Tom Tunney trounced the Cubs usurpers.

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Patrick Daley Thompson 2023!

[Green Line]

I dont like Lori’s transportation policy.  Its all about buses, not innovative.  I hate BRT.

[Green Line]

I dont like Lori’s transportation policy.  Its all about buses, not innovative.  I hate BRT.

So are you voting for Toni?

No, I am leaning towards Lori.  Both are horrible - I predict record low turnout in this runoff.  300,00 or less.

[Green Line]

Is LightFoot a White Sox fan too?  The city always does better under Mayors who are Sox fans, not suprisingly.  I'm glad to hear that Toni is a Sox fan, means a lot!

[Green Line]

Willie Wilson endorses Light FOOT.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/elections/ct-met-chicago-mayors-race-willie-wilson-endorsement-20190308-story.html

This ballgame is ova.

[Green Line]

Is this purporting that the painters are progressive because they endorsed Susana Mendoza?

Don't be a dummy. The plumbers union (and their close relationship with the Daleys) is the reason Chicago has more lead service lines than any other city in the country. Paul Vallas is Paul Vallas. Nothing to do with the painters, they're fairly benign.

Anyway, today Lightfoot said she will retain police superintendent Eddie Johnson, saying she refuses to "pander to the crowds that want him gone.” "The crowds" want Johnson gone because of his history of justifying police misconduct. She also said she opposes the proposal for a new police academy (the $95 million contract just passed City Council today) because she wants a much larger police academy similar to NYC's $750 million center, which would also be used to train state-level officers. She also said she wants more training locations, proposing to turn 38 of the schools Rahm closed into police training facilities.

Wow, love this! 

[Green Line]

Lightfoot will govern just as Rahm has contrary to her "anti-machine" posturing.

That's the hope.  Enough with the pandering.

[Green Line]

Is this purporting that the painters are progressive because they endorsed Susana Mendoza?

Don't be a dummy. The plumbers union (and their close relationship with the Daleys) is the reason Chicago has more lead service lines than any other city in the country. Paul Vallas is Paul Vallas. Nothing to do with the painters, they're fairly benign.

Anyway, today Lightfoot said she will retain police superintendent Eddie Johnson, saying she refuses to "pander to the crowds that want him gone.” "The crowds" want Johnson gone because of his history of justifying police misconduct. She also said she opposes the proposal for a new police academy (the $95 million contract just passed City Council today) because she wants a much larger police academy similar to NYC's $750 million center, which would also be used to train state-level officers. She also said she wants more training locations, proposing to turn 38 of the schools Rahm closed into police training facilities.

Wow, love this! 

Why are you a Democrat again? I would expect you’d be more at home with the blue fascists that protect you position than be a Democrat, at least nationally?

I support Democrats that believe in a system of law and order, just as the majority of Chicagoans do.  The people who are actually affected be violence, and don't live in a Hyde Park bubble, take these issues seriously.  This is why Lori is now shifting and why every mayor has in the past.  Cute slogans about punishing the police can only get you so far - its not your city.

[Green Line]

I fully suppory Melissa Conyears Ervin, even before the Trib endorsed her.  She’s not a politician - no website, no campaign.  Pawar has been running for office since he was born.

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Patrick "Daley" Thompson would have his grandpa turning in his grave.  What a shame!

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I'm just glad Toni lost.  Hopefully Lori gets the reform crap out of her system real fast - I'm hopeful!

Also glad that MCE won, she is the only candidate that I voted for from the primary to prevail.

[Green Line]

Its a municipal election, and has been previously stated, there is precidence for this..

I'm glad Lori won and hope she is successful.  This is not a big deal though.

[Green Line]

Just like Bruce Rauner (and Trump), who failed miserably because they don't know to play nice with others who may in fact know a little about politics, Lightfoot is in for a rude awakening.  Its painfully obvious that she thinks she's going to ride in and steamroll the City Council because "change" or whatever.  Give it a year before she's despised by the vast majority of the city and with no accomplishments to show for it.  Very, very bad start to her term.

[Green Line]

The treatment of Ed Burke, who loves Chicago so much, is shameufl.  Innocent until proven guilty is the way this country works.

[Green Line]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-illinois-sen-marty-sandoval-office-raids-20190924-wns55ttc3fhtdfzlzb5gogd2qi-story.html

Another Chicago ally of Madigan had his offices raided by the Feds today - State Senator Martin Sandoval of the SW Side.  He shares much of his territory with Madigan, and some with Ald. Burke as well, I believe.

Lets hope there aren't more RATS out there like Solis.  This is getting out of hand.

[Green Line]

Shes well meaning, but her political inexperience is clearly showing now.

Her big mistake was giving the CTU pretty much everything they wanted (and mich more than Chicago can afford) straight away.  Naturally, they saw that as weakness and now they want more.  She literally can't in good faith give any more ground considering their absurd demands.  She is negotiating from a place of weakness though because of the "optics" that she isnt compromising.  Its a really sad situation - sad for the taxpayers of Chicago who will be paying the 100K starting salary for these teachers in 5 (or less if they win) years.

[Green Line]

Students finally went back to class today.  Lori stood up to the teachers union and pretty much won.  5 year contract, 16% raise, nurses & social workers in every school (which she already supported anyway).  The CTU President Jesse Sharkey is one of the worst characters I've ever seen in this city.  Epic failure.  Another great thing, the CPS schools will now be able to participate in the IHSA Football playoffs starting tonight!