Having boxed herself in with an education platform that reads like the CTU playbook, Lightfoot had no choice but to essentially give away the store to a teachers union that backed her opponent, County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

In a desperate attempt to honor her “not-on-my-watch” promise to avoid a teachers strike, she quickly agreed to a 14% pay raise over five years, then upped the ante to 16%, matching the recommendation of an independent fact-finder.

The strategy violated Negotiations 101: When facing a difficult adversary, hold something back. Give yourself room to maneuver.

Comment: With the higher transfer taxes not even approved yet, progressives are already proposing expanding the scope of the tax increase to homes valued at just $500k. “The plan from Rep. Will Guzzardi, D-Chicago, could spark a bit of a homeowners’ revolt on much of the North Side and other sections of the city where property values are relatively high. They could end up paying hundreds of dollars more in taxes on the sales of even rather ordinary houses and condominiums,” says Crain’s

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 said they’re striving for inclusivity, but in their quest to make everyone feel comfortable, some families said they just feel sad.