“The former teacher and Chicago Teachers Union organizer considers himself a man of the people, but in blowing off the media or giving confusing answers to reporters’ questions — as he did at a press conference last week that was dominated by inquiries regarding ShotSpotter and the migrant crisis — the mayor comes off as a man of mystery who doesn’t value transparency or accountability.”

Harkening to the anti-tobacco litigation of decades past, the city claimed the petroleum companies and their spokespeople, such as the Washington, D.C.-based American Petroleum Institute, marketed their products in a manner similar to those used by tobacco companies, which allegedly misled consumers by claiming their cigarettes were less harmful by labeling them as “low tar” or “light.” The city asserted the oil industry allegedly misled consumers by marketing fuels as “cleaner” or “emissions reducing.”

“What I’ve said repeatedly is that we need to make sure that our investments have real public benefit and that there has to be a commitment to public use. Those conversations are being had and there are some promising developments that eventually we’ll be able to talk about out loud,” the mayor said.

The ordinance prohibits so-called “small-box retailers” from opening within one mile of another such store owned by the same company, with exemptions for so-called “small-box retailers” that set aside at least 10% off their floor space to fresh produce, meat, seafood, and dairy products.

“If (Stacy) Davis Gates wants to tell Chicagoans how to spend their money, she’d better get her personal and union fiscal houses in order. If (Brandon) Johnson wants voters March 19 to hand him $100 million from higher taxes to address homelessness, he’d be in a stronger position if he paid the city what he owes it (for speeding tickets) or used the money he already has for housing relief. No one wants to follow leaders unable to distinguish between their rhetoric and their conduct.”

“We’re trying to preserve the blacks to stay here” in Chicago, said Howard Ray, a Chicago reparations activist. “We don’t want our people to leave this city. We built this city.”

One speaker at Wednesday’s City Council meeting demanded “not another dollar for illegals” after Gov. JB Pritzker announced plans to allocate an additional $252 million to support Chicago’s response to the migrant crisis. “If the crisis is so bad, the city council members who are so concerned should donate their salaries to the cause like a real public servant should,” the woman said.

“A center of civil service transitioning into a private tech hub understandably gives some Chicagoans the ick. The glass dome once symbolized government transparency; now it nodss to the panopticon of big tech. But from an architectural standpoint, many see this deal as a win. Tech companies have a good track record of restoring historic buildings.”

The resolution on Thursday’s agenda directs CPS CEO Pedro Martinez to come up with a new policy by June 27 that would introduce a “holistic approach to school safety” at district schools, such as implementing restorative justice practices, which focus on resolving a conflict instead of punishment. That policy “must make explicit that the use of [school resource officers] within District schools will end by the start of the 2024-2025 school year.”

TIF districts have been dubbed the city’s “shadow budget,” collecting taxes from designated areas around the city that go into a special fund controlled by the mayor. Chicago currently has 121 designated TIF districts across the city. Forty-five of them are set to expire by the end of 2027.

The offenders were not Senn High School students. Police say there was an altercation leading up to the shooting of three teen boys, students at Senn High School, while they walked along Thorndale Avenue after school was dismissed Jan. 31.

“This has been a lousy stretch for Chicago’s business community. The rocky start of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has business people deeply worried. The recent departures of household names such as Citadel, Caterpillar and Boeing in the face of concerns about public safety and the city’s post-pandemic vibrancy and health have been deeply unsettling…All the more reason for the progressive political forces in positions of power to pay far greater heed to this region’s business environment than they have to date.”

The charity, called “Tiffany Henyard Cares,” failed to register with the Attorney General’s Office or disclose how much money it raised and how the money is being spent.

In a letter to Black Caucus Chair Stephanie Coleman, Ald. Desmon Yancy wrote, “In today’s current climate, political differences have devolved into name calling and violence toward elected officials. It is equally out of order that an elected official would resort to violence during a disagreement with a colleague.” Police confirmed they had responded to a “disturbance” at City Hall last Thursday but said no arrests were made.

During a heated six-hour meeting over funding, Oak Park trustee Cory Wesley argued that supporting the influx of migrants was costing the village more than $300,000 a month, or $2,000 a month per person. Universal basic income programs typically pay $500 a month, or $1,000 at most, he pointed out. “I don’t see how it’s sustainable, and I definitely don’t see how it’s equitable,” he said.

Although he’s praised the conceptual renderings, Gov. JB Pritzker said he’s concerned about using public money for the project. And based on what’s leaked out, former Gov. Pat Quinn agrees. “I like Jerry Reinsdorf, who has been a friend for a long time, but I also like the taxpayers of Illinois and the taxpayers of Cook County and Chicago, and they come number one. And so, Jerry, I think, has got to understand that if we’re going to invest in something, this team, the franchise has to put their own money in.”

“(Pastor Corey Brooks) talks of teaching young people about the importance of work and how to find it. He talks of training them in the basics of financial literacy and in trades that will allow them gain legitimate employment. We can criticize DEI all we want, but without the kind of practical alternatives he’s building, none of it will mean much.”

The lawsuit, filed in Cook County Circuit Court, accuses the Chicago Teachers Union, former President Jesse Sharkey, current President Stacy Davis Gates, and the American Federation of Teachers of allegedly conspiring to call an illegal strike in December 2021 and January 2022. The lawsuit asserts such actions caused a widespread public nuisance and violated the contract rights of CPS students and families, who should be considered third-party beneficiaries of the collective bargaining agreement between the CTU and CPS.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court Tuesday that names BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and Shell, accusing the companies of discrediting science and misleading the public as the climate crisis continued to wreak havoc on the planet. The city is also suing the trade group American Petroleum Institute, which it accuses of conspiring with the companies to deceive consumers through disinformation campaigns.

In a major shift away from how the city currently funds development, Johnson plans to pay for the massive borrowing package by knocking out another priority: letting dozens of the city’s controversial tax increment financing districts expire. The borrowing plan would provide $250 million every year for five years, according to the city. But, interest would also cost the city an estimated $2.4 billion over 37 years; it could be paid, in part, with an estimated $2.2 billion in recouped tax revenue from expiring TIF districts.

Chicago Public Schools no longer offers families stipends, something the district did back in 2021, due to an impending budget deficit. And some bus vendors told reporters that they have available drivers but were turned down by CPS because of the cost.