“Any attempt to hold hostage the people of Chicago for anyone’s political gain, we’re certainly not going to acquiesce to those levels of constraints,” Johnson said. “Here’s what we’re committed to, is making sure that the Chicago Transit Authority is fully funded so that we can have affordable, reliable and safe transportation.”

“Pedro is the terrible student in the classroom that can’t get suspended because he should have an IEP and maxed out his days,” Stacy Davis Gates allegedly said Wednesday night, using the abbreviation for individualized education program. CTU is also currently at odds with Service Employees International Union 73, the union representing special education classroom assistants, over special education jobs.

Opponents of the change say it will only increase gridlock in Chicago, which already has the fifth worse traffic in the world, according to a recent report, and give city officials a way to ease Chicago’s financial crunch by hitting drivers who refuse to slow down with fines and fees. But transportation advocates say the change is designed to save lives, not generate revenue, and the time to act is now.

Among the things it mentions, department members will not assist with enforcing immigration law unless taking police action because of an immediate public safety concern or violation; and they will not stop, arrest, or detain someone based solely on immigration status. Ald. Ray Lopez said he’s seen the CPD advisory, and he feels it ties officer’s hands and keeps them from fulfilling their oath.

“The unfunded mandate issue is one that drives up property taxes as state leaders impose their will without providing the funds to carry out their directives. Gerrymandering impacts fair elections of federal and state representatives, with incumbents and majority political parties drawing legislative maps that favor them and diminish the chances opponents can win.”

Kenneth A. Buckfire ,president of Miller Buckfire & Co., a Stifel company, and financial adviser to the city of Detroit and several Puerto Rico creditor groups: “Although unions and creditors are not to blame for the problems of Chicago, it is inevitable that both groups will have to accept reduced future payments for the obligations of which Chicago can no longer afford…. However, Chicago cannot address its financial problems in bankruptcy because Illinois state law does not permit its cities to file for Chapter 9 protection. Even if Chicago could file for bankruptcy, it is doubtful that it would be

Bally’s did exceed hiring goals with more than 600 permanent jobs, with 82 percent of hires coming from minority backgrounds and 45 percent of jobs going to women. But alderpersons were equally concerned about two other areas where Bally’s has fallen woefully short: minority contracting in casino operations and the number of “labor hours” given to residents of economically distressed communities.

The report from Cook County Tax Assessor Fritz Kaegi is the latest development in a yearslong saga of finger-pointing over how to manage property valuations and billing so that the local tax burden is not too high on any particular group of taxpayers.

“In Chicago, the police are faced with a so-called civilian oversight agency, COPA, that is little more than a government-funded police frame-up agency willing to turn any police shooting, no matter how legitimate, into a crime by the cop.”