IF A FINAL VOTED, CHICAGO'S CITY
COUNCIL APPROVES MAYOR
LIGHTFOOT'S $16.7 BILLION BUDGET
TODAY.
THIS COMES AFTER A SERIES OF
LAST-MINUTE CHANGES INCLUDING
THE BUDGET'S MENTAL HEALTH AND
HOUSING COMPONENTS.
AND HERE IS THE MAYOR AFTER
TODAY'S BIG VOTE.
>> WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS
BUDGET, THE COLLECTIVE WE ARE
SERVING NOTICE THAT OUR FUTURE
AS A GREAT GLOBAL CITY LIES IN
ALL 77 OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.
ALL OF THEM.
[APPLAUSE]
AND THAT WE WILL LEAVE NO ONE
BEHIND.
>> AND WTTW NEWS REPORTER
HEATHER CHERONE JOINS US WITH
MORE.
LET'S GO THROUGH THE FINER
POINTS OF THIS BUDGET THAT
PASSED TODAY.
FIRST, IT TAKES EFFECT JANUARY 1
OF NEXT YEAR.
IT SPENDS NEARLY $2 BILLION IN
FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF FUNDS
AND SETS ASIDE 31 MILLION FOR
DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
IN THE FORM OF $500 PER MONTH
FOR A YEAR TO 5,000 FAMILIES AND
SENDS $2 BILLION TO THE PENSION
FUNDS AND MARKS 275 MILLION FOR
OFFICER PAY INCREASES.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, 2 BILLION
FEDERAL STIMULUS MONEY HOW ELSE
IS THE CITY GOING TO PAY FOR
THIS LARGE SPENDING BUDGET?
>> NOT ONLY THAT THE CITY HAS TO
CLOSE A $733 MILLION BUDGET GAP
WHICH WAS WHAT WAS LEFTOVER FROM
THE RAVAGES OF THE WORST OF THE
COVID-19 PANDEMIC INDUCED
ECONOMIC COLLAPSE.
SO THE CITY'S GOING TO REFINANCE
$1.2 BILLION TO SAVE ANOTHER
QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS.
AND IT IS --
AND THE MAYOR IDENTIFIED ANOTHER
$300 MILLION IN SAVINGS TO MAKE
THIS VERY COMPLICATED BUDGET
PLAN WORK.
>> AND THERE'S LAST-MINUTE
CHANGES INCLUDING SPENDING FOR
MENTAL HEALTH AND OTHER CITY
SERVICES.
IT DIDN'T MAKE EVERY SINGLE
ALDERPERSON HAPPY.
HERE IS ONE THAT STILL VOTED NO.
>> YOU ARE STILL HERE, THE MAYOR
WORKED WITH PROGRESSIVE CITY
COUNCIL MEMBERS ON HOUSING,
HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH.
BUT WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT WE
SETTLE FOR A PITTANCE OF AN
EXTRA 10 MILLION IN FUNDING OUT
OF THE $100 MILLION REQUESTED.
10% OF WHAT IS NEEDED.
DESPITE THERE BEING TWO BILLION
FROM THE AMERICAN RESCUE
FUNDING.
>> MOST WERE HAPPY WITH THE
SPENDING ON MENTAL HEALTH AND
LOW INCOME HOUSING ASSISTANCE
WHAT IS THIS ALDERMAN GETTING
AT?
>> ALDERMAN BYRON SIGCHO-LOPEZ
WAS ONE OF SEVERAL PROGRESSIVE
ALDERMEN WHO WANTED 1.9 BILLION
FROM THE RESCUE PLAN TO GO
DIRECTLY TO THE CHICAGOANS HIT
HARDEST BY THE PANDEMIC.
BUT THE MAYOR SUSPENDED 70%, 1.3
BILLION TO FILL THE BUDGET GAPS
LEFT FROM 2021 THIS YEAR AND TO
SAVE MONEY FOR NEXT YEAR, 2023
IN CASE THE PANDEMIC CONTINUES
TO RAGE.
TO MAKE IT ALL WORK, THE MAYOR
ALSO GOT PUSHED THROUGH A PLAN
TO BORROW $660 MILLION TO FUEL
THOSE PROJECTS THAT EARNED HER
THE SUPPORT OF THE PROGRESSIVE
CAUCUS AND MOST OF THE SOCIALIST
CAUCUS AS WELL.
BUT SOME ALDERMEN DID NOT THINK
IT WAS ENOUGH.
>> ONE OF THE PROJECTS HAD $31
MILLION FOR DIRECT CASH
ASSISTANCE TO 5,000 CHICAGO
FAMILIES.
OR IS IT 500 FAMILIES.
REMIND US NOT EVERYONE WAS HAPPY
WITH THAT, EITHER?
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
THAT PROJECT HAD BEEN BLOCKED
FOR MONTHS BY THE CITY COUNCIL'S
BLACK CAUCUS WHO WANTED THE CITY
TO FIRST ADDRESS REPARATIONS FOR
THE DEFENDANTS OF ENSLAVED
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
IT ALSO DREW FIRE FROM
CONSERVATIVE ALDERMEN WHO
CONSIDERED IT A GIVEAWAY THAT
WOULD DISCOURAGE CHICAGOANS FROM
SEEKING JOBS AND GETTING BACK ON
THEIR OWN FEET.
IT PASSED BUT WE WILL HAVE TO
WATCH WHAT THE RULES FOR THE
PROGRAM ARE IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW
THE 5,000 FAMILIES WILL BE
CHOSEN AND WHAT CRITERIA WILL BE
USED.
>> 5,000 FAMILIES GETTING $500
MONTHLY PAYMENTS.
>> WE ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE
ABOUT THIS WHEN YOU JOIN US FOR
SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.
BUT FOR NOW THANKS SO MUCH.