GOING UP UP NORTH IN EVANSTON.

A LOT GOING ON IN CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE PREPARING TO VOTE ON MAYOR JOHNSON SPENDING PLAN.

AND THE LATEST ON A MEASURE THAT WOULD REMOVE CHICAGO'S SANCTUARY CITY STATUS.

THAT'S ON THE TABLE AS WELL.

FORMER ALDERMAN ED BURKE TRIAL COULD FINALLY RESUME THIS WEEK FOLLOWING A COVID DELAY.

AND MANY, MANY, MANY MORE AND HERE WITH ALL OF THAT, OUR OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM, HEATHER, SHARON AND OF IN A KEY.

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS FOR JOINING ME BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE CARE SO >> YOU WE ALSO WANT TO.

ALL RIGHT.

SO 16.6 BILLION DOLLAR 2024 BUDGET.

IT REALLY HASN'T MUCH IN IN THE WAY OF A PUSHBACK.

IS IT GOING TO CLEAR THE FULL CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW?

SURE, IT'S AN EASY VOTE.

THERE ARE NO TAXES, NO NEW FEES, NO SERVICE CUTS.

SO EVERYBODY CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT THEY LIKE ABOUT IT.

>> WHICH ISN'T TO SAY THAT THERE HAVEN'T HEATED BACKROOM NEGOTIATIONS.

THEY HAVE THIS DEBATE HAS REALLY BEEN SHAPED BY THE COSTA, CHICAGO TAXPAYERS OF CARING FOR THE NOW.

21,000 MIGRANTS WHO HAVE MADE THEIR WAY TO CHICAGO FROM THE COUNTRY, SOUTHERN BORDER.

AND SO THE ORIGINAL ALLOCATION THAT WAS 150 MILLION DOLLARS, WHICH EVERYBODY PRETTY MUCH UNIVERSITY ACKNOWLEDGES WILL NOT COME CLOSE TO COVERING THE COSTS.

IS THERE ANY MODIFICATION ON THAT NOTE?

THE MAYOR SAYS THAT HE IS STICKING WITH THAT.

THERE IS NO PLAN B AND THAT HE IS LOOKING TOWARDS THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE, WHETHER THEY WILL DO SO I THINK IS VERY MUCH AN OPEN QUESTION AND WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DO IF THAT MONEY RUNS OUT, THINK ALSO VERY UNCLEAR.

AND A KEY TO THIS POINT, THE STATE HAS SAID, NO, WE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO GIVE YOU ANY INDICATION.

THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND IN MEASURE IS REALLY OPEN QUESTION AS MUCH IS JUST NOT THE ANSWER THAT JOHNSON IS LOOKING FOR THERE.

I MEAN, LET'S BE CLEAR HERE.

YOU HAVE ALREADY A LOT GOING ON IN WASHINGTON, D.C., TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT >> AFLOAT AND RUNNING THERE WITH PARTISAN BATTLES.

SO IT'S NOT AS IF I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE CONGRESS CHICAGO, HERE YOU GO.

THAT ISN'T AN OPTION.

AND ILLINOIS IS ON A DIFFERENT FISCAL OF APPROACHING THE HALFWAY POINT.

AND THERE IS NOT A TON OF EXTRA CASH SITTING AROUND.

ILLINOIS DID RECENTLY GET SOME GOOD FISCAL NEWS.

ANOTHER CREDIT UPGRADE.

THIS IS GREAT FOR GOVERNOR PRITZKER, SORT OF A NOTCH ON HIS FISCAL BELT.

BUT IT IS NOT TO SAY THAT HE'S GOING TO RUIN THAT.

THEREFORE, BY COMING UP WITH A BUNCH OF MONEY TO GET TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

SO NOT ANSWERS THERE.

I THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT PERHAPS THE STRATEGY IS FOR.

YOU CAN GET A BUDGET THROUGH FIRST BUDGET.

NO TAXES WORRY ABOUT THAT.

WHEN YOU HAVE TO CORRECT MAYBE A SUPPLEMENTAL SPENDING PLAN OR SOMETHING DOWN THE ROAD OR VOTE.

THERE IS A STRATEGY, RIGHT, SO HEATHER, SPEAKING OF ALL THIS, THERE'S A MORE THAN 21,000 PEOPLE WHO ARRIVE IN CHICAGO FROM THE TEXAS BORDER.

>> ALDERMEN AND THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS TO PUT FORTH THIS MEASURE ON A THEY WANT VOTERS TO DECIDE WHETHER THEY THINK CHICAGO SHOULD STAY A SANCTUARY CITY.

WHAT KIND OF TRACTION IS THIS GAME?

>> WELL, SO THIS IS PART OF THE BACKLASH TO THE HUGE COSTS AND A VERY CLEAR HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.

THERE ARE CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS, CITY COUNCIL WHO SEEM TO THINK THAT IF THERE IS A MEASURE ON THE BALLOT, IT WILL ALLOW CHICAGOANS TO SAY, LOOK, WE NO LONGER WANT TO BE A SANCTUARY CITY, BUT AS I HAVE REPORTED AND REPORTED AND REPORTED, THE CITY'S SANCTUARY CITY SAYS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MIGRANTS AND IT WILL NOT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE.

AND WHAT WE SAW LAST WEEK FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS 7 MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL INTRODUCED LEGISLATION THAT WOULD REPEAL THE CITY'S WELCOMING CITY ORDINANCE IN FULL, WHICH IS SORT OF WHERE THOSE PROTECTIONS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS LIVE IN THE CITY'S COAT.

SO THIS IS NOW A VERY CLEAR AND CONCERTED EFFORT TO SORT OF CHANGE THOSE RULES.

THE ISSUES THAT WE'RE HEARING FROM IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES THAT THIS COULD LEAVE CHICAGO'S UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN DEEP PERIL, ESPECIALLY IF FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IS REELECTED AND HE MAKES GOOD ON HIS THREATS.

I THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO SAY IT TO TO DEPORT UNDOCUMENTED THAT THEY'RE JUST SO MUCH CONFUSION HERE BECAUSE AS YOU MAY VISIT, WE'VE ALL MADE THIS POINT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THERE'S UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS.

>> BUT THEN THEIR ASYLUM SEEKERS WHICH MAKE UP THE VAST, VAST, VAST MAJORITY OF THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN BUSED HERE IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

2 DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE PROTECTIONS FOR UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS OR ACCESS TO SERVICES AND THEN CHICAGO POLICE DEPARTMENT NOT SHARING IMMIGRATION STATUS WITH FEDERAL AUTHORITIES.

THINGS LIKE THAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT THIS WOULD REPEAL.

BASICALLY A GREAT HOST TO GO THAT ROUTE.

WHERE IS THE PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE LARGELY FROM VENEZUELA?

>> SEEKING ASYLUM LARGELY DIFFERENT SETS OF LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND THEREFORE, NOT IT, WHICH I THINK GETS TO THE POINT.

HOWEVER, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE SPECIFICS SO MUCH OF THIS IS ABOUT JUST POLITICAL POSTURING AND DEFINITELY HAS CONSEQUENCES, NOT MINIMIZING THOSE.

IN FACT, WE SHOULD NOT BECAUSE IT'S HEATHER NOTED THIS WOULD MEAN A LOT FOR FLORIDA.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT NUMBER OTHER, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF CHICAGO'S POPULATION, BUT THOSE WHO ARE UNDOCUMENTED HAS IS CERTAINLY POLITICAL POSTURING.

>> AND WE'RE GETTING THAT IS WELL, THIS THIS WHOLE THING.

A LOT OF IT IS POLITICAL POSTURING IN TERMS OF WHY INDIVIDUALS HAVE BEEN SENT FROM TEXAS TO CHICAGO IN THE ENTIRE AND ACROSS AND IT'S NOT GOING TO STOP.

HE ASKED THE D AND THE DNC IS GOING TO BE COMING HERE.

SO IT'S NOT AS IF EVEN REPEAL WOULD CHANGE ANYTHING IN TERMS OF THE RHETORIC FOR THE BUS.

SPEAKING OF POLITICS, THE ULTIMATE CHICAGO POLITICIAN, ED BURKE, HIS TRIAL WAS DELAYED A WEEK BECAUSE A LAWYER GOT COVID.

>> SO THEY REALLY HADN'T SATURDAY JURY AT WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THEY COME BACK.

HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO GETTING INJURY?

WELL, THE JUDGE SAYS THAT EVERYBODY WILL BE BACK AT 09:00AM THURSDAY MORNING AND THAT THEY WILL PICK A JURY AND WILL HEAR OPENING STATEMENTS.

I I THINK EVERYBODY WHO'S OBSERVED THE WAY JURY SELECTION HAS BEEN GOING THINK THAT'S PERHAPS A LITTLE AMBITIOUS, BUT WE CAN'T FAULT HER FOR TRYING.

JUDGE KENDALL, I THINK IS VERY COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT THIS TRIAL WILL LAST 6 WEEKS.

THAT MEANS THAT WE ALREADY BUMPING UP AGAINST THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS.

>> AND THIS CASE HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR 5 YEARS.

IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO THIS MONTH THAT THE FBI RATED BURKE CITY HALL AND WARD OFF SAYS AND I THINK ALL SIDES ARE EAGER TO SORT OF START TO ARGUE THEIR CASE PEEVED OR I THINK I'D BE I WOULD URGE EVERYONE TO GO ONLINE AND WATCH THE WEEK INTERVIEW FROM FRIDAY BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY INTERESTING DISCUSSION ON THE PSYCHOLOGY JURY SELECTION AND >> THEY'RE ASKING QUESTIONS LIKE WHAT?

WHAT DO YOU NAME YOUR DOG?

THE SHOWS YOU YOU KNOW.

BUT LIKE PROFILE FOR SOMEONE THAT WOULD HAVE A DOG NAMED FIFI VERSUS A DOG NAMED BUSTER.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY, REALLY NEVER CEASES TO MAYBE AMANDA, NO AT LEGISLATING FROM A STATE LAWMAKERS THIS YEAR.

THEY WRAPPED UP THEIR VETO SESSION.

THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL LIFTING OF THE STATE'S MORATORIUM ON NUCLEAR POWER PLANT.

CONSTRUCTION IN TWENTY-TWENTY 6.

SO WHAT'S WHAT'S GOVERNOR IS EXPECTED TO SIGN THIS?

HE WAS PART OF THOSE NEGOTIATIONS.

SO IT'S CERTAINLY A CHANGE.

THIS COMES >> THERE ARE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ENERGY POLICY IS ILLINOIS LOOKS TO GO TOWARD ALL RENEWABLES?

WILL THE STATE BE ABLE TO MEET THAT GOAL?

IS THAT GOING TO CAUSE RELIABILITY QUESTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN DOWNSTATE CAMERON MARKET?

THERE'S A LOT OF CONCERN IS NOT JUST AMEREN.

IT'S ALSO GETS TO THAT THE GRAND AND MISO BUT POINT BEING RELIABILITY IS A PRIME CONCERN.

WE'RE ALSO SEEING COST POINT ITS RELIABILITY CONCERNS THAT IS WHAT THIS IS MEANT TO ADDRESS.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT IS SORT OF A SIGNAL TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY WHO REALLY BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THIS.

YOU'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THESE MONSTER NUCLEAR REACTORS THAT YOU'RE ACCUSTOMED TO VISIT CALLED SMALL MODULAR REACTORS.

THAT LITERALLY WOULD BE SMALL ENOUGH TO BE BUILT ON, SAY A BUSINESS SIDE TO MANUFACTURING A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

AND SO THERE'S INTEREST THERE.

BUT CRITICS SAY, AS YOU ARE RUSHING TO DO THIS, FIRST OF ALL, NOT A RUSH.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE QUITE SOME TIME BEFORE MORATORIUM.

IT MAY BE LIFTED, BUT IT TAKES TIME TO GET THIS TO HAPPEN.

BUT THERE ARE QUESTIONS THEY SAY ABOUT SECURITY, ITS NUCLEAR.

THEY'RE ALSO LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION THAT.

>> PRETTY MUCH GONE.

NOW THEY DIDN'T TAKE ANY ACTION ON ON THAT.

THAT IS DONE DONE AND ON AT LEAST FOR NOW, THE SCHOLARSHIPS WILL CONTINUE FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

AND ADVOCATES SAY THAT THEY VERY MUCH WANT TO COME BACK IN THE NEW SESSION COME JANUARY, WOULDN'T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY.

BUT THEY'RE HOPING THAT THEY CAN NEGOTIATE AS PART OF THE LARGER BUDGET PIECE AND GET SOMETHING IN THERE.

I THINK THAT DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH FALL THERE WILL BE FOR LETTING THIS PROGRAM CEASE TO EXIST.

HEATHER, WE HAVE 10 SECONDS SAID THE ETHICS BOARD DROPPED A COMPLAINT AGAINST MAYOR LIGHTFOOT.

HOW COME OTHER BIG BREAKING STORY, BY THE WAY, WHILE THE U.S.

ESSENTIALLY THE CITY'S ETHICS ORDINANCE DOES NOT APPLY TO CANDIDATE COMMITTEES.

IT ONLY APPLIES TO CANDIDATES AND ELECTED OFFICIALS SAID THE ETHICS PORT SAID LOOK.

>> OUR HANDS ARE TIED IN CITY COUNCIL.

IF YOU WANT TO CHANGE THE LAWS, THAT MIGHT BE A