>> hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

Chicago's facing an 882 million dollar budget deficit next year we hear from City Council's budget committee chair on efforts to close it.

And 25 years later, how are the 9.11 attacks still shaping today's world?

>> First off tonight in Illinois law allowing terminally ill adults to take life ending medication is still set to take effect in just a few days.

It comes after a federal judge today denied a request for a preliminary injunction.

The lawsuit brought by a pair of disabled adults advocates and one doctor argues the law discriminates against people with disabilities.

But in his ruling, Judge John Tharp says given the discretion afforded to doctors about whether to provide the care, the plaintiffs, quote, cannot establish an immediate imminent risk that all doctors will start inviting disabled patients to consider medical aid in dying.

The law only applies to adults with less than 6 months to live, which must be confirmed by 2 independent physicians.

The plaintiffs have 30 days to show cause why the entire suit should not be dismissed for lack of standing.

Chicago is preparing for a number of Mexican Independence Day celebrations this weekend.

It comes after some events were canceled or have low attendance last year amid concerns about immigration raids while operation Midway Blitz scaled down in November, residents and community raids and deportations are still taking place.

This weekend's events include Grito Music Festival in Grant Park on Saturday and Sunday and they'll 5 K family run walk will take place at 09:00AM on Sunday in Little Village.

The 26 Street Mexican Independence Day parade on Sunday will step off at noon at the Little Village.

Arch and another parade will kick off at 01:00PM on Sunday in South Chicago.

Okay.

Because the city cannot resist a good naming contest.

Here's another one for you.

Name that rock Boulder.

Seriously.

Construction crews at O'Hare have an Earth this 50 time, 11 and a half foot wide, 7 and a half foot tall beauty.

And she's anxious likely some 400 million years old from the slurry in period of the Paley.

era that's when Chicago was a tropical hot spot.

She was found 30 feet below the airfield surface.

The Department of Aviation launched a naming contest this week.

5 finalists will be put to a public vote and an exhibit is also in the works.

A few contenders from social media already Butch for Edward Butch O'Hare, Barack Obama.

And yes, Rocky Rock face for more on how to enter rock onto our website.

The mayor's office estimates a major budget deficit ahead of what could be another long budget season.

That's right.

After this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part by the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> Chicago is facing an 882 million dollar budget deficit in 2027.

That's according to a budget forecast released by Mayor Brandon Johnson's office last week.

The forecast highlights soaring pension costs spiraling personnel costs and a massive amount of debt as factors driving the shortfall, setting the stage for a dramatic season.

A budget negotiate negotiations in City Council.

Joining us is Jason Ervin, alderman of the 28th Ward and chair of the City Council's Budget committee.

We also invited members of the coalition of all people who adopted a budget over Mayor Johnson's objections last year.

But they either declined or did not respond.

Alderman Urban, welcome back.

>> Thank you for having me.

So what is your reaction to the forecast that was released last week?

>> Really, it's probably the most honest interpretation of the city's financial condition.

I've seen in my 16 year tenure as an alderman for us to talk about having pension obligations fully disclosed and put on the table to have the lawsuit and settlement stat.

We know exist fully disclosed and put on the table.

It's something that we have not seen, which is a, which part of the driving factors of 882 million dollar deficits.

If you take those things out, you're probably looking at more about 3, 40 million, which, you know, is small comparison to where we've been, but it would not given us honest assessment of where we are.

>> The forecast a deficit for this budget cycle.

As we said, 882.4 million.

That 23% smaller than last year's deficit, which was 1.1, 5 billion smaller, but still massive.

What he what you think is behind this decrease?

Well, a couple of things we did at some structural revenue with the personal property replacement tax.

We've added some things in of also killed the line.

>> On expenses, which of course, are the 2 things that are going to drive any deficit.

However, we still have costs that are increasingly look at our NBA Bf.

I'm sorry, our pension payments that are going and also aren't necessarily the city of Chicago's responsibility, but we are, you know, legally responsible for them.

So when you look at these factors, we take some of these things weigh.

city itself is doing fairly well.

This is external factors that have kind of caught up with the sun is giving us situation, OK?

Mayor Brandon Johnson, he's declined to rule out property taxes to raise that additional revenue.

>> It failed its failed before in the past under Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Could that be back on the table?

It could be if that's what he proposes.

I know that we're while living to residents that are represented.

>> We just saw some of the highest property tax assessment changes.

We've got residents whose bills, you know, gone 30, 40, 50, 60%, not in a position to support that.

As of today.

But again, I would wait to see what he puts on the table and looking you yet of changes pope hopefully between expenses and on the revenue side.

You know, we will get to a balanced budget.

>> The mayor has said he will once again focus on passing progressive revenue options.

He's declined to rule out that per employee head tax so-called head tax on Chicago's largest did not pass last year.

Would you support a revived push for the head tax?

>> I think we have to look at progressive revenue as a whole.

We need support and help from the state of Illinois and how we're able to look at certain things.

For example, I'll use an example.

If you look how we collect garbage, a garbage fee, for example, we do have a garbage fee.

But it's same fee.

There's somebody in Beverly pays somebody in Garfield pages, somebody across the other parts of the city pay, which again is a is a flat tax which is regressive.

We have to look at ways in which we can potentially look you know, look at people's property values in assessed along those lines as well, which again, is is not ideal, but he would give some level of value as relates to what we're doing.

So I think we have to find better ways.

We also need to work with our work with the state has released a sales tax modernization right?

We're we're one of a handful of states to have our cake sales tax system.

So think there are ways we can look at this.

However, the city of Chicago on its all can implement the sting.

So we have to work with the state to get used so garbage.

The sales tax working with the state.

What other kind of revenues would you like to see?

What do you think would get through the city council and raise funds research for Good quest to 882 million dollar question for you know what?

I think that we will have to come to some conclusions.

I think they're going to be competing this interest as always are.

>> There's one group that wants us to reduce expenses as one who wants this to raise expenses.

One who wants to reduce revenue of one wants to raise revenue.

>> So ultimately, I believe that the members of the city council will come together chart a path that is equitable.

The works for Mosul work fine, but I think would work work for essential services.

The mayor has ruled out cuts to those, but is it possible that an 882 million dollar hole can be plugged without cuts?

>> I don't believe so.

I think that there will be some adjustments needed to be made on our expenditure side.

>> Again, no one wants to reduce our police fire services, but other things may have to be looked at it is what it We have to have a balanced budget.

We have to work within our means.

If we don't have the revenue that we have to make adjustments to bring our expenses down, to meet that, what could be on the chopping block.

That is a very good Again, I think that when we look at this, we have to look at services.

We have to look at what we do when you go to different places across the country Chicago has a very high level of municipal service in comparison to other municipalities across the country.

And we have to honestly look at are there some things that we may not continue to do order to bring that into balance.

Now, when you asked residents, the answer is I want to continue.

Everything is going to want to have the lowest tax possible.

So we'll go through this exercise.

And again, we'll wait to mayor to make his executive introduction.

And will we as the council will take a look at it make heads or tails the forecast estimates the city will have about 340 million dollars in surplus dollars from TIF districts.

>> 181 million of that would go to Chicago.

Public schools in the budget.

Those and public schools is budgeting for much more than that for about 280 Million.

Did the school district make a bad bet to assume 280 million based on previous year's surplus?

Is is my understanding that the since Scott was very clear as to what the anticipate that number to be, not only did you know, they're above the number 4 to surplus, but also some additional funding from the state of Illinois.

>> That they, too, looking to have 150 Million.

So I don't know the answer to that question.

And if the city of Chicago, we'll increase the amount of the surplus in order to give more money to CPS.

Again, doing that would require a project to be put on hold these to be delayed or to be castle, which will come down to decisions groups of all as these projects impact communities across the city.

Last year, the city declared a billion dollar surplus.

Why is this one so much smaller again?

we everyone knew that that was not in and you will.

thing that would happen, right?

Because it is a surplus and it takes time to generate a surplus.

And also part of that could would result in cancellation or pushing back a certain projects.

And I think everyone kind of got the message that and said, hey, the project that you are thinking about had in your mind and headed in your office somewhere.

We need to get that with the Department of Planning.

So could be put on the books so that a lot of members did.

This will now we are projects on the books so we don't have a level of surplus that one may have anticipated.

They've been in the past because people now looking at and we must see the use it or lose it and people are beginning to use it.

>> So last year a coalition of aldermen were able to pass a budget over the mayor's objections and they have that, you know, coalition supported plans, including selling Chicagoans debt to private companies, as well as a plan to sell advertising spots on city.

Light poles.

In a statement, they say, quote, while the Johnson administration works overtime to deflect from failures of its own, making, the reality is straight forward.

This administration abandon Chicagoans on the most basic responsibility of governing, executing the budget.

They slow walked multiple fiscal year 2026 revenue measures that could have generated hundreds of millions of dollars towards reducing our structural deficit, then pointed fingers at everyone else for not getting the job done.

30 seconds left alderman, what's your reaction to that position?

That's not a fair assessment.

I said and working groups you met with some of the same bankers.

I mean, the biggest chunk of that 89 million dollar decision to sail debt.

>> That 20 of the top bankers in this country said no to.

So I think that speaks volumes over whatever the thought and again, to sail the dead.

And when you look at that impacted would handle some of our communities would have been monsters.

Okay.

We know that we've got about a month before we hear the mayor's budget address.

I'm sure we'll be talking about it again.

Been Alderman Jason Ervin, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you for having Appreciate it.

The September 11th attacks happened 25 years ago.

>> We look at how the events have changed American society.

Tomorrow marks 25 years since 9/11/2001 between the attacks of that day, their health impacts and the ensuing wars.

The death toll for Americans is in the 10's of thousands.

Now, one generation later the country and the rest of the world are still reckoning with that aftermath from conflicts abroad to civil liberties, civil liberties at home.

How is 9.11 still impacting today's world?

Joining us now to help answer that question and more are time come.

Tom Titus, a history professor at DePaul University who specializes in military history and violent extremism.

And you bring a Bush a reef, a journalism and Middle Eastern studies, professor at Northwestern University.

Welcome back, Tom, and thanks to you both.

Thanks for having Tom, how has the meaning of the word terrorism changed since 9.11?

Well, it's still very much with us.

It's been much more politicized, which concerns a particularly if you look at the latest counterterrorism strategy.

>> There is now and there's belief that there is no enemy to the left there.

Only enemies actually meet their own.

No enemies to the right.

Only enemy is to the left.

>> And we have a sense gotten almost numb to it.

The threat now is coming from right wing extremist groups and particularly from nihilistic lone wolves individual's physiology is difficult to figure out person who assassinated Charlie Kirk a year ago.

For example.

So it's part of the permanent security landscape its kind woven into the city, a logical culture war, political struggle that we're now Ashton to the detriment security in General Ibrahim, some question to you.

Well, I think I remember one 9.11 happened.

I was driving to work this in for a gun.

Academia.

I worked.

I was editor chief of publishing house.

>> And my mom called me on the phone and said, you know this and have you watching the news.

I no.

And then I found out what happened to thoughts came to my mind.

Number one is it was a horrific attack and we feel sad about that for most Americans, especially most Americans.

There was another concern.

We're going to get the We had these.

We have a chance of more because we knew were going to get the backlash.

And for me that backlash hasn't stopped.

It's been weaponized for weaponize in terms of conducting foreign wars and also Bill Nye Zing indigenous commute, a local community.

>> Even 9.11, it was also followed, as you mentioned by this, you know, this rise of Islamophobia around the country.

What form does that take today?

Well, it's it's less subtle today because you do you have physical violence.

And basically underreported.

I mean, I hear it because people.

>> My community tell me about it.

And also intimidation from employment.

And that's a big deal.

This is your livelihood.

Some people cool or so, say it with, you manufactured associations with with violence are going to be tagged.

And and they're going to be out of the employment.

Potential and so that that's it is.

Both property individuals and also employment.

>> Yeah, everything I can see even more insidious than that.

I just wrote a piece on medium talking about it really began the process of this deep divide over who exactly is an American who gets to come here.

And for example, the election of Mayor Mamdani the election Michigan.

And so what we're now seeing over extremely intense.

But seeing a rise Anti-Semitism.

We're seeing a rise in white supremacy and racism.

soon after 9.11, brief period of unity and then it was looking for scapegoats.

And then it was very much who is the real American and that unfortunately, our political leaders have weaponized that and legitimized it.

And that's what is really insidious about American politics today.

Ibrahim has also been the long history >> American military action in the Middle East, particularly before as well as after 9.11 What impact has that had on the region?

I think had significant impact before what this one aspect of it, this that we are, we have to have an honest conversation and expand the band within which we can have public discourse.

And with that, we're still timid from saying the United States.

>> Has a terrible history of being violent with countries in the Middle East and saying that this is causing this caused this and cause, that does not mean you're condoning it.

But what we have to do, he's really come to terms that we have a belligerent policy towards people in the Middle East Arabs and Middle some sun and world.

And I think that we have to open up the possibility there is a strategic advantage for the United States to come clean or with what the Arab world and larger Muslim right now, that seems to be almost impossible.

But I think if we're going to be on us and we're going to be certain serious about the future, we have to have a complete and disrupted public discourse that brings in things that make everybody nervous.

And so I think this is a way forward.

You talk about public discourse and, you know, in breeding in preparation for the segment, you know, there's also some commentary about the role of the American media in the last 25 years as well.

And >> what role do think that played?

go to you?

Well, I that was non-stop several weeks after 9 11.

And in some ways my media appearances have never been talking about this many times.

>> But there's an old saying that the media is the oxygen of terrorism.

The cause it to burn.

But the reality is you can tell the media not to cover it.

The reality is it's like asking a dog not to bark.

You can't blame them for reporting on what reality is and make a comeback.

A terror is is a weapon used by a variety of actors to the point that just made a good case can be made to some of her actions in the Middle East have been terrorizing the people there.

When you take out an entire girls school and say, oops, we missed, you know, if you're on the receiving end of people, you know, you're going to view that as terror and the same is true of many other things.

And that's part of that uncomfortable conversation.

We don't want to hear, but the reality is we do need to keep talking about these things week.

You need to keep focusing on it and we need to have that tough conversation.

You know, you mentioned the girl's school in Ibrahim, what are the sort of the impacts of these military actions that Americans still haven't reckoned with?

>> Well, for people in the global south, you know, we there's the vision, you know, global south couple north, basically west and But for people in the global south, this is, of course, not new.

>> But I think what's new here is that the Global South matters.

And so when when that school was bombed, what was interesting is that for many people okay, that's that's a shame.

There's no humanity behind located.

The soaker Earls are like our girls are like our kids and like our schools and were, you know, the discourse is not permit us to have an emotional response to to young people getting slaughtered.

And so we need to look at the ideology of accepting that that has really permeated our culture permit our textbooks in our schools.

So this is a way forward is really sort of break that lock and our imagination and understanding humanity.

Tom, where do today's threats to American safety?

Come from?

I think that the majority of threat to United States or domestic, I think I've said this from the very first time I was sat in this studio talking about this, that the biggest stage from terrorism is not with the to but what they will frighten us into doing to one another.

And I stand by that statement >> that we came to the U.S.

government an extraordinarily and dangerous amount power now seeing used.

I and a lot of other people were not fans of creating the Department of Homeland Security and look at how it is now being used and how it's being weaponized.

So that's the other thing.

And there is this mentality.

If you don't like somebody, violence is accepted.

So, you know, terror is out and it comes from a variety of different directions directions.

And it's it's one of those things that we have to, you know, prepare for.

But you know, it's fair I think you pretty far down the list what I'm really worried about.

How how has the Department of Homeland Security been used since it was created?

first about ICE is part of it.

You know, I mean that that's thing.

It's given its given.

We came we gave to the Bush administration and every president since we've given them this ability to have to to keep us safe.

You know, fear is a bad counselor.

It's an old ex saying it's like shopping when you're really hungry.

Everything looks good.

So we gave us a Patriot Act would create a pair of home as KETK to the National Intelligence Center.

And we've given to the executive power to make war without consulting Congress.

And I think we're not we're not we're less safe as a result.

so on the other thing, if you want to live in a free, open Democratic society have to accept a certain level risk and I'm willing to do that rather than to live in a police state.

Ibrahim, how heads the aftermath of 9.11 affected public trust in our institutions >> I well, I mean, sure Thomas not save let you start I think are trusted.

Institutions have seriously eroded, especially when comes to government.

But even and I higher education.

It's more difficult for academics to say certain things about guns and other places without getting some backlash.

And once we start fearing even at the slash in intelligence here to say certain things because worry about the you know, look on dialogue is excepted are not accepted.

It really diminishes the institutions of higher education and also mainstream going to doubly excluded Fresno has has really needs to pick up because the alternative plan Press has flourished and they and there's a lot of stuff he spewed on the the all turn to fear that doesn't have the editorial guidelines.

But I think the mainstream media needs to step up.

Because the media has been trust in media has been seriously eroded.

Mainstream media.

Few seconds left.

Yeah.

I do think vision of Iraq devastating to public trust because we now realize we were lied to there were no weapons of mass destruction, no ties to al Qaeda.

>> And what we learned today that thousands of people, including children, schools, were exposed to toxic chemicals in the air.

After 9.11, they were told the air was safe and it wasn't.

So yeah.

Is there any wonder that people are reluctant leave authorities and that goes along to vaccine denial and all kinds of very destructive largely that began with this.

The 9.11 attacks, 25th anniversary tomorrow.

Hard to that history has been written time.

Okay to him a picture thanks you both for joining us.

Thank Thanks for having us on.

And we're back with details about an upcoming W T Tw News form that you can attend.

>> So don't go anywhere.

And that's our show for this Thursday night.

On a programming note.

Mark your calendars and join us next Tuesday for a forum with the 4 candidates running in the historic race for president of Chicago's school board.

Head to our website to RSVP to be in our studio audience.

That's W T Tw dot com slash events.

And while you're there, you can also submit your questions for the candidates.

And join us tomorrow night at 5.37, for the weekend review.

We leave you tonight with footage of a memorial honoring service members killed in action during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

It's on display at the Daley Center.

Now for all of us here at Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made possible by Robert.

A clip and Clifford law offices, Chicago personal injury and wrongful death that supports