ALWAYS A PREDICTOR.

ALRIGHT, PARIS SCHUTZ, THANK YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO BRING IN YOUR TEAMMATES AND JUST A BIT BECAUSE CHICAGO TAXPAYER TAXPAYERS ARE HANDED A MASSIVE OVERTIME BILL.

>> FROM CITY EMPLOYEES WHILE THE CHICAGO BEARS PLEDGE BILLIONS FOR A LAKEFRONT STADIUM.

AND WITH ONE WEEK UNTIL THE PRIMARY RACES ARE HEATING UP, THE TEAMMATES I MENTIONED ARE THE ONES KNOW, AND LOVE OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM AMANDA BENNETT, HAD OR SHARON AND HARRIS IS STILL HERE BECAUSE HEATHER, YOU AND OUR COLLEAGUE ANDREW DID A DEEP DIVE INTO THE CITY'S 2023 OT NUMBERS, OVERTIME NUMBERS.

AND IT TURNS OUT TAXPAYERS ARE PICKING UP A PRETTY HEFTY BILL.

WELL, IT IS A SIGN THAT THE CITY IS STILL REELING FROM START PANDEMIC STAFFING CRUNCH.

THERE WERE A LOT OF RESIGNATIONS BEEN HARDER TO FILL.

THAT'S MEANT THAT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE BOARD HAVE HAD TO RELY ON OVERTIME.

>> TO GET THE WORK OF THE CITY DONE.

HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST EXPENSE, OF COURSE, IS THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WHICH SPENT NEARLY 300 MILLION DOLLARS IN OVERTIME.

AND I THINK IF YOU SURE TO TAKE OUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS ARE SORT OF IN LINE WHAT IT SPENT THE LAST 5 YEARS.

BUT IT'S CLEAR THAT POLICE DEPARTMENT, DESPITE REPEATED CLAIMS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THIS UNDER CONTROL FOR LIE ON OVERTIME IN A WAY THAT RAISES SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER CHICAGO'S OFFICERS FULLY DEPLOYED AND MANAGED APPROPRIATELY KNOW.

CHICAGO POLICE SUPERINTENDENT LARRY SNELLING.

HE VOWED TO REIN IN OVERTIME FOR OFFICERS.

IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT HE'S BEEN ABLE TO MAKE GOOD ON THOSE EFFORTS KNOW AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT ACT ANSWER DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR USE OF OVERTIME.

BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT OVER TIME SURGED IN THE 2ND HALF OF 2023.

SO IN THE 1ST HALF OF THE YEAR OVER TIME AND ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 126 MILLION DOLLARS IN.

JUMPED NEARLY 30% IN THE 2ND HALF OF THE YEAR, WHICH IS I THINK AN INDICATION THAT THEY RELY ON OVERTIME TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE HOT SUMMER MONTHS.

BUT OF COURSE, CAN BE VERY VIOLENT AS WELL AS SORT OF THE SUMMER FESTIVAL SEASON.

A LOT OF THOSE EVENTS THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE DO NOT REIMBURSE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR ADDITIONAL OFFICERS AND SECURITY AND THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL BURDEN FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

HOWEVER, I WOULD IMAGINE CITY OFFICIALS LOOKING AT THIS IS THIS IS A WAY TO GET MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO DO ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS.

THEY WILL BE LOOKING AT THIS VERY CLOSELY BECAUSE THIS MONEY IS SPENT WITH ALMOST NO OVERSIGHT BY THE CHICAGO POLICE DEPART FOR THE CHICAGO CITY COUNCIL.

I SHOULD BRIEFLY HAD A 350 CITY EMPLOYEES EARNED MORE THAN $100,000 IN OVERTIME ALONE.

THAT'S ON TOP OF THEIR SALARIES TO THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.

HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T.

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ALSO DID NOT ANSWER MY DETAILED QUESTIONS ABOUT MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON'S USE OF OVERTIME.

AND I THINK IT'S CLEAR THAT, AGAIN, THIS IS BEING DRIVEN BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

SO ALMOST 238 POLICE OFFICERS MADE AND THAT MUCH IN JUST IN OVERTIME ON TOP OF THEIR AMPLE SALARIES, WHICH IS AN INDICATION THAT THIS IS NOT CITYWIDE OVERTIME PROBLEM.

THIS IS A POLICE OVERTIME AMANDA, LET'S GO INTO THE PRIMARY ELECTION JUST A WEEK AWAY AS WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING IN THE RACE TO REPLACE STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANNE BURKE HEATING UP.

WHAT'S THE LATEST THERE?

WELL, SO SHE STEPPED DOWN EARLY FROM THIS TERM.

SO IF PERSON WHO KILLED HER SPOT.

>> COMING UP IS RUNNING FOR ELECTION.

THIS IS A BIG DEAL BECAUSE ESSENTIALLY THERE'S NO REPUBLICAN IN RACE.

WHOEVER WINS THE PRIMARY IS LIKELY TO GET THAT JOB AND THEY GET IT FOR A LONG TIME FOR 10 YEARS AT THE MINIMUM.

AND THEN IT'S PRETTY EASY TO ACTUALLY KEEP THAT POST ONCE YOU'VE GOT SO CUNNINGHAM IS UP AGAINST A JUDGE JESSE RAYA'S.

AND HAS BEEN A BIG DEAL AS WELL BECAUSE THERE HAS BEEN NO LATINO EVER ON THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT.

LATINOS FEEL REALLY DISENFRANCHISE.

THEY SAY THAT THERE THAT THIS IS UNFAIR, THAT OR ANOTHER LATINO JUDGE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED APPOINTMENT WHEN BURKE SET DOWN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO THAT'S PART OF IT.

AND THEN, BY THE WAY, AND BURKE MARRIED TO NONE OTHER THAN FORMER ALDERMAN BURKE.

AND OF COURSE, AS WE KNOW, HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HELPING GET A LOT OF JUDGES TO THEIR POSTS IN COOK COUNTY.

SO YOU HAVE THAT AND THEN YOU HAVE IS A LAWYER.

THERE IS A BODY THAT APPROVES DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS WHEN LAWYERS GET IN TROUBLE LIKE, OH, WAIT, BURKE HE WAS CONVICTED OF CORRUPTION.

AND SO BUT HE IS ALLOWED NOW WITH HIS REPORTING FROM WBEZ TO KEEP HIS LAW LICENSE BECAUSE THERE ARE MEMBERS APPARENTLY ON THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT THAT SAID THEY HAD A CONFLICT OF INTEREST IN DECLARING WHETHER HE SHOULD LOSE HIS LAW LICENSE.

AND SO HE GETS TO KEEP IT.

AND RAY IS MAKING A BIG DEAL ABOUT THIS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER CUNNINGHAM WAS ONE OF THEM, PRESUMABLY SO.

BUT THERE IS THAT IS THE BIG ISSUE IN THE RACE RIGHT NOW.

OK?

SO THERE'S ANOTHER CONTROVERSY THAT'S BREWING THE BRING CHICAGO HOME REFERENDUM, WHICH IS STILL MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE COURTS.

BUT THIS ONE INVOLVES CHICAGO TEACHERS UNION ENCOURAGING THEIR MEMBERS TO BRING STUDENTS TO A FRIDAY MORNING RALLY AT SEA TO EU HEADQUARTERS.

PARIS.

SOME ARE CLAIMING THAT THERE'S A CONFLICT OF INTEREST HERE BECAUSE THE CTU IS SO CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON AND HIS BRING CHICAGO HOME REFERENDUM.

>> BRIEFLY BEFORE, COMING UP, A CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ISSUED THIS STATEMENT, QUOTE, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS ENCOURAGES STUDENT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ELECTORAL PROCESS.

WE DO NOT ENDORSE SPECIFIC CAMPAIGNS OR ADVOCATE FOR SPECIFIC DIRECT ELECTION RESULTS.

CBS IS SHARED WITH THE SEA TO YOUR CONCERNS AT THE MARCH 15TH EVENT WILL BE NON-PARTISAN.

CTU HAS A SHORT CPS.

THE BRING CHICAGO HOME IS NOT A PARTNER OR SPONSOR OF THIS EVENT AND IS NOT ON THE AGENDA.

WITH.

A SITUATION THAT ARISES BECAUSE OF THE COMPLICATED NATURE CTU THAT THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

BUT ALSO THEY REPRESENT TEACHERS THAT TEACH STUDENTS.

>> ACCORDING TO CPS ETHICS CODE THAT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO POLITIC ON SCHOOL TIME.

THIS IS SCHOOL TIME.

THEY'RE INVITING KIDS TO THE UNION HEADQUARTERS FOR RALEIGH.

NOW THEY SAY IT'S GOING TO BE NON-PARTISAN.

THEY SAY THEY INVITED FOLKS FROM BOTH PARTIES ON ALL SIDES.

BUT WHEN CTU ITSELF IS A VERY IDEOLOGICALLY DRIVEN ORGANIZATION THAT GIVES MONEY TO CANDIDATES AND CAUSES LIKE BRING CHICAGO HOME, IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT THIS IS JUST INNOCENT SORT OF GET OUT THE VOTE RALLY FOR STUDENTS.

IT'S IT'S IT'S AMAZING TO ME THAT SEAT HE WAS ABLE TO SORT OF ARRANGE THIS BEFORE THEY EVEN WENT TO CPS.

CPS FOUND OUT ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE CONSERVATIVE ORGANIZATION FILED AN ETHICS COMPLAINT AND CPS IS THAT WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS.

I MEAN, POLITICS SHOULD BE OUT OF THE CLASSROOM IF YOU'RE GOING TO BRING INTO THE CLASSROOM, GOT TO PRESENT ALL SIDES EITHER.

>> I THINK PARIS IS RIGHT WHEN YOU HAVE THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICAL ORGANIZATION ALSO BEING THE REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOLS.

IT'S AN ISSUE YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE IS SORT OF COMPETING VALUES HERE, RIGHT?

YOU WANT TO GET KIDS INVOLVED.

YOU WANT TO GET KIDS STARTED INVOLVED IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS IS THE UNION HALL THE RIGHT PLACE TO DO IT?

I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT, YOU KNOW, I THINK REASONABLE PEOPLE CAN DISAGREE ON, BUT THE FACT MATTER IS, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I THINK THE SEAT YOU FEEL AN OBLIGATION, SORT ENERGIZE STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW IT SORT WHAT YOU BRING IN.

AND THERE WAS SOME INDICATION THAT CLEAR THAT BRING CHICAGO HOME WAS GOING TO BE ABLE ORGANIZE ARE GOING TO BE PART THAT.

THAT GOT VERY LOUD ABOUT THIS LAST YEAR DURING THE MAYORAL ELECTION.

WHEN MAYOR LORI LIGHTFOOT, WHEN HER CAMPAIGN INVITED STUDENTS >> TO TO BEGIN VOLUNTEERING IN AND GET INVOLVED IN THE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.

REAL QUICK BEFORE WE HAVE TO GO, THE BEARS SEEM TO BE KEEPING CHICAGO AS THEIR HOME.

WE'RE HEARING REPORTS OF THE TEAMS PREPARE TO SPEND 2 BILLION TO BUILD A NEW DOMED LAKEFRONT STADIUM.

PARIS.

A WAY THEY DON'T HAVE A DRAWINGS ARE ENDING RENDERINGS THAT THEY'RE REALLY FRIENDS OF THE PARKS.

OBVIOUSLY THEY CAME OUT WITH A STATEMENT TODAY AND IT'S INTERESTING THAT IN ST. LOUIS AND MISS THAT, THEY DIDN'T SAY THE STATEMENT THEY FOR SURE ARE GOING TO THEY JUST SAID WE WISH THE BEARS WILL WORK WITH THERE'S OTHER SITES LIKE THE MICHAEL REESE HOSPITAL SITE THAT AREN'T, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE LAKEFRONT PROTECTION ORDINANCE.

>> SO MORE TEMPERED RESPONSE THERE'S MIGHT WANT TO PLAY BALL WITH HIM.

A BIT OF THE BEARS YOU THAT WAS INTENTIONAL.

ALSO THERE THEY THEY PUT OUT A POLL SAYING THAT TO CHICAGOANS WILL LIKE THIS KIND OF IDEA OF OF HAVING THEM STAY ON THE LAKEFRONT LIKE THIS MAY BE FRIENDS OF THE PARKS, REALIZE THAT BECAUSE THEY SAID IN THEIR STATEMENT LIKE WE HATE TO BE THE NO MORE PEOPLE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS CONVERSATION IS IS ALSO WHAT THEY SAID.

OKAY, THAT SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

THANK YOU.

TEAM AMANDA, HEATHER, PARIS.

>> AND AS WE MENTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES ELECTION DAYS A WEEK AWAY, PEOPLE SO BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR ONLINE VOTER GUIDE.

WE'VE GOT DETAILS ON