* Sun-Times…
The Chicago Teachers Union is heading into contract talks with the wind at its back: A new poll that shows likely voters have a favorable view of the union that stood toe-to-toe with Mayor Rahm Emanuel and overwhelmingly embrace the union’s “educational justice agenda.”
The telephone poll of 600 likely primary voters was conducted Dec. 11-through-16 by Lake Research Partners and has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.
It shows 62 percent of voters surveyed have a favorable view of the union that led its members on a seven-day 2012 teachers strike that was Chicago’s first in 25 years after Emanuel instigated the walkout with his bullying missteps, including cancelling a teacher pay raise.
That’s compared to a favorability rating of just 31 percent for the City Council, 41 percent for the Chicago Board of Education and 33 percent for County Board.
* From the polling memo…
* Voters are generally pessimistic about both the direction of the city (57% wrong track) and the state of CPS (52% wrong track).
* They are dejected and their issue agenda is noticeably diffuse, with concerns over crime and public safety (19% most important problem), education (16% MIP), property taxes and fees (15% MIP) and jobs and the economy (12% MIP) rounding out a top tier of issues.
o A close second tier includes ethics and corruption(9%), community-police relations(9%), healthcare (8%), and criminal justice reform (7%). […]
* A majority (56%) of voters also says it is important that the next Mayor do something to address the unequal concentration of wealth in downtown and the “push out” of working class African American and Latino families.
* A similar 56% majority also believes that racial segregation should remain an important factor when determining attendance boundaries for Chicago Public Schools. These are key issues the candidates for mayor would do well to address, as they are among the criteria the remaining undecided voters will use to assess them.
* When it comes to sources for new revenue, a millionaires’ income tax (34% excellent idea, 73% total good idea) remains the most popular idea for generating more funding for Chicago Public Schools.
* Voters also solidly support implementing a new tax on large corporations that pay their employees less than $12 an hour (30% excellent idea, 59% total good idea), suing the big banks to recover losses from ‘toxic swaps’ (27% excellent idea, 61% total good idea).
- Steve - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
A new millionaires’ income tax couldn’t happen until AT LEAST January of 2021 . The voters can want it but they will have to wait at least two years….
- City Zen - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
The County Board receives a 33% favorability rating, so the CTU endorsement for Chicago Mayor is…the head of the County Board?
Makes sense, in a CTU kinda way.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 12:56 pm:
Earth shattering: A poll commissioned by a tax eater supports more taxes. Who would have thought?!?!
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:05 pm:
Peoples opinions should no longer amaze me, I mean Trump won an election.
But people are clearly not thinking properly. CPS student outcomes are the best in decades and increasing. The biggest impedement to progress is CTU and the monetary demands that are holding back the system.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:11 pm:
“unequal concentration of wealth in downtown”
Isn’t a concentration of anything by its very nature unequal? Can a downtown be a downtown without concentration?
Is it too late for CTU to convince Salesforce to move into Roseland? Maybe Hyatt will move to North Lawndale.
Gentrification has been breaking up the “unequal concentration of wealth” for decades. But that’s taboo now.
- Southwest Sider - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:20 pm:
“unequal concentration of wealth in downtown.”
Well, they do get taxed more. Lots of complaints about those north side real estate tax bills.
Well, despite the budget problems, the city has been on the upswing. Companies want to relocate here and lots of neighborhoods are improving. Yes, gentrification is another word for that.
- Steve Polite - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:25 pm:
But people are clearly not thinking properly. CPS student outcomes are the best in decades and increasing. The biggest impedement to progress is CTU…
It appears you’re not thinking clearly, outcomes are the best in decades because CTU?
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:28 pm:
Trump won the EC vote. I don’t know why people don’t remember he lost the popular vote.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Loving the support for raising taxes on the rich, corporations and investing in low-income communities. Preckwinkle says she supports progressive taxation for education on her campaign website.
With Pritzker, the GA supermajorities and a new upcoming mayor, maybe the time is finally coming for progressive taxation and investment.
- ZC - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
If people want to tax income, then for heaven’s sake let’s amend the Constitution and tax income. Plenty of states have already done it; some (like MA) are thriving economically. We know it’s not the end of the world. We need the revenue. And 2020 is probably a better year than most to get it passed, if this needs to go to a statewide vote.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 3:06 pm:
ZC, I’m definitely not understanding your post. MA has a flat income tax like Illinois. Most states tax income already.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 3:09 pm:
According to the well respected Tax Foundation, Illinois already has one of the highest tax burdens in the country. Not sure raising taxes is a good idea, especially considering the mass Exodus the state is seeing.
- ZC - Wednesday, Jan 9, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
Anon 3:06, dang it, you got me. Apologies.
Obviously mixed up my states.