* New TV ad…

Chicago is in a public safety crisis, and the last thing we need is a candidate who wants to defund the police. I’m running for Mayor to put crime reduction and public safety first. pic.twitter.com/cIt0F5tsfu

— Paul Vallas (@PaulVallas) March 13, 2023

You knew that was gonna happen. Oof.

* The public sector union vs. private sector union split is fully on display in the Chicago mayoral race…

AFSCME, union that represents more than 11,000 active and retired public service workers who live in the city of Chicago, endorses Brandon Johnson, first time they’ve weighed in since Harold Washington.

— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) March 11, 2023

AFSCME endorses Brandon Johnson for Chicago mayor pic.twitter.com/87wpwSwIWA

— AFSCME Council 31 (@afscme31) March 11, 2023

…Adding… SEIU IL Council just put $1.1 million into its PAC.

On the other side…

This morning, three large construction unions announced their endorsement of Paul Vallas in the upcoming runoff election for Mayor of Chicago. The unions were joined by former Secretary of State Jesse White, who endorsed Vallas earlier this month.

Among the unions were the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 134, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 9. In total, the unions represent about 40,000 workers. These endorsements come only days after the Plumbers Local 130, which represents more than 6,000 members, announced its endorsement of Vallas.

In addition to its endorsement, the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 committed $1 million to the effort to elect Paul Vallas.

“The men and women here today built Chicago,” said White, who has been an influential voice in Illinois politics for nearly fifty years. “These unions are committed to a bright future for this city, and their unity on this endorsement symbolizes the vital role that Vallas will play in shaping that future.”

* Think about the framing of this policy idea for a moment…

The centerpiece of mayoral candidate Paul Vallas’ plan to reverse decades of disinvestment on the South and West sides of Chicago is the creation of an independent community development authority that would limit the ability of Chicago City Council members to have final say on ward-level issues.

What the idea boils down to is wanting to help Black wards by disempowering Black alderpersons and then handing over control to an unelected “independent community development authority.”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m in favor of drastically reducing aldermanic prerogative. It just feels a bit too “on-brand” to sell it this way.

* Counting the same money twice is also on-brand for Vallas…

Vallas also proposes creating a municipal bank, which would hold the authority’s funds, which would come from “a dedicated portion of all new revenues from [tax-increment financing districts] and all developer fees, future casino, sports betting and gaming revenues” that would be earmarked for investments on the South and West sides. […]

However, state law requires Chicago to use all casino revenues to fund its police and fire pensions.

* This policy idea reminds me of candidate Bruce Rauner’s empty pledge to prosecute corruption out of his own office…

Even more unproven is Vallas’ plan to establish a “Law Department Municipal Prosecution Unit” to try the city’s cases itself, which likely would require a change in state law.

And Johnson supports this…

Christened the “Anjanette Young Ordinance” as a nod to the Black social worker who was forced to stand naked in her home as several Chicago officers in 2019 executed a search warrant at the wrong location, the legislation is opposed by Lightfoot, who has said it was not grounded in the reality of policing. Young has endorsed Johnson for mayor.

The latest proposed version would add a provision that mandates officers seeking warrants to first conduct at least a week of surveillance on the location.

A week?

* Also…

Hard to imagine cops being more amenable to reform, no matter who is pushing it.

But it's pretty easy to imagine the guy endorsed by the FOP who negotiated their last contract wouldn't actually push for reform. https://t.co/n4v6BrhTdV

— The People’s Fabric (@peoplesfabric) March 13, 2023

On the other hand, Brandon Johnson is a CTU staffer. I’m sure he’ll be tough on them during contract negotiations. /s

* This is on-brand for the CTU candidate…

Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said he will not raise property taxes if elected. … Johnson is proposing a slew of new revenues, mostly in new taxes on big businesses.

The CTU always opposes property tax hikes, relying instead on “tax the rich” proposals, many of which would require state legislative approval or even constitutional change or a strong belief in unicorns.

And Vallas…

Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he would cap the city’s property tax levy, but has been less clear about whether that means we would not raise property taxes at all. A spokesperson said Vallas is “committed to not raising city property taxes.” … Vallas, meanwhile, promises to use budgetary acumen to work within the existing budget’s bounds.

He claims to be a unicorn wizard. I’d beg to differ.

* Vallas constantly heaps praise on private and charter schools, but his own words on 60 Minutes when he was running the New Orleans school district undercuts his arguments. Most of the schools are simply too small to accommodate kids with special needs, and there are lot of those kids in Chicago…

We don't applaud Paul Vallas opening up new charter schools in New Orleans, and then putting a gate on them to keep SPED students out. ????

"They can go to another school" Vallas says. That's discrimination and it hurts NOLA children. ????✊ @erasetheboardNO #NoVallas pic.twitter.com/B5w1g1rSX0

— Activate Chicago Parents (@ChiParentsAct) March 13, 2023

* NBC 5…

A new poll of more than 800 likely Chicago mayoral election voters found that former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas is holding a lead over Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, and several key voting blocs could play a significant role in determining the outcome of the race.

The poll, conducted by Victory Research, asked 806 likely runoff voters about their preferences in the upcoming election, with Vallas collecting 44.9% of the vote. Johnson grabbed 39.1% of the vote, with 16% of respondents saying they are still undecided for the April 4 runoff.

The margin of error in the poll was 3.45%, with a mix of respondents on land lines and cell phones, according to the polling company.

Adding some intrigue to the proceedings was the number of voters who said that their choices could change. According to the poll, 18% of respondents said they could change their minds prior to Election Day, meaning that one-third of the voters either haven’t settled on a candidate or could move to the other in the two-man race.

Victory Research also cited demographic data that showed two key groups that could help determine the outcome of the race. Voters living near the city’s lakefront, normally a key constituency in the race, are narrowly favoring Vallas by a 44-to-41 margin.

Celinda Lake had Johnson up by 5.

* The Triibe…

Spurred by the fatal shooting of Rekia Boyd by then-Chicago police officer Dante Servin in 2012, they organized a movement that led to the creation of elected civilian councils and a civilian commission with police oversight powers—the first such bodies in the city’s, and the nation’s, history. By the end of election night, the [Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression ] candidates and organizers in the ballroom had won 62 percent of the council seats.

The Chicago City Council passed the Empowering Communities for Public Safety (ECPS) ordinance, which created the district councils and CCPSA, following not only years of grassroots organizing by CAARPR and its allies in the Grassroots Alliance for Police Accountability (GAPA), but also months of negotiations with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who tried to block giving any police oversight powers to elected civilians, despite supporting it during her 2019 campaign. What came out of those negotiations was a compromise that gave some oversight powers to the CCPSA and kept some in the mayor’s office.

Each of the city’s 22 police districts will have a three-member elected PDC that interacts with the community and can make recommendations to local police commanders. Those district-level councils also nominate members of the citywide CCPSA and make reports and recommendations to them. They also are in charge of nominating people to fill vacancies on the district councils themselves (which may be necessary immediately after this election in at least one district).

Unsurprisingly, many of those folks endorsed Brandon Johnson today.

* And finally…

Hey, @PaulVallas did you accidentally delete this? Don’t worry, we have the screenshot so you can repost. pic.twitter.com/wITsZ3gY19

— Brandon Johnson (@Brandon4Chicago) March 13, 2023

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Tribune | Chicago homicides in 2023: 91 people slain. : That’s 8 fewer people killed when compared with 2022.

* Sun-Times | Runoff campaign: Vallas’ and Johnson’s pension, property tax plans underwhelm fiscal experts: Brandon Johnson is proposing a slew of new revenues, mostly new taxes on big businesses. Paul Vallas promises to use budgetary acumen to work within the existing budget’s bounds. Neither plan is failsafe, experts say.

* Tribune | Crime is a top issue for Chicago voters. Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson offer sharp contrasts to public safety: Johnson represents some of the city’s most violent neighborhoods and repeatedly discusses crime in personal terms. He talks about shielding his children from gunfire on his block that sometimes has pierced his home’s windows and a classmate of his oldest son who died in a shooting this school year. “I have more incentive than Paul Vallas for a safer, stronger Chicago,” he’s argues. “I’m living it, just like families are all over the city. We have to get it right.”

* WBEZ | Paul Vallas and Brandon Johnson have vastly different visions for Chicago’s taxes and finances: Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson said he will not raise property taxes if elected. Former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas said he would cap the city’s property tax levy, but has been less clear about whether that means we would not raise property taxes at all. A spokesperson said Vallas is “committed to not raising city property taxes.”

* Laura Washington | Chicago mayoral race is a job interview. Voters should ask: Who is more experienced?: We have heard much about how the runoff candidates, Paul Vallas, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, are polar opposites on issues, policy and ideology. Yet throughout these months of campaign debates, forums and news conferences, not so much about experience.

* WTTW | City Council Won’t Pay $1M to Settle Lawsuit Filed by Mother of Man Killed by Chicago Police Officer Who Turned Off Camera: A recommendation from the city’s lawyers to pay $1 million to the mother of a man who was fatally shot by Chicago police in May 2019 after a foot chase will not get a vote by the Chicago City Council.

* Crain’s | As mayor, Johnson would revive push for anti-homelessness ‘mansion tax’: The Bring Chicago Home proposal spearheaded by homeless advocates would more than triple the transfer tax that a buyer of a residential or commercial property at $1 million or more would pay. The transfer tax is a one-time payment at the time of purchase, not a recurring expense like property taxes.

* Sun-Times | City must push forward in holding businesses, residential buildings responsible for recycling: The Streets and Sanitation Department has corrected “two problems” and partly fixed another since the IG’s audit in late 2020 revealed that it “makes no attempt to identify noncompliant commercial or high-density residential buildings.” But it has a way to go, Inspector General Deborah Witzburg said in her follow-up report earlier this month.

* Tribune | Smoke detectors save lives, but Chicago has slow-walked efforts to toughen rules: Illinois policymakers have been straining in recent years to catch up with national trends in safety standards to make sure modern, reliable smoke alarms are installed in every home so that tragedies like the Humboldt Park fire are not repeated. But their efforts have been repeatedly undermined by real estate interests, by Chicago Fire Department officials who have lobbied to delay and weaken regulations, and by lackluster outreach and spotty enforcement on the part of city officials, an investigation by the Illinois Answers Project and the Tribune found.

* Crain’s | Juul settles with Chicago for nearly $24 million: Since 2018, Chicago has filed nine lawsuits against 45 online vaping retailers, reaching settlements with 50 companies in exchange for agreements to change their business practices and pay almost $27 million in fines, the statement said. It has also won about $2 million in fines from default judgments against seven online vaping businesses, it said.

* Sun-Times | 3 groups vie to revive a chunk of Chicago’s industrial legacy: Proposals being evaluated by local groups and the Department of Planning and Development would introduce new uses to the old Central Manufacturing District on Pershing Road.

* Block Club | Chicago’s Mexican Independence Day Parade Is Back In September With The Theme ‘Tu Mexico, Tu Chicago’: The parade begins noon Sept. 16 at the arch at 26th Street and Albany Avenue. It will proceed down 26th Street to Kostner Avenue. The celebration typically brings thousands to the neighborhood’s business corridor.

* Block Club | Chicago-Evanston Border Could Get 3 Dispensaries Within 6 Blocks As Pot Shops Target Howard And Clark Area: Perception Cannabis, a social equity cannabis license holder, is also looking to open a dispensary at 7000 N. Clark St., according to Ald. Maria Hadden’s (49th) ward office.

* Crain’s | A Chicagoan to know: Sammy Dorf of cannabis firm Verano: Sammy Dorf is co-founder of Chicago-based Verano Holdings, one of the largest cannabis companies in the nation, boasting more than 120 dispensaries in 13 states, 14 cultivation and production facilities, and nearly 4,000 employees. Dorf, 38, and his wife live in the Gold Coast neighborhood and just had their first child, a boy, in late February.