* Block Club Chicago…

Chicago had 86,725 outstanding mail-in ballots as of Wednesday, according to the city’s election board.

Not all of those ballots will be mailed back in time or postmarked correctly, but Bever said the elections officials expect at least 50-52 percent — about 43,000-45,000 ballots — to be returned and counted over the next two weeks based on figures from the Feb. 28 election.

A Chicago Board of Elections spokesperson told Isabel this morning that their website will be updated every day by 6 pm during the mail-in count.

* Greg Hinz reports that Brandon Johnson personally called several business leaders yesterday…

The [Chicagoland Chamber’s] political wing endorsed Vallas, but now, “We need to look forward,” Lavin said in a phone interview. “We need to bring people together. The city has a lot of challenges. . . .To be successful as mayor, you have to have a relationship with the business community.”

Lavin hinted that, perhaps, Johnson might see his way to back off of some of the items in his tax plan, like reinstating the employer head tax, something that business groups say would send the wrong message to companies considering opening or expanding operations here. “Lots of things are said during a campaign,” said Lavin, who formerly served as chief of staff to Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. “Then you get to governing.”

Illinois Restaurant Association President Sam Toia, who was a strong ally of progressive Ald. Helen Shiller, 46th, said he believes Johnson “has a pragmatic side. He understands the need to communicate.” Toia said his hope is that Johnson appreciates that business “needs a little longer runway on his tax plans. We can’t do it all right away.”

The head of a third group, Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association chief Michael Jacobson, said his group is “moving forward” despite Johnson’s proposal to raise the city’s hotel tax, which at 17.4% already is the highest of any major convention and meeting city. His conversation with Johnson went well, Jacobson said, though nothing final was resolved. “We all want to make Chicago a good place to visit and live. . . .There’s going to be disagreements with any mayor” on policy.

* What’s that saying about how all Chicago maps tell the same basic story?…

Here's a map of violent crime in Chicago over the last five years (left) and a map of mayoral election results by precint (right).

The areas hit hardest by violence voted for Brandon Johnson, who campaigned hard on alternatives to policing, instead of tough-on-crime Paul Vallas. pic.twitter.com/jqQaXcz5p8

— Jake Sheridan (@JakeSheridan_) April 5, 2023

* Tribune on Johnson’s first full day as mayor-elect…

“We tend to limit our conversations around toughness and more police officers, and what has been proven over and over again, that is not a recipe for absolute success,” Johnson said. “And so our mission and my platform has been very clear. We get at the immediate dynamic of public safety, but we also set up long-term solutions.”

Johnson did not discuss the policing specifics he had touted on the campaign trail beyond hiring 200 more detectives via promotion from beat cops and ensuring less churn of officer supervisors. But he rebutted a question about Fraternal Order of Police local President John Catanzara’s previous warning there would be “blood in the streets” as the result of a mass Chicago police exodus under Johnson’s administration.

“Well, first of all, I don’t believe there’s a difference between me and the Police Department,” Johnson said. “Now, what the Fraternal Order of Police leader has said, that doesn’t necessarily reflect the values of the city of Chicago. … We’re not going to base our administration off of what, you know, the police union leader has said.”

* WTTW…

Johnson told WTTW News Tuesday that he hoped his victory would reshape the national debate over policing that has raged since the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 triggered massive racial justice protests and unrest. Johnson’s margin of victory over Vallas stood at approximately 3 percentage points, according to unofficial returns released by the Chicago Board of Elections.

“What was remarkable about this journey was that people saw public safety in a more holistic way,” Johnson said. “Bringing people together around a holistic approach of how we address public safety that will be the test of my leadership.”

* WBEZ interviewed Johnson…

Q: It wasn’t part of your budget plan to slash the Police Department’s budget or defund the police as you were accused of intending to do throughout the campaign. But regardless, I’m sure there are many police officers who voted for Vallas who do believe that that’s in your heart of hearts. And that’s your intention. How do you build a bridge with police officers who see you as the defund candidate?

Johnson: Well, look, I’ve served as a public school teacher in the city of Chicago. And when you serve in the city of Chicago, you see firsthand the type of trauma that causes tremendous turmoil.

And police officers, in many instances, like teachers, are oftentimes asked to do their job and someone else’s. I’m going to understand that better than any other person who was running for office. I’m going to have a conversation with our police officers with our lieutenants, our sergeants to come up with a plan that ultimately places police officers in a position to do their job and not place them in a position where the strain and conflict that exists in communities have pulled us apart.

My job and responsibility is to unite the city and bring people together. I’m going to do that as mayor of Chicago.

* Morgan Elise Johnson got a lot of online props for her appearance on WGN during election night. Here’s what The TRiiBE publisher said at the end of the program…

Forbes published an article in January of this year of the most violent cities. Chicago is not even in the top 15. We’re not the violence capital of America. We are the violence narrative capital of America, and somehow Black Chicago has become the face of violent crime. And for those of us who are dedicated to reshaping the narrative, we’re saying enough with that narrative. We are a community of vibrant people who are very interested in keeping our people safe. I think the vast majority of Chicagoans are open to those strategies and learning more about them and I hope they listened to the young people who are forging that path. We saw a first step with that with the election of Brandon Johnson.

* ABC 7 reports that Johnson will meet with Mayor Lightfoot this afternoon at 1:30…

As for the mayor-elect, he spoke Wednesday about the need to unite Chicago, concentrate on public safety and crime, and his desire to bring together City Council.

“What I want to see is that everyone gets to participate; I’m looking to unite and bring people together. The type of divisive nature that has separated our communities in a way that have left us incredibly damaged, we’re gonna put an end to that,” Johnson said.

* Fran Spielman…

[Brandon Johnson] won 29 of 50 wards, including a clean sweep of majority African-American wards. He won six Hispanic majority wards to Vallas’ nine. The Latino wards Johnson carried included the 22nd Ward that is home to former mayoral challenger Jesus “Chuy Garcia, the Southwest Side congressman who endorsed Johnson. […]

The Cook County commissioner passed the 80% mark in eight African-American wards: the 6th, 8th, 16th, 17th, 20th and 21st, on the South Side and the 24th and 37th on the West Side. The Austin resident scored his highest percentage — 84.2% — in the 24th Ward.

Johnson sealed the deal by padding his Feb. 28 vote totals along the progressive-minded north lakefront, the hipster Milwaukee Avenue corridor and in three Northwest Side wards with Hispanic majorities, two of them represented by Democratic Socialists: the 33rd and 35th. […]

Bowen also pointed to Johnson’s narrow win in Tunney’s home 44th Ward as evidence that attacks on Vallas as a closet Republican did enormous political damage in a ward with a large LGBTQ+ community that also includes a lot of younger voters.

* Back to the Tribune…

[United Working Families] Executive Director Emma Tai said that its field operation knocked on 555,000 doors, made 1.26 million phone calls, fired off nearly 2 million texts and raised over $400,000 in grassroots donations.

More from WTTW on United Working Families…

Many of those [UW] volunteers were “true believers” ready to convince voters that while no one thinks police officers have no role to play as part of efforts to increase public safety in Chicago, the solution is not just to hire more police officers, as Vallas promised, Tai said.

“People have a right to expect more, and a fully functioning city,” Tai said.

* In other news…

ShotSpotter (NASDAQ:SSTI) dropped 11% after plunging 22% on Wednesday amid speculation that the newly elected Chicago mayor could look to end the city’s contract with the gunfire detection company.

On Thursday Craig-Hallum downgraded ShotSpotter (SSTI) to hold from buy and its price target was cut to $30 from $48.

The Chicago contract is up for renewal in a less than a year and “we see significant risk the contract will be terminated within six months,” Craig-Hallum analyst Jeremy Hamblin wrote in a note. “While SSTI has diversified its business over the past few years, we are concerned that investors will worry about potential for other Tier 1 cities to terminate ther service.”

Brandon Johnson, who was elected Chicago mayor on Tuesday after a runoff election, has said that he plans to end the use of ShotSpotter (SSTI), as some critics have alleged that it’s faulty and can lead to dangerous police interactions.

* Emphasis added to this Tribune story…

How many aldermen will join the council’s formal Progressive Caucus is unclear. In the past, the caucus organized around labor issues, good government reforms, and generally, opposition to Mayors Richard M. Daley and Rahm Emanuel. The caucus has been less active during Lightfoot’s administration: The domain for its website, for example, apparently lapsed and now directs to a Dutch steroid supplier. Its fundraising also has lagged: According to state records, the caucus’ political action committee has less than $14,000 on hand.

Hilarious.

* Hyde Park Herald…

Two-term state Rep. Lamont Robinson (D-5th) has been elected alderman of the 4th Ward over Prentice Butler, the ward’s current chief of staff.

With all precincts reporting on Tuesday night, April 4, Robinson captured 66.52% of the vote and Butler captured 33.48%, according to the Chicago Board of Elections. They are separated by a little more than 4,000 votes. […]

“We worked endlessly to make sure that our message got out to the residents of the 4th Ward,” Robinson told the crowd. “I want to thank my wonderful team for allowing me the opportunity to make history again in the city of Chicago and in the state of Illinois.”

He went on to thank those who endorsed him, including Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, who made an appearance at the event. Preckwinkle was alderperson of the 4th Ward from 1991 to 2010.

* Isabel’s roundup…

* Chalkbeat | Chicagoans want elected school board to better represent Black and Latino students: The hearing was the first of five held by the Illinois’ Senate’s Special Committee on the Chicago Elected Representative School Board, which is tasked with drawing the districts where school board members will be elected. The board has a July 1 deadline. The first Chicago school board elections will be held November 2024. According to state law, school board districts must reflect the city’s population. In Chicago’s case, public schools serve predominantly Black and Latino students, while the city’s overall population is 33% white.

* Block Club | Brandon Johnson Will Be The First West Side Mayor In 90 Years, Giving Locals Hope: Austin residents are thrilled to see one of their own elected to lead Chicago, while acknowledging there are challenges ahead. “He represents hope to the residents that have lived through the struggles.”

* WBEZ | How will the Chicago Teachers Union make the transition from agitators to insiders?: In introducing Johnson at the victory party, CTU President Stacy Davis Gates extended an olive branch to entities the union has vigorously opposed — charter schools and police. “Tonight you chose a city where everyone gets a seat,” she declared. “You chose the city where there are charter and public schools. You chose the city where teachers and cops live in the same neighborhood.”

* WGN | Who Might be Chicago’s ‘next’ Top Cop?: Johnson will be part of the initial search process and can submit names for consideration. The mayor-elect has said he wants the next police superintendent to be from the department as opposed to an outsider. “I believe that’s important — someone who is tethered to the rank and file who understands the dynamic nature of the City of Chicago,” Johnson said in an interview with WGN.

* Crain’s | As labor’s ally Johnson takes office, biz owners doublecheck their bottom lines: The restaurant industry, for example, has seen the cost of labor rise since the pandemic struck. Restaurants have also been hit with high costs of goods. Those two factors, along with other changes to the industry that COVID-19 wrought, caused the notoriously low-margin industry to become even less profitable. Gross profit at restaurants around the country sank to 35% from 37% between 2020 and 2022, according to data from market research firm Technomic.

* NYT | How Brandon Johnson Made Up Ground and Won Chicago’s Mayoral Race: Mr. Johnson took advantage of widespread doubts among Democratic voters over Mr. Vallas’s party identification, ever since the emergence of a television interview from 2009 in which Mr. Vallas called himself “more of a Republican than a Democrat.” And Mr. Johnson capitalized on key endorsements to bolster his credibility among voters who did not know him well, especially those from Senator Sanders and Representative Jesús G. García, a progressive congressman with a base of support in mostly Hispanic neighborhoods on the West Side.

* Block Club | Thousands Of Mail-In Ballots Still Left To Be Counted Could Sway Close Aldermanic Races: Chicago had 86,725 outstanding mail-in ballots as of Wednesday, according to the city’s election board. Not all of those ballots will be mailed back in time or postmarked correctly, but Bever said the elections officials expect at least 50-52 percent — about 43,000-45,000 ballots — to be returned and counted over the next two weeks based on figures from the Feb. 28 election.

* ABC Chicago | Newly-elected alderpersons to bring more progressive voices to Chicago City Council: “They are going to come in with ideology, they are going to come in wanted advocate for social change, public policy. It’s not just going to be about picking up the garbage and paving the streets,” said ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington. Washington said she expects to see more debate in the city council with fewer moderates and more progressive voices.

* Tribune | New details released in separate fatal fire investigations that killed 2 Chicago firefighters about a day apart: Jan Tchoryk, 55, died leading a ladder crew up to the fire on the 27th floor of 1212 N. DuSable Lake Shore Dr. around 8 a.m. Wednesday. The extra-alarm fire was ruled accidental and started from “combustibles being too close to a heat-generating appliance,” Larry Langford, Chicago fire spokesperson, said Thursday morning.

* Sun-Times | Firefighter Jermaine Pelt died of carbon monoxide poisoning, autopsy finds: Pelt’s father, John Pelt, said his son had a proud moment in November when he walked his 28-year-old daughter down the aisle. The newlywed had delayed her honeymoon and was about to leave town for Jamaica when tragedy struck, he said. “I would call him a hero. He’s my hero,” John Pelt said. “Right now I’m not feeling that great.”

* Crain’s | As HQ layoffs loom, McDonald’s cuts field offices: Crain’s obtained an email sent to employees Thursday that lays out some details about how certain teams and initiatives are being restructured. McDonald’s plans to close its field office facilities. The email said the facilities are underutilized, as many of the workers based there spend their time in the restaurants. The move largely seems to be a real estate play: Only the physical offices will close, while the 10 field divisions will remain to support restaurants. The email emphasized that the work field office-based employees do is vital and will continue.

* Bill Savage | Writing about Chicago politics? Drop the deep-dish.: One such parachute journalism aerial assault lit up Twitter early on Election Day, when FiveThirtyEight set out to explain us to the world by mapping “The Four Political Neighborhoods of Chicago.”
 Outsiders’ examinations should not automatically be dismissed. Locals tend to take the standard operating procedure as the given state of nature, rather than something to analyze. But such analysis has to do at least two things to be worth bothering with: It has to be accurate and it has to avoid cliché. FiveThirtyEight’s piece does neither.

* Crain’s | O’Hare ranked 4th-busiest airport in the world: Although O’Hare served 19% fewer passengers last year than before the pandemic, it had the fourth-highest number of travelers among the world’s big airports. It’s the same spot O’Hare claimed in 2021 on the annual ranking by Airports Council International. In 2019, however, O’Hare ranked sixth.

* Tribune | 1 food critic, 40 burritos: Finding the best in Chicago: To see the burrito unadulterated from American meddling, visit Gordillas on 26th Street in the Little Village neighborhood, where I experienced my first burrito epiphany. Employees made the flour tortillas fresh before my eyes. Instead of swamping the tortilla with a dozen components, each burrito came smeared with refried beans, topped with a filling, folded over, and griddled until golden. That was it. And it was small, just slightly bigger than a normal taco. Each bite centered on the interplay of the soft tortilla, creamy beans and meaty filling. It was the best burrito I’d ever eaten.