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* Jennifer Custer, a union-backed, CTU-endorsed candidate for Chicago school board…

Mayor Brandon Johnson proved today, that he does not want public servants but he’d rather have pawns. His actions have undermined our schools, our Democratic process and quite frankly, our students. It is clear, the Mayor doesn’t care that 41 aldermen spoke over the weekend on the state of affairs. I proudly stand with those 41 Aldermen.

In the spirit of supporting the democratic process, I strongly urge our legislators in Springfield to pass legislation in the fall veto session that requires city council’s advice and consent on all future mayoral appointments to Chicago School Board. We need legislation to ensure that this never happens again no matter who is Mayor. This action will restore trust in CPS that now has been needlessly eroded.

[Custer earlier sent me a slightly edited version and I didn’t notice it until after I’d already posted the original. What you see now is the edited version, which was sent to me before this post went up.]

The council confirmation idea was set aside when then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot strongly objected to it during the negotiating process over an elected board. The mayor’s appointments to the Chicago Transit Authority must be confirmed by the council.

* The way the law is written, the school board districts are divided in half. Ten members will be elected next month. The mayor will then appoint members for two-year terms in the half of the districts which don’t have an elected member.

But keep in mind that the mayor could conceivably announce the next round of school board appointments before the election is certified, and before the GA can pass a bill. He also gets a citywide appointment for board chair, who will serve for two years.

* The Question: Should the General Assembly pass legislation during the veto session to require confirmation of school board appointees, or just let it go and allow the law to stand as they originally passed it? Explain.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:18 pm

Comments

To the question: While I am as anti-Johnson as it gets, I am not sure it is worth the headache. Might be worth it to just let it go. I am sort of ambivalent though.

Question of my own: Do we think CTU pulls the Custer endorsement?

Comment by Alton Sinkhole Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:25 pm
Yes.

Local governments are still subordinate units of government to the state.

The state provides the democratic oversight to ensure as many voices as possible are being heard and are at the table. Usually this works fine because many office holders understand the purpose of their position.

When the locals get out of control the state has to step in and remind the locals the primary purpose of local government is to the people who live within it, not those who sit in its seats.

Years ago, something similar happened locally in my park district, and the state responded at the request of the locals, by expanding the input of the public through the passing of a law increasing the number of seats on the park board - to let the public have more input into how it was being run, and also to break a majority voting bloc dilute the power of those who were clearly abusing the process for personal gain.

In this instance the state passing a law takes a similar approach of expanding the input of the public by now requiring the participation of the alderman. Not just through advice, but by consent with a voted on affirmation.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:33 pm
I was somewhat shocked to learn the City Council doesn’t have to approve his appointees. Yes it should be changed.

I also think board members should be paid, at least for their time, but that is just me.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:35 pm
Yes. The Governor must have many of his appointments approved by the Senate and the process seems to work just fine. No reason the Mayor shouldn’t also be subject to advise and consent.

Comment by Sad Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:40 pm
Nope, they should let this all play out for the memes

Comment by hmmm Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:41 pm
I kind of want to see how deep Mayor Johnson can dig this hole and would hate to have him interrupted. OTOH, as a Chicagoan, I’m going to have to pay for this mess and still can’t send my kids to CPS schools.

State intervention would give the Governor and GA some ownership of this problems. I think the Board of Ed will soon face some questions about insolvency. Better to let the Mayor own it until then. Sooner or later the state will be forced to act. My instinct is to wait, because it will not get better regardless.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:42 pm
Yes. The City of Chicago is seeking a restraining order from an abusive lover, and the State should grant it.

Comment by Three Dimensional Checkers Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:43 pm
No they should not. As someone who does not live in Chicago, this has been point worthy entertainment.

Comment by Lurker Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:47 pm
Popcorn. Not point. Stupid autocorrect.

Comment by Lurker Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:51 pm
No, let Chicago be - The government you elect is the government you deserve.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:56 pm
I was a Johnson supporter, but honestly that was more about being against Vallas. Can anyone tell me one positive thing Johnson has accomplished? I can’t point to a thing.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:58 pm
No, because what happens when the Ramirez-Rosa and Sichgo Lopez and Jessie Fuentes of the City Council want to bollix things up for a non-Democratic Socialist mayor?

At this point, CPS bankruptcy looks really good.

Comment by Old IL Dude Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 1:59 pm
Assuming this is a joke. Someone thinks City Council confirmation is reform, safeguard….we think GA masterminds have done enough for/to the kids at CPS.

Comment by Annonin' Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:02 pm
CTU 2017-”the worst assault on public education since mayoral control of schools was granted in 1995.”

CTU didn’t like Mayoral control when it was under Daley, they didn’t like it under Rahm, they love it now under Brandon.

CTU wanted a fully elected school board until they controled the 5th floor. They didn’t like Mayor’s being in control of CPS until they owned the 5th floor.
They are not about children. They are about power. The Mayor said many times he has the power.

Comment by Frida's Boss Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:02 pm
No. This is a Chicago issue and Chicago needs to fix it.

The mayor simply parrots decades old CTU matras of more money from somebody else (and then we decide how the money is used) will fix our problems that are not our fault.

The fix for all of this is coming in the next election. If it doesn’t they don’t deserve a fix.

Comment by JS Mill Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:18 pm
The General Assembly should intervene, if the analysis is “What is best for the constituents of the General Assembly who live in Chicago?”

The General Assembly should not intervene, if the question is “What is best for the political fortunes of the General Assembly?”

Comment by Garfield Ridge Guy Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:39 pm
They must pass the law because with Johnson being so unhinged and controlled by CTU and Gates this could be a on going disaster every few months. This was his way to force Pritzker, Harmon and Welsh for the money he’s demanding because CPS will need it to stay out of Bankruptcy at this rate. JMO

Comment by Long Time Independent Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:41 pm
Chicago has been mismanaged for decades and the result is the slight decrease in population and the tax base.

Things will turn around if/when CPS schools are fully funded. Pretending that Chicago isn’t the state engine is how we’ve bleed congressional seats and electoral influence.

Comment by SWSider Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:42 pm
Yes. For the good of Chicago, for the good of democracy (the spirit of an elected school board), and for the good of Democrats, who are going to stuck between a rock and a hard place when CPS keeps demanding bigger and bigger bailouts and the GOP one day gets its act together and exploits the issue in suburban districts. Though admittedly the latter is harder to envision these days.

Comment by lake county democrat Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:46 pm
===stay out of Bankruptcy===

Stop. Seriously, they are a long way from that. Shifts can be made.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:47 pm
===when CPS keeps demanding bigger and bigger bailouts===

Since when has that not been the case?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:48 pm
Only if they can stop all his appointments, then they should pass the law requiring confirmation.
It should lapse in 2027, the day after BJ’s term is over.

It should be done as a protective measure because otherwise the state might be partially on the hook to bailout BJ’s scheme to bankrupt CPS for a huge contract payday to CTU.

Comment by Jim Jimbo Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:49 pm
=Things will turn around if/when CPS schools are fully funded.=

I see no evidence of that. But the shortest path to accomplishing this would be through a property tax increase.

In terms of the question at hand I would say no. The voters knew who Brandon Johnson was and where his loyalties lied. His actions were somewhat foreseeable and the voters elected him anyway. They can undo this in two years.

Comment by Pundent Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 2:49 pm
No - Brandon Johnson never hid that he would do CTU’s bidding and Chicagoans elected him.

Comment by Chicagonk Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:00 pm
This is a local problem that will take care of itself in a few years anyway. No way the State should get involved.

The bankruptcy remarks are nonsense. I can’t imagine a judge would let Chicago declare bankruptcy just because they are politically unwilling to raise the property taxes required to pay the debts they are accruing. In general, the property taxes in Chicago are well below what they run in the surrounding counties for comparable properties. If Chicago wants to run up a bill, then Chicago certainly has the means raise the funds.

Comment by Benniefly2 Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:10 pm
Yes. When Businessmen are elected they do the bidding of the Chamber of Commerce and hide that fact.

Comment by Jerry Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:10 pm
*…and NEVER hide that fact. (fixing auto correct)

Comment by Jerry Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:12 pm
===I can’t imagine a judge would let===

The state has to give its permission first.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:13 pm
When they had the nominating commission create a short list for the mayoral appointments, it wasn’t very functional and seats went unfilled. Seems like city council approval could lead to more dysfunction and it would make more sense to just eliminate the mayor’s ten subdistrict appointments, let him appoint the one chair, and have a more functional 11-member board into the future.

Comment by Horseshoe voter Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:34 pm
=the property taxes in Chicago are well below what they run in the surrounding counties for comparable properties=

you have to factor in other things like sales tax. Detroit had the same sales tax as surrounding areas. Chicago’s total tax burden is skyhigh by comparison.

Comment by Jim Jimbo Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 3:34 pm
The City asked for(demanded) control of the CPS decades ago. They got it and they have gotten a considerably larger percentage of public EDU funds ever since. They won’t take steps to properly reduce spending because of the uproar by local school councils. Chickens are roosting.

Comment by NorthsideNoMore Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 4:34 pm
I would say yes because it’s clear to me that the Mayor is trying to drive CPS so far into the financial ground that he thinks the state will have no choice but to bow to his demands.

Comment by Demoralized Monday, Oct 7, 24 @ 4:47 pm