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Mayor Brandon Johnson said he came to Springfield on Wednesday to fight for equitable education funding and to make sure Chicago receives its fair share of resources.
But there was more geniality than specificity in private meetings with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and legislative leaders just three weeks before a self-imposed May 24 spring session adjournment date.
Democrats were prepared to talk to Johnson about his Monday reference to $1 billion owed to Chicago Public Schools due to years of underfunding under the state’s school funding formula — but the issue wasn’t even broached during a nearly 30-minute meeting with the governor.
* Some stuff in this Crain’s article didn’t actually happen (see above), but here’s one nugget…
Beyond the huge increase in funding for CPS, the city’s lobbyists circulated a one-pager with lawmakers, obtained by Crain’s, with a targeted list of four demands totaling up to $115 million in funding and policy changes to increase the city’s tax revenue.
I told subscribers about that yesterday. Click here to read it.
Back to the article…
The city is also seeking the restoration of $1.26 million to fund a confidential hotline for domestic violence victims. The line-item was included in previous state budgets and funded by a federal program, but was stripped out when the federal money was eliminated.
Asked if he had received any commitments for funding those and other items, Johnson told reporters…
Well, what I’ve received was is a real commitment that we have to address these issues. Now as you go during the budgetary process - this is something that I experience as the executive sitting in Chicago - there are demands that people have, there are resources that we are dealing with, it just making sure that we appropriate as many dollars to these areas that there is real agreement around that we have to address. It’s just a matter of how much. Yeah, it’s just a matter of how much.
* Back to Tina’s story…
Several members of the Chicago City Council Black Caucus also met privately with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch on Wednesday, in what was dubbed an informal city lobbying day. Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th), the mayor’s hand-picked Education Committee chair, said it marked the first time in five years that members of the caucus had come to Springfield.
“The thing we’ll do next year is we’ll come in January. We come earlier. We get earlier access,” Taylor said. “We can get a lot of those things that we’re looking for.”
Ald. Taylor learned something yesterday. Sfondeles made note of that when she asked the mayor this question yesterday…
Sfondeles: Do you see this as a reset for yourself to be here more often, to be more part of this process, and a little bit earlier in the budgetary year?…
Johnson: Well, look, we’re at the right time. Right. As you all know, you all have been covering Springfield for a very long time. You know when stuff gets done… So we’re down at the right time. You know, as far as building stronger relationships, that’s what I’ve been doing since I’ve been in office over the last year. And what you’re seeing is a concerted effort from the city of Chicago to ensure the people of Chicago that we are fighting every single day to make sure that the City of Chicago, the economic engine for this state, receives its share in terms of equity and justice.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:13 pm
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When would be the wrong time
Comment by Rabid Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:36 pm
== nearly 30-minute meeting ==
So, what, like 15 minutes of introduction and small talk, 5 minutes of a prepared speech about a Bears stadium, 30 seconds for a response of “No.”, the 5 minutes of wrapping up the meeting.
This guy is beginning to remind me of some of the worst traits of Rauner. He only thinks in big plans, thinks he has more power and leverage than he does, and has zero political instincts in trying to get to a yes.
Comment by fs Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:42 pm
“Ald. Taylor learned something yesterday.”
That you first visit Springfield when people are still proposing deals, not when they are closing deals?
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:44 pm
Pardon me while I choke on my mayor’s fluff. This is actually interesting. Johnson and Lightfoot seem to have poor relations with JB and the GA. In the past, Daley and Emanuel really understood how Springfield worked. Daley had a great Springfield team (RIP my mentor Bill Luking) and used entities like the Chicagoland and State Chamber. Emanual understood it, but had such great D.C. relations, he could go around Rauner on what he wanted a lot. The Chicago council members never really had to do much. They need to realize that this is different. I know some of a West side area where the State Rep, Sen, alderman and Cook County commissioner meet monthly. Unless the relations are contentious, they need to start doing that to build their own GA inroads and not depend on this mayor. But I would have to say that this trip was a rousing success for my mayor if he only wanted a photo op.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:51 pm
Yes, misterjayem. Yes.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:54 pm
“I’ve received was is a real commitment that we have to address these issues.”
So JB agreed that there are issues that need to be addressed, and that was the end of it?
Comment by SammyG Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 12:59 pm
All word salad comments from Johnson
Comment by Stas Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:06 pm
“We’ve got a plan that there needs to be a plan”
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:10 pm
Do the city’s Springfield lobbyists have any actual Springfield experience? Im glad Ald Taylor learned that but this is something they should have been advised of months ago and again I’m underwhelmed by this administration.
They knew how to campaign but governing is much different.
Comment by low level Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:11 pm
Brandon Johnson was a Springfield lobbyist for years!
Comment by SammyG Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:15 pm
The job of a Chicago Mayoral appointee to the RTA Board is to vote and do whatever the CTA staff tells them to do, and ensure no oversight of the CTA whatsoever.
Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:15 pm
===have any actual Springfield experience?===
They have some great contract lobbyists. Not sure if the mayor listens to them, tho.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Johnson turned down offers from vacant private schools to use them for free to house migrants. He ignored the offer for months, costing a hundred million or more before finally accepting help from the private schools. He should be held accountable for this. If he wants more money for Chicago, he could raise Chicago taxes.
Comment by Dupage Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:26 pm
“Well, look, we’re at the right time. Right.”
The number one trait I’ll be looking for in the next mayor: Don’t be stubborn. That trait took down his predeccessor and it looks like it will make Mayor Johnson another ineffective one-termer (we shouldn’t be able to say that in someone’s first year, but here we are).
Rahm was a bulldog, but he at least responded to facts and the situations that were presented to him instead of denying them.
Comment by NIU Grad Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:35 pm
=in terms of equity=
Meaning we only know how to ask for more.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:42 pm
How much does the State need to put into the evidence based funding formula for CPS to get $1B next year? A massive amount.
Comment by Two left feet Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 1:50 pm
=How much does the State need to put into the evidence based funding formula for CPS to get $1B next year? A massive amount=
It would no longer be Evidence Based Funding if the state delivered an additional 1 billion or anything over what the EBF formula provides them.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 2:30 pm
—Do the city’s Springfield lobbyists have any actual Springfield experience? Im glad Ald Taylor learned that but this is something they should have been advised of months ago and again I’m underwhelmed by this administration.—
Lack of preparation, strategy, and planning is on the Mayors Office IGA team. There are good contract lobbyist, but this is for the day to day lobbying apparatus of the City, which is lacking a bench at the State and Federal level.
Comment by LastModDemStanding Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 2:33 pm
MrJM … spot on.
My thoughts were along the lines of 4 months late, $1B short … but someone is finally getting a clue.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 3:18 pm
It feels like the lobbyists/contractors working for the city are the same ones advising the Bears. (J/k…maybe not)
Comment by Shytown Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 4:08 pm
As I look back to the weeks and months preceding the election of Mayor Johnson and have read many of the comments posted here by Illinois politics insiders now- I wonder how many of his current performance issues could/should have been anticipated. Were people just hoping for the best or were they afraid to raise concerns over the issue of his competence?
Comment by Responsa Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 4:11 pm
The Mayors IGA team is great. Smart, hard working, great relationships. You play with the cards you are dealt. This isn’t the first time we have seen good people stuck in difficult administrations.
Comment by Cornfield Progressive Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 4:20 pm
I don’t know how many of the above commenters have ever lobbied, but it’s ex-treeeeme-ly difficult to enact a coherent and successful strategy when that strategy changes from week to week and amendment to amendment. That overarching strategy comes from the top down. The City has highly experienced and respected lobbyists, both in-house and contractual. The Mayor and his senior team would be doing a far sight better in Springfield if they listened to them.
Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 4:20 pm
Folks commenting on the Mayors IGA team and lobbyists have obviously not yet had the pleasure of attempting to provide pragmatic advice to extreme progressives or even negotiating with them. The Mayor has a solid team with strong relationships. He and his inner circle would greatly benefit from actually listening to them.
Comment by Echo-chamber Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 4:49 pm
@responsa
when people raised concerns internally about Brandon Johnson’s and more broadly the group brought to govern, they were repressed and union representation was withheld.
it was absolutely predictable that Mayor Johnson would perform exactly as he is; those in power have yet to realize they are nation building.
Comment by Chicago Voter Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 5:39 pm
==“We’ve got a plan that there needs to be a plan”==
Did they have a meeting or just re-enact the phone call to Dmitri in Dr. Strangelove?
Comment by Anon324 Thursday, May 9, 24 @ 10:12 pm