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>>> ALLIES DROP A $12 BILLION FINANCIAL PROPOSAL TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO RAISE TAXES ON BOTH THE WEALTHY AND COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN CHICAGO.

ALL OF THAT AND MUCH MORE IN TONIGHT'S EDITION IN SPOTLIGHT POLITICS.

JOINING US NOW IS THE SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM.

SO PROGRESSIVE NONPROFIT.

DEDICATED TO REDUCING THE POWER OF BIG CORPORATIONS WHOSE LEADERS BACKED BRANDON JOHNSON FOR MAYOR, ROLLED OUT A $12 BILLION PROPOSAL, INCLUDING ENACTING INCOME TAX.

AND CUTS IN SPENDING.

HEATHER, TELL US ABOUT WHAT IS BEHIND THIS PACKAGE OR WHAT'S IN THIS PACKAGE?

AND ISN'T SOMEONE FROM JOHNSON'S TEAM BEHIND IT?

>> THIS IS -- AND ITS COAUTHOR IS ON THIS.

HE AUTHORED THIS REPORT AS YOU SAID, WHICH WOULD RAISE A WHOLE BUNCH OF TAXES.

TO BASICALLY REINVEST IN CHICAGO'S SAFETY NETWORK.

SO THE GOAL OF THIS REPORT AND WHAT WE'VE HEARD FROM MAYOR JOHNSON IS THE SAME.

BUT THERE ARE VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM THE MAYOR DURING THE CAMPAIGN.

HIS TAX PROPOSED $800 MILLION IN NEW TAXES.

NOWHERE NEAR THE $8 BILLION THIS PLAN PROPOSES.

THE OTHER $5 BILLION IN SAVINGS WOULD COME FROM CUTS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AGAIN THAT THE MAYOR HAS NOT ENDORSED AND CHANGES TO HOW THE CITY DEALS WITH ITS FINANCIAL SERVICES BY CREATING A PUBLIC THING.

THIS IS ESSENTIALLY PUTTING MAYOR JOHNSON ON NOTICE THAT THE PROGRESSIVE PEOPLE, THRILLED THOUGH THEY MAY BE TO BE IN OFFICE, THEY WILL BE MAKING SURE HE KEEPS HIS PROMISES.

LORI LIGHTFOOT DROPPED TO THE CENTER DROPPING A WHOLE HOST OF PROPOSALS, AND THAT HAS SORT OF SCARRED THE COMMUNITY.

>> ISN'T THAT GOING TO BE AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC TO WATCH?

FIRST TIME, ORGANIZERS HAVE ONE OF THEIR OWN FOR MAYOR.

HOW MUCH RUNWAY ARE THEY GOING TO GIVE TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS.

MANY OF THESE THINGS REQUIRE STATE APPROVAL.

GOVERNOR PRITZKER ON A TAX.

MANY OF THESE THINGS WILL BE DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO DO.

THEN WHAT HAPPENS?

WHEN DOES THE PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY GET UPSET WITH ONE OF THEIR OWN SAYING THIS IS OUR TIME AND YOU'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH.

>> WHAT KIND OF OPPOSITION DO WEALTH AND INCOME TAXES FACE?

>> I THINK THEY FACE A WHOLE LOT OF OPPOSITION HERE IN SPRINGFIELD.

THERE ALREADY HAS BEEN VERY CLEARLY NO APPETITE FOR A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION TAX.

PRITZKER WAS CLEAR ABOUT THAT.

HIS ONE REAL PUBLIC MEETING WITH MAYOR JOHNSON.

THEN YOU HAVE PERHAPS SOME OF THIS RUNNING COUNTER TO REQUIREMENTS THAT TAXES ARE FLAT.

YOU'LL MAYBE RECALL THAT THERE WAS A BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT GAVE VOTERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAST THAT ASIDE, SO THERE COULD BE A GRADUATED INCOME TAX THAT WOULD ALLOW THE WEALTHY TO PAY MORE.

VOTERS REJECTED IT.

SO ANYTHING THAT WOULD BE SEEN AS A TAX INCREASE IS SOMETHING THAT SPRINGFIELD, THEY'VE GOT THEIR OWN ELECTION.

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WANT BACK.

PARTICULARLY, EVEN THOUGH THEY WANT TO HELP THE MAYOR.

THEY'RE A HANDFUL.

BUT BY AND LARGE; >> THE PROPOSED CUT HAS REALLY BAD TIMING, THE DAY THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT LAYS TO REST ONE OF THEIR OWN.

>> PROBABLY.

IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT THAT OR WHAT WAS GOING TO DOMINATE THE NEWS CYCLE TODAY.

BUT BRANDON JOHNSON, AS YOU MENTIONED, WAS THERE, AT THE FUNERAL, GIVING VERY GENEROUS WORDS ABOUT ARIANA'S LIFE, AND TALKING ABOUT HOW SHE WAS THE EXEMPLARY OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF JOHNSON AS MAYOR IS GOING TO LINE UP WITH SOME OF WHAT THESE PROGRESSIVE GROUPS ARE ASKING FOR, IN TERMS OF CUTTING FUNDING FOR THE POLICE.

>> SO WHAT THIS PROPOSAL WOULD DO WOULD ESSENTIALLY ELIMINATE A THOUSAND VACANCIES, AND TAKE THAT $100 MILLION AND MOVE IT INTO THE SOCIAL SAFETY NET.

JOHNSON HAS SAID THAT IS A NONSTARTER.

BUT HE DOES WANT TO SORT OF REDIRECT $150 MILLION WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND BEEF UP EFFORTS TO COMPLY WITH THE CONSENT DECREE.

THIS IS A CONCESSION OF WHAT IS NOT GOING TO BE DONE BUT HOW TO DO IT.

AND TO WHAT EXTENT IT IS PHYSICALLY AND POLITICALLY POSSIBLE.

>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.

THEY SPOKE AT OFFICER PRESTON'S FUNERAL.

>> ARIANA CHOSE TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

FOR WEARING THE BADGE AND PROTECTING AND SERVING HER BELOVED CITY.

I WILL SPEND TIME MAKING SURE THAT MY BLACK DAUGHTER UNDERSTANDS THERE'S A LIFE THERE OF A LIFE WELL LIVED.

>> I'M SO GLAD WE COME FROM A TRADITION WHERE WE CAN GRIEVE AND CELEBRATE AT THE SAME TIME.

>> HEATHER, SURPRISING THEY BOTH SPOKE?

>> IT'S A LITTLE SURPRISING.

TYPICALLY, WHEN A MAYOR LEAVES OFFICE, THEY TYPICALLY GO INTO THE SHADOWS.

WE HAVE HEARD A LITTLE FROM RAHM EMANUEL.

BUT IT IS A RARE LOOK WITH MAYOR LIGHTFOOT TALKING ABOUT HER LIFE.

AND SHE WAS MAYOR AS ARIANA PRESTON WAS SERVING AS POLICE OFFICER, SO PERHAPS IT'S FITTING.

>> THE TEARS THAT FAMILY SHED ON BOTH ENDS OF THE LAW ARE THE SAME, WHEN PEOPLE DIE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK JOHNSON WAS TRYING TO TELEGRAPH, ESPECIALLY THE FAMILY OF SALEDO?

>> I THINK IT HIT A NERVE.

FOR SOME OF THE -- FOR LACK OF BETTER PHRASE, BLUE LIVES MATTER.

ONE HOURS, PUT OUT A TWEET, CONDEMNING THIS.

AND MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS, WHAT A SHORT HONEYMOON HERE.

BUT HE WENT ON TO PAY TRIBUTE TO ARIANA PRESTON.

I DON'T THINK HE WAS SAYING ONE LIFE AND THED WERE EQUALLY LIVED.

HE WAS SAYING THE SITUATION IS TRAGIC.

A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY GETSUT CAUP IN THE SITUATION.

AND IF YOU'RE A PARENT.

YOU'RE SAD, EQUALLY, THAT THAT WAS YOUR KID.

AND THE FACT THAT BOTH OF THESE SHOOTINGS HAPPENED, IT IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE ONGOING TRAGEDY OF GUN VIOLENCE ON BOTH SIDES.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE WAS GETTING AT.

AND WHEN I HEARD IT, I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR THINGS THAT SOUNDED CONTROVERSIAL TO ME.

BUT CLEARLY, IT STRUCK A NERVE.

>> SO THE SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES TODAY RULED ILLINOIS'S ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN CAN GO THROUGH WHILE LAWSUITS ARE WINDING THEIR WAY THROUGH THE COURTS.

AND THEY HEARD CASE YESTERDAY.

JUST YESTERDAY, AMANDA, VARIOUS COURTS ARE HEARING.

WHERE DOES THIS LAW STAND?

>> SO WE WILL BE WAITING TO SEE WHETHER GOING FORWARD, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TAKES FURTHER ACTION.

THAT DEPENDS ON THE ACTION FIRST OF A U.S. APPEALS COURT.

SO YOU HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF LAWSUITS AS IT STANDS NOW.

NO, YOU CANNOT BUY WEAPONS THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY DEEMED BY LAW TO BE ASSAULT GRADE.

CAN'T BUY THEM IN ILLINOIS.

IF YOU PREVIOUSLY HAD THEM, YOU CAN HOLD ON TO THEM, BUT YOU MUST REGISTER WITH THE STATE BEFORE 2023 IS DONE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING A WHOLE LOT OF LEGAL ACTION TO WAIT AND SEE.

THE WORD YOU GOT FROM THE U.S. SUPREME COURT, WASN'T REALLY MUCH.

ALL IT IS JUST THAT.

WHILE THESE FEDERAL CASES ARE

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Chicago Tonight | Spotlight Politics: Progressives Push Tax Increase ... - PBS