CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[twister244]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

Pritzker is absolutely responsible for gathering the funding and bringing the Quantum Campus to Illinois. But if you remember when that was happening, there were two sites under consideration, one in Lockport near Argonne and South Works.

Johnson should get a little credit for closing them on the South Works site. Your comment helps prove the point that even when he has a win, him and his office are completely incapable of properly communicating it to citizens.

The ONLY reference to Johnson in that article you linked is the following:

Related Midwest, which is believed to be closing in on an option to buy the entire 440-acre site in connection with the quantum project. Representatives from PsiQuantum met with officials from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office on the project last week, according to two sources familiar with the meeting.

I'm sorry - No - Johnson doesn't get to swoop in and claim credit for this massive undertaking that Pritzker has led. He can claim that he hasn't stopped it, but this is not something he has led.

What Johnson has led is:
1 - Working in the interest of his CTU buddies
2 - Firing and polarizing anyone that objects to the agendas of him and his stooges.
3 - Trying to pass along another massive property tax hike to homeowners in Chicago instead of addressing our core financial issues.
4 - Taking out a loan to kick said issues down the road.

These are the things Johnson has created, led, and is responsible for.... And this is why he's a garbage mayor.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by twister244

I'm sorry - No - Johnson doesn't get to swoop in and claim credit for this massive undertaking that Pritzker has led. He can claim that he hasn't stopped it, but this is not something he has led.

What Johnson has led is:
1 - Working in the interest of his CTU buddies
2 - Firing and polarizing anyone that objects to the agendas of him and his stooges.
3 - Trying to pass along another massive property tax hike to homeowners in Chicago instead of addressing our core financial issues.
4 - Taking out a loan to kick said issues down the road.

These are the things Johnson has created, led, and is responsible for.... And this is why he's a garbage mayor.

The article was written before a site was chosen, so there wouldn't be any information about the selection process. This article lays out more clearly the collaboration and city incentives used to make the South Works site more attractive. I never claimed that he should get to swoop in and take credit. I also never said he "led" it. I literally explained how Pritzker can, should, and does get the credit for the Quantum Campus existing.

It is also a fact that these private companies chose a site in Chicago over a free site in Lockport. If it was any other mayor, you wouldn't have trouble admitting that some small amount of credit is warranted for that economic development win. If Lockport was chosen, would you have blamed him for it?

The other things you list are obvious and nobody here disagrees with them. They also aren't relevant in any way to the simple point. He is a bad mayor, that wasn't the discussion. The discussion was that he is so bad, that he doesn't even get credit for the few, small wins he has gotten (i.e. The Quantum Campus).

Either way, it seems like we are talking past each other at this point, so lets move on.

[OhioGuy]

Gov. JB Pritzker to announce campaign for third term Thursday: sources

Pritzker will make his reelection campaign official with kickoff events in Chicago and Springfield, but it’s still unknown whom he’ll tap as running mate.

[Randomguy34]

Wow, Burnett is actually leaving at the end of the month

Walter Burnett Is Leaving His Job As Alderman — And His Son Wants To Replace Him

WEST LOOP — One of Chicago’s most influential aldermen is stepping down by the end of the month to lead the Chicago Housing Authority — or retire from politics entirely.

Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) has over 40 years of experience working in local government, spanning Chicago City Council and Cook County. At 61, he currently serves as vice mayor, chairman of the powerful zoning committee and is the most tenured alderperson at City Hall.

Burnett is also one of three finalists to be the next top leader of Chicago Housing Authority, Crain’s reported, a role appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson. Whether he gets the job or not, Burnett told Block Club Chicago he plans to resign from office, with his last day tentatively planned for the end of July.

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07...o-replace-him/

[Randomguy34]

Burnett is leaving at the end of the month - either to head CHA or retire. Cross-posting from the Politics thread since this'll impact future development in West Loop

Walter Burnett Is Leaving His Job As Alderman — And His Son Wants To Replace Him
https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07...o-replace-him/

[k1052]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Wow, Burnett is actually leaving at the end of the month

Walter Burnett Is Leaving His Job As Alderman — And His Son Wants To Replace Him

https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/07...o-replace-him/

This man deserves a statue somewhere in the West Loop.

[left of center]

Wow, end of an era. He was a great pro-development alderman, and the West Loop and Fulton Market area all boomed under his watch. If his son is to replace him in the interim, lets hope he continues his father's growth oriented agenda.

[ardecila]

It should be a pretty smooth transition if his son is replacing him; Burnett Jr worked for Goldman Sachs so I doubt he will be hostile to developers. The ward boundaries are the same, so the incentives for him will be the same: Burnett Jr's voters will be poor Black communities on the West Side and he can afford to piss off West Loop NIMBYs so long as he keeps his base happy.

Burnett Sr's been pretty loyal to the mayor (the last 3 mayors really) so I imagine the mayor will respect his wishes to appoint the son unless voters decide to make a stink about it. Burnett Sr very carefully avoided scandal this whole time, despite a checkered past - he stuck up a bank as a kid from the projects, but turned his life around after some time in jail.

[k1052]

Originally Posted by ardecila

It should be a pretty smooth transition if his son is replacing him; Burnett Jr worked for Goldman Sachs so I doubt he will be hostile to developers. The ward boundaries are the same, so the incentives for him will be the same: Burnett Jr's voters will be poor Black communities on the West Side and he can afford to piss off West Loop NIMBYs so long as he keeps his base happy.

Burnett Sr's been pretty loyal to the mayor (the last 3 mayors really) so I imagine the mayor will respect his wishes to appoint the son unless voters decide to make a stink about it. Burnett Sr very carefully avoided scandal this whole time, despite a checkered past - he stuck up a bank as a kid from the projects, but turned his life around after some time in jail.

West Loop NIMBYs really don't seem to be an effective force at all anymore, at least not anything close to how they were in the oughts. Hopefully it will stay that way.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by k1052

West Loop NIMBYs really don't seem to be an effective force at all anymore, at least not anything close to how they were in the oughts. Hopefully it will stay that way.

WLCO was such a trash organization. Very happy their influence has been greatly eroded.

[sentinel]

Susana Mendoza has announced she's not running for re-election. It sucks because she has been instrumental in turning around Illinois' financial situation into something relatively stable (just by paying bills!). But...I think she's gearing up to run against Johnson for the Chicago Mayor's office, which would be great, because the City definitely needs the help of someone like her.

[Tom In Chicago]

^Agreed. . . but she needs a bigger war chest. . .

. . .

[left of center]

Interesting. I could definitely get behind a Mendoza mayoral run...

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

^Agreed. . . but she needs a bigger war chest. . .

I figure once she actually announces her intentions to run, the business community will gladly get behind her (or another pro business candidate perhaps) and help fund her campaign. Johnson has been so universally awful I think its in almost every group's interests to get him voted out.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by left of center

Interesting. I could definitely get behind a Mendoza mayoral run...




I figure once she actually announces her intentions to run, the business community will gladly get behind her (or another pro business candidate perhaps) and help fund her campaign. Johnson has been so universally awful I think its in almost every group's interests to get him voted out.

He was asked about how she would perform if she ran against him, and his response was along the lines of “she ran before and lost, I’m not concerned…”
That was before everyone knew how incompetent you were, Mr Johnson.
Tick-tock, buddy. Tick-tock..

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by left of center

Johnson has been so universally awful I think its in almost every group's interests to get him voted out.

It'll be interesting to see what the CTU does.

I mean, I know BJ is their guy.

But there has to be at least one level head in CTU leadership who can acknowledge what a lost cause he is.

Although, perhaps not. Reality and CTU leadership seem to exist within two different dimensions of space time.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by k1052

West Loop NIMBYs really don't seem to be an effective force at all anymore, at least not anything close to how they were in the oughts. Hopefully it will stay that way.

It all goes back to representation! I agree the NIMBYs are in disarray these days, but the new ward map gives the wealthiest/south part of West Loop (aka "West Loop Village") a sympathetic White alder again in Conway so we might see NIMBYism resurgent.

From 2015-2023, the West Loop was split between the Black 27th Ward and the Latino 25th Ward. Both alders (Burnett and Solis/Sigcho) gave no quarter to NIMBYs and were happy to rubber stamp West Loop developments so long as they paid their dues with affordable housing and Neighborhood Opportunity Fund.

Before 2015, though - the peak era of WLCO - that section of West Loop was represented by the uber-NIMBY troll Bob Fioretti, who enabled their selfishness.

[ebitdadada]

So... I'd been a big fan of Pritzker before this year but this is semi-heartbreaking and should be for anyone who was hoping for some chance of a recovery in Chicago / Chicago's finances. I hope to be proven wrong but he also appears nowhere to be seen on saving regional transit. Maybe businesses want to invest in a cold Houston with horrible finances?

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opin...finances-op-ed

"In a remarkable Friday afternoon news dump, at the end of last week Gov. JB Pritzker signed a controversial pension bill that will increase pension benefits for many Chicago policemen and firefighters. "

Key points:

- HB 3657, which Pritzker signed on Friday, increases pension benefits for Tier 2 Chicago police & firefighters by about $11 billion. The more important figure, Net present value of the payments, is $3.9B. Funded ratio falls from 24% to 18%.

- Bill had been sold as a "fix" to safe harbor rules but if you look at the details, its rather obvious that safe harbor issues are an edge case with a simple and much cheaper fix (just make sure pensions benefits are at least social security) and this is simply a sweetener for the union with no benefit to the city.

- There are 3 other Chicago pension funds including the CPS fund with tier 2 pensions. This sets a strong precedent for those pensions to be "reformed" as well.

- The Illinois constitution treats any increase in pension benefit as a contract. Basically, you can increase pensions (even in this where its not even part of a contract negotiation, just a gimmie from the legislature) but never reduce them. Only options are municipal bankruptcy (fun fact, illegal in Illinois! ) or an IL constitutional amendment.

Anyway, its just sad. It seems like any time Chicago makes progress (look at the amazing reduction in crime we should all be celebrating) the IL legislature cooks something up to stop it. My guess is next year, they'll wipe out the 2011 reforms made in the other 3 pension funds. I feel like some tax increases to fund the pensions would have been fine and reasonable but if the legislature is just going to keep increasing the liability, what's the point anymore.

Anyway, just disappointed, I thought Pritzker was supposed to be the adult in the room. Maybe he's focused on his 0% chance to be the Democratic nominee.

[twister244]

Yeah, It's pretty frustrating....

I generally have been onboard with Pritzker, but I'm pretty against this legislation he just passed. Because now the pressure is going to be on the city to fill the gaps to help fund these pension increases.

You can't just tax your way out of this situation when we already have some of the highest property taxes in the US.

[ardecila]

OK - if you set aside the merits of the bill itself, you can't really blame Pritzker for this.


A) the bill passed the legislature UNANIMOUSLY. So even if Pritzker vetoed, they would absolutely override it.

B) the fact that it passed unanimously says the mayor and staff were completely ignorant of the possible fiscal issues and did nothing to stop it. they couldn't peel off a single rep in the Chicago delegation, if they even tried.

C) even if Pritzker had done a symbolic veto, it would only aggravate legislators and make it that much harder to deal with the state's other big issues (including saving Chicago transit).


I will say it's very weird to see right-wing types attack the city and state for this bill when they've spent the last decade whining about how cops are underappreciated. Pick a lane, guys.

[Kenmore]

the police...puke