>> BUDGET HEARINGS BEGAN OVER MAYOR BRANDON JOHNSON.

16.6 BILLION DOLLARS SPENDING PLAN.

CITY OFFICIALS CONSIDER A VACANT LOT IN BRIGHTON PARK FOR THE WINTERIZED BASE CAMPS FOR MIGRANTS AND CHAOS IN CONGRESS OVER FINDING ENOUGH VOTES FOR HOUSE SPEAKER.

HERE WITH ALL THAT AND MORE IS OUR SPOTLIGHT POLITICS TEAM HEADER.

DEMAND OF IN TURKEY IN PARIS SCHUTZ HAND SO BUDGET HEARINGS KICK OFF THIS WEEK AS WE SAID FOR THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED 16.6 BILLION DOLLAR BUDGET PLAN.

HEATHER ASPECTS OF THE PROPOSAL THAT YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE CONTENTIOUS FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DECIDE ON.

WELL, EVERYBODY'S RELIEVED.

THEY'RE NOT BEING ASKED FO FOR PROPERTY TAX HIKE OR MORE FINES OR FEES.

>> BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS YESTERDAY ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS GOING TO CARE FOR THE NOW.

MORE THAN 18,500 MIGRANTS, MOST FROM VENEZUELA WHO ARE NOW CALLING CHICAGO HOME.

AND THERE WERE MANY, MANY QUESTIONS THAT THE MAYOR'S FINANCE TEAM REALLY COULDN'T ANSWER.

WE KNOW THAT ALDERMAN JASON ERVIN JOINED PARIS HERE ON THE PROGRAM LAST NIGHT.

HERE HE IS TALKING ABOUT THE 150 MILLION DOLLARS SET ASIDE.

>> FOR MIGRANTS IN THE 2024 SPENDING PLAN.

>> THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEED TO STEP UP AND HELP THE CITY OF CHICAGO IN PARTICULAR ENDEAVOR.

THIS IS NOT A CHICAGO PROBLEM.

THIS IS A FEDERAL ISSUE.

IT'S FEDERAL POLICY IS DRIVEN US TO THIS PARTICULAR POINT.

WELL, WE TO HELP HELPING OUR FELLOW INDIVIDUALS ON THIS IS SOLELY A CHICAGO PROBLEM.

SO I BELIEVE THIS IS THE MAYOR'S MARKER.

WHAT WE'RE WILLING TO DO, WHAT WE DO NEED SUPPORT FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

>> AND OF STATE PARTNERS GIVEN ANY INDICATION THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO PROVIDE MORE FUNDING TO THE CITY.

NO EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

FIRST OF ALL, ILLINOIS DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY, BUT ALSO LET'S RECALL JUST HOW.

>> HUGHLEY CONTENTIOUS THIS ISSUE IS WITH FOLKS SAYING, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, WHY ARE WE GIVING MONEY TO THESE NEWCOMERS WHEN THERE ARE ALREADY SO MANY NEEDS THAT RESIDENTS HAVE THAT ARE BEING CARED FOR.

THIS IS A FIGHT THAT WE'VE SEEN PLAYED OUT IN CHICAGO AND JOLIET REALLY ALL OVER THE PLACE.

STATE LEGISLATORS.

THEY ALSO HAVE AN ELECTION ON THE HORIZON.

SO THEY'RE NOT LOOKING TO TAKE ANY MONEY THAT AGAIN, ILLINOIS DOESN'T HAVE SPARE CASH SITTING AROUND WHEN IT IS THAT POLITICALLY CONTENTIOUS WHEN THEY'RE ASKING VOTERS TO SIGN THEIR PETITIONS, VOTE FOR THEM IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

SO THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

STATE IS SORT OF FURTHER PASSING THE BUCK IN YOUR CITY.

OFFICIALS SAY WE NEED MONEY FROM ILLINOIS.

YOU HEARD ALDERMAN ALSO SAY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THAT'S WHAT YOU ALSO HEAR FROM STATE OFFICIALS.

WE NEED THE FEDS TO STEP IN.

THAT TWO-FOLD.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS THE FEDS HAVEN'T COME TO ANY SORT OF SOLUTION GENERALLY WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT TO DO WITH IMMIGRATION.

>> AND THEN FURTHER, IT'S EASY TO PASS THE BUCK TO THIS BEHEMOTH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S THING WITH THE SAME 2024 ELECTIONS.

IT IS A LITTLE TRICKY POLITICALLY FOR DEMOCRATS AND EVEN PRESIDENT BIDEN TO JUST KEEP THIS OF CASH ON DEMOCRATIC CITIES LIKE CHICAGO AND GET AWAY WITH A POLITICALLY.

SO IT'S IT'S THE SAME TRICK BOX.

SO CITY OFFICIALS THEY MIGHT HAVE FOUND A SITE, THOUGH, FOR THE PROPOSED WINTERIZED BASE CAMP FOR MIGRANTS.

PARIS, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THIS?

WELL, THAT THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF CITY CREWS ON THIS SITE CLEARING IT THAT IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEAR 38TH IN CALIFORNIA IN BRIGHTON PARK.

IT'S A PRIVATE LEON LOTT.

>> WE'VE BEEN TOLD BY ALL THE PEOPLE IS THAT THE CITY'S ISSUED REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS BECAUSE IT'S FEELS LIKE EVERY CITY OWNED PROPERTY FIELDHOUSE PARK HOUSE IS BEING REJECTED.

SO NOW THEY HAVE TO GO TO LIKE FOCUSING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND ALDERMAN RAY LOPEZ LAST NIGHT WAS ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM SITE.

DIDN'T LIKE IT.

SAID THERE'S A LOT OF GANG ACTIVITY AROUND THAT AREA AND THAT COULD BE A TENDER BOX.

SO IT'S BEEN VERY OPAQUE FROM CITY OFFICIALS AND OTHER WOULD KNOW THE 4, 1, ONE FROM WHAT CITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY'RE OPAQUE.

THEY'RE NOT REALLY CONFIRMING OR DENYING THAT SOMETHING'S GOING FORWARD.

THERE OR WHETHER THEY'RE STILL CONSIDERING OTHER SITES.

BY THE WAY, IT'S GOING TO GET COLD.

YES.

SO THERE IS A COMMUNITY MEETING SET FOR TUESDAY ON THE SITE.

IT WILL GIVE RESIDENTS OF TO 12 FLORIDA CHANCE TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PLAN.

>> BUT ALDERMAN JULIO RAMIREZ WAS VERY CLEAR IN A LETTER TO HER CONSTITUENTS TODAY SAID, LOOK, IF THE WATER DEPARTMENT FINDS THE SITE SUITABLE FOR THESE MASSIVE, LIKE STRUCTURES.

THEY'RE GOING THIS WILL HAPPEN HERE.

WHETHER I SIGN OFF ON IT OR NOT, THE CITY IS SIMPLY OUT OF OPTIONS.

SO THEN THE QUESTION WILL BECOME HOW ARE THESE BASE CAMPS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, GOING TO BE RUN?

HOW WILL THE PEOPLE THERE BE PROTECTED AND HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN BE SORT OF HOUSED THERE?

THERE ARE NEARLY 4,000 PEOPLE LIVING AT POLICE STATIONS AND AT O'HARE AIRPORT REALLY WITH NO SHELTER FROM THE DROPPING TEMPERATURES AND NO SHELTER FROM THE RAIN AND WE HEARD MAYOR JOHNSON SAY THAT HE'S NOT GOING GO TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER THIS WEEK BECAUSE HE WANTED TO STAY HERE AND SORT OF START FIGURING OUT THESE ISSUES.

AS WE UNDERSTAND IT, THE SITES CAN HAS ABOUT 1000 PEOPLE WHILE GREAT.

THAT'S 4TH OF WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH WITH MORE PEOPLE ARRIVING EVERY AND TO THAT POINT, WHETHER THE MAYOR SAID THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO THE BORDER, HE'S GOING TO SEND A SMALL GROUP OF CITY OFFICIALS INSTEAD.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE HE WANTS TO STAY HERE AND FIGURE OUT.

WHAT WHAT'S GOING FORWARD.

HE GIVE ANY OTHER ANY OTHER REASON DOWN NOT REALLY.

HE HASN'T TAKEN QUESTIONS DIRECTLY ON THIS ISSUE FROM REPORTERS FOR A LITTLE WHILE BECAUSE WAS MORE THAN A MONTH AGO THAT HIS OFFICE ANNOUNCED THAT THIS WAS EVEN THE PLAN AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE JUST NOW HEARING ABOUT LIKE A SPECIFIC LOCATION GIVES YOU A SENSE OF HOW DIFFICULT IT HAS BEEN TO FIND THE LOCATIONS FOR THESE TENSE.

AND HE WILL ALSO HAVE TO BAIL FRUSTRATION, ANGER FROM HIS OWN ALLIES WHO DO NOT WANT TO SEE MIGRANTS HOUSED IN THESE SORT OF INSTITUTIONAL FACILITIES THAT ARE HONESTLY MORE COMMON IN WAR ZONES AND REFUGEE AREAS RATHER THAN MAJOR AMERICAN CITY.

YES, FUNERAL WAS HELD YESTERDAY FOR WHAT OUT FOR YOU MADE THE 6 YEAR-OLD MUSLIM BOY WAS STABBED ALLEGEDLY BY HIS LANDLORD, JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

AMANDA LAUNCHING A FEDERAL HATE CRIME INVESTIGATION INTO THIS CASE.

WHAT WE ABOUT THE DETAILS.

IS JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OR ANYTHING?

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ISN'T REALLY SAYING MUCH OTHER THAN THAT.

THEY ARE GOING TO PUT THE FULL FORCE OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BEHIND THIS.

THERE WAS A COMMENT FROM MERRICK GARLAND SAYING THAT THERE IS NO ACCEPTABLE THIS IS IT IS SO BRUTAL.

>> THAT EVERY LEGAL AUTHORITY WILL BE USED TO CRACK DOWN ON THIS SORT OF ACTIVITY, I THINK REALLY BRING US WHAT IT DEMONSTRATES IS JUST THAT THIS IS HIGH PROFILE AND THAT THIS GETS TO REALLY HEART OF THESE TENSIONS BROUGHT OVER FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND SAYING WE'RE NOT GOING TO TOLERATE ANY SORT OF ACTIVITY AGAINST MUSLIMS AGAINST JEWS.

WE'RE SEEING THIS SO HIGH PROFILE THIS INCIDENT WHEN UNFORTUNATELY THERE ARE MURDERS ARE HATE CRIMES ALL THE TIME.

THIS IS A VERY HIGH PROFILE.

AND SINCE HOPING TO MAKE AN EXAMPLE, IT'S HORRIFIC.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT SPILLS OVER INTO CITY COUNCIL.

THE FACT THAT I'M A MUCH LESSER LEVEL, THERE WAS CHAOS ON FRIDAY OVER THIS RESOLUTION TO CONDEMN THE HAMAS ATTACKS ON ISRAEL AND >> SOME MORE PROGRESSIVE FOLK SAYING WE NEED TO BROADEN THE LANGUAGE TO CONDEMN ANY ATTACK ON PALESTINIANS.

ANY ATTACK ON INNOCENT GAZANS AND AND IT AGAIN, GET TO THAT TENSION.

A MAN IS TALKING ABOUT WHERE LANGUAGES IS A PROBLEM.

AND CITY COUNCIL HAD CLEAR OUT CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE IT GOT SO HEATED.

THIS IS UNFORTUNATELY WHEN IT GETS TO THE EXTREME WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS, IT WAS CLEARLY NOT IN THEIR RIGHT MIND.

TRAGIC CASE.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT 30 SECONDS HEATHER ALDERMAN JIM GARDNER HERE WITH A $20,000 FINE FOR VIOLATION OF AN ETHICS ORDINANCE BY >> RETALIATING AGAINST A CRITIC OF HIS WITH, QUOTE, UNFOUNDED CITATIONS.

WE DID NOT GET THE CHANCE TO JUST ASK INSPECTOR GENERAL DENVER, WHAT SPURRED ABOUT THIS IN THE LAST SEGMENT.

BUT SHE TOLD YOU THIS WAS A LANDMARK ACTIONS.

THE SIGNAL A NEW ERA OF TACKLING CORRUPTION IN CHICAGO.

SHE TOLD ME IT DOES.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THE CHICAGO BOARD OF AND THE ETHICS HAS LEVIED THE MAXIMUM FINE FOR 10 VIOLATIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT ETHICS ORDINANCE AGAINST A SITTING ALDERPERSON.

NOW THESE OFFENSES TOOK PLACE IN 2019, ACCORDING TO THE ETHICS BOARD.

IF TAKEN PLACE IN LATE 2020 ALDERMAN GARDNER WOULD SPEND ON THE HOOK FOR THE MAXIMUM CURRENT VIOLATION, WHICH WOULD HAVE MEANT $200,000 IN FINES, SIGNIFICANCE.

SO HE STILL CAN APPEAL THESE.

HE DID NOT RETURN MY PHONE FOR KITE NOW.

SHOCKING.

WHAT'S HE LEGAL BILLS A REPORTED INVESTIGATION PROBE INTO SOME OTHER ACT IN AND OF COURSE, WE'LL HAVE TO