| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Tuesday morning, Illinois. Get that turkey out of the freezer. Programming note: We’ll be in your inbox Wednesday before taking Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving. We'll be back on Monday, Dec. 2.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | A NEW POLL shows Mayor Brandon Johnson’s favorability is in the dumps (15 percent) and that aldermen could be there, too, if they vote for the newly proposed $150 million property tax hike to address the city’s $1 billion budget gap. The survey was commissioned by 14 City Council members, who referred to the poll in a letter they sent to the mayor. We have the letter here. What it says: “78 percent of Chicagoans are more likely to vote against their alderman if he or she voted for a $150 million property tax increase without prioritizing efficiencies to right-size the budget first,” the letter says, explaining the survey. Here are some more toplines from the poll, which has margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points: When it comes to budget-making, most respondents (66 percent) said the mayor was “irresponsibly managing” the process. If the city fails to pass a budget, forcing the city to shut down, 67 percent of respondents would blame the mayor and 22 percent would blame the City Council. When it comes to sanctuary status 70 percent support coordinating with ICE when it involves criminal activity. This goes against the mayor’s hard line against working with federal agents on deportation. It wasn’t all bad for the mayor: Most respondents believe the city is spending too little on mental health services, housing, homelessness and crime prevention — all issues that Johnson has talked about fixing. Still, the favorability ratings: Gov. JB Pritzker got the highest marks with 63 percent favorable/somewhat favorable; “your alderman” got 41 percent; Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, 36 percent; former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, 35 percent; the Chicago Teachers Union, 30 percent; Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, 28 percent; CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, 19 percent; Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, 18 percent; and the mayor, 15 percent. Why that’s interesting: Giannoulias, Emanuel, Mendoza and a half dozen aldermen could challenge Johnson in the 2026 mayor’s race (Yeah, it’s two years away.). RELATED Chicago policing real costs could be nearly double next year’s $2.1B budget, former city analyst finds: “Including pensions, benefits, budget-busting overtime and other hidden expenses, the analyst reports that city costs for CPD in 2025 could reach $3.8 billion,” by WBEZ’s Chip Mitchell That follows this police budgeting news: Mayor reversing plans to slash funding for Chicago police consent decree positions, by ABC 7’s Leah Hope Also: Sidewalk plowing plan unfunded in Johnson’s budget, by the Tribune’s Jake Sheridan
| | THE BUZZ | | FIRST IN PLAYBOOK: Cook County State’s Attorney-elect Eileen O’Neill Burke has made some key staff appointments to her executive team ahead of Monday’s swearing-in. Tisa Morris will be chief of staff. She's worked as an assistant state’s attorney and was part of the Chicago Police Department and Cook County Sheriff’s Office. Anna Demacopoulos will be first assistant state’s attorney. She’s a former judge who spent 23 years as an ASA. Yvette Loizon will be chief of policy after working with the Illinois State Police as chief counsel and interim head of the Chicago Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability. And Matt McGrath becomes chief of external affairs after serving as chief of staff in the Chicago Treasurer’s Office and earlier serving as deputy commissioner for the Department of Aviation. The press corps knows him as a former spokesman for Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Sen. Tammy Duckworth. If you are Anna Demacopoulos, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | No official public events
| | Where's Toni | | No official public events Have a tip, suggestion, birthday, new job or (heaven forbid) a complaint? Email: skapos@politico.com
| | | | REGISTER NOW: As the 118th Congress ends, major decisions loom, including healthcare appropriations. Key focus: site neutrality. Can aligning hospital and clinic costs cut federal spending, reflect physician costs, and lower patient expenses? Join policymakers and providers to discuss. | | | | | | | BUSINESS OF POLITICS | | — Del Mar on bipartisanship: Aaron Del Mar, the Palatine Township Republican committeeman, has issued a statement explaining why he supports a bipartisan slate to run in the 2025 Palatine township election. “This slate includes not only dedicated Republicans but also a Democrat and an Independent. Our aim is simple yet profound: to ensure continued effective local governance for all residents of Palatine Township while maintaining our 6-2 Republican supermajority in Cook County, a traditionally Democratic stronghold. This decision reflects our commitment to inclusivity and bipartisanship.” His full statement is here. — Maggie O’Keefe says Dems need a strong playbook to battle misinformation: “\We need to think long term, finding ways to genuinely connect with swing voters in their everyday conversations about the issues that deeply affect us all,” the 40th Ward Democratic committeeperson wrote in a letter to the Sun-Times.
| | | THE STATEWIDES | | | — AG Kwame Raoul said it’s illegal for schools to use police to ticket students. But his office told only one district: “Despite the attorney general’s declaration that Illinois schools should stop using police to discipline students, officers statewide continue to ticket kids with costly fines. State Rep. La Shawn Ford will again pursue legislation to end the practice,” by Pro Publica’s Jodi S. Cohen and Jennifer Smith Richards. — MADIGAN TRIAL: Danny Solis talks massage parlors, free viagra, an affair — and the 'dumb' remark that still embarrasses him: “The former alderman also testified about a suitcase full of ‘Chinese money’ and his dismal personal finances. But the FBI mole had trouble explaining why he dropped the words ‘quid pro quo’ into a chat with former state House Speaker Michael J. Madigan. ‘I thought it was too blunt,’ he said,” by the Sun-Times’ Jon Seidel and WBEZ’s Dave McKinney. — Illinois education leaders unveil 'Vision 2030': a blueprint for the future of education, by Northern Public Radio’s Peter Medlin — Springfield grapples with increased crime: “Police, community groups seek to combat youth violence and racial disparities,” by the Illinois Times’ Dean Olsen. — A Southern Illinois state park’s iconic formation will be feature on an ornament this year, by WMBD’s Christopher Huslig
| | CHICAGO | | — There’s a race to secure federal funding for the Red Line extension as advocates say Trump administration poses risks to Chicago-area public transit, by WTTW’s Nick Blumberg — CTA’s holiday fleet to begin spreading cheer this week, by the Tribune’s Peter Breen
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Bears reach tentative agreement on Arlington Park property taxes: “News of the tentative pact Monday shows Arlington Heights isn’t off the table” for a future Bears stadium, by the Daily Herald’s Christopher Placek. — County to streamline unwieldy electronic monitoring programs — But nobody wants to manage it: “Consolidating the Cook County Sheriff’s program, with one of the largest caseloads in the country, into one managed by the office of Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans is ‘not something I embrace readily,’ the judge said,” by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman and Molly DeVore. — After years of planning, western access to O’Hare International Airport is starting to be measured in cement, by the Daily Herald’s Marni Pyke
| | TAKING NAMES | | — State Rep. Maurice West, a Rockford Democrat, has ben recognized by the Council of State Governments with the 20 Under 40 Leadership Award. — MacKenzie Scott gives Chicago housing nonprofit a record-breaking $15M gift: It’s the second gift to Community Investment Corp. from the billionaire philanthropist. Scott awarded the nonprofit $8 million in 2020, by Crain’s Brandon Dupré. — Bob Sirott, the WGN radio host, talks about his TV news stints, social awkwardness and a love of root beer floats, in a Q&A with Mike Thomas in Chicago magazine
| | | | Want to know what's really happening with Congress's make-or-break spending fights? Get daily insider analysis of Hill negotiations, funding deadlines, and breaking developments—free in your inbox with Inside Congress. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked about your economic development pitch for Illinois. Matthew Beaudet: “We have the best skilled tradespeople for new construction and expansion and a great blue and white collar workforce pipeline.” Mimi Cowan: “Illinois has the #1 energy producing county in the Midwest, the largest inland port in North America, two federal labs, and the most complete T-Rex skeleton ever discovered. In other words, everything you need to make your company succeed: the power, the transportation, the brains and the thing your employees want to see on the weekend.” Judith Erwin: “Illinois is centrally located, has lots of fresh water, has a well-educated workforce, good public schools and affordable housing. It’s also a transportation hub and has the top academic medical centers in the world, including the top-ranked Shirley Ryan Rehab Institute.” Shawn Healy: “Great Lake, few natural disasters, all the amenities of New York, but much cleaner, and the Capital of the Heartland.” Next question: What's one thing government gets right that we can be thankful for? Email skapos@politico.com
| | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | — ‘One of Trump’s alleged attempted assassins sent me a letter,’ by POLITICO’s Ankush Khardori — Joe Biden’s final decision will be his toughest: Should he pardon his son? by POLITICO’s Ankush Khardori — Trump says he will quickly impose tariffs of 25 percent on goods from Canada and Mexico, by POLITICO’s Ari Hawkins
| | IN MEMORIAM | | — Brian McCormack, an entrepreneur who founded several successful companies, including InnerWorkings and Cresco Labs, has died. He was 56. Details here
| | ENGAGED | | — Stephani Englund, a VP of corporate affairs at Burson Global and an alum of Hill & Knowlton and Targeted Victory, on Friday got engaged to Brian Klein, senior software engineer at Siemens. The couple met their freshman year when they lived in the same dorm (South Quad) at the University of Michigan. He proposed in San Sebastián, Spain, at sundown ahead of a pintxos tour. Pic … Another pic
| | EVENTS | | — Monday: Former Congress folks Cheri Bustos and Rodney Davis headline a “Post Election Debrief” sponsored by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Lissa Druss moderates. Details here — Dec. 9: The Palatine Republicans are planning a holiday party. Details here
| | TRIVIA | | MONDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Ian Van Dinther for correctly answering that the UIC Flames mascot commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. TODAY’s QUESTION: What unique role in agriculture do Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties play? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Senate President Don Harmon, lobbyist and former state Rep. Lou Lang, Mac Strategies Group’s Ryan McLaughlin, RTA Government Affairs Director Rob Nash, Cresco Labs EVP John Sullivan, software entrepreneur and former CPS CEO Ron Huberman, Brightpoint Chief External Affairs Officer Paula Corrigan-Halpern and e-Drop-Off founder Corri McFadden. -30- | | | | Follow us on Twitter | | | | Subscribe to the POLITICO Playbook family Playbook | Playbook PM | California Playbook | Florida Playbook | Illinois Playbook | Massachusetts Playbook | New Jersey Playbook | New York Playbook | Ottawa Playbook | Brussels Playbook | London Playbook View all our political and policy newsletters | | Follow us | | | | |
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