| | | | |  | | By Shia Kapos | Good Thursday morning, Illinois. We’re pulling together our annual gift list for politicos. �� Got ideas? Send them along as an anonymous elf to skapos@politico.com.
|  | TOP TALKER | | | SCHOOL DAZE: Now that Chicago’s budget negotiations are all wrapped up, attention is turning back to the Chicago School Board, which has been in upheaval in recent months. The board has called for a meeting Friday evening to consider two big items on the agenda: approving Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez’s termination and approving a settlement agreement. The impending termination of Martinez isn’t a complete surprise. For months, there’s been talk among City Hall and education insiders that Martinez’s days were numbered. There's a reason: Martinez has refused to take out a short-term loan to pay for pension obligations and labor contracts, including with the Chicago Teachers Union — which helped the Mayor Brandon Johnson win election nearly two years ago. Johnson wants Martinez out, though the mayor has skirted talking openly about it. The challenge: Martinez has a contract, so firing him could prompt him to sue the school district — and individual school board members. It's what prompted previous board members to quit. From the Chalkbeat education experts: “The schools chief’s ouster on the Friday evening before the Christmas holiday — with classes having been dismissed for winter break — would make for an extraordinary resolution to the battle between Martinez and Mayor Brandon Johnson. And it would come days before a deadline set by the Chicago Teachers Union to reach a contract agreement,” report Reema Amin and Mila Koumpilova. The board action is already drawing criticism. Jesse Ruiz, a former deputy governor for education who also served as interim CPS CEO some years ago, warned that the board should have “lawyers on retainer, because they’re going to need them if they are foolish enough to breach their fiduciary duty and try to terminate” Martinez. And there's a snag: The board meeting is scheduled during Shabbat, the Jewish Sabbath that starts at sundown Friday and ends Saturday evening. Ald. Debra Silverstein, the only Jewish member of the Chicago City Council, has sent a letter requesting the meeting be rescheduled to as a result. Holding the meeting during Shabbat: “creates an unnecessary barrier to participation for Chicago’s Jewish community, including residents, teachers, and school parents who observe this sacred time.,” she said in her letter.
| | THE BUZZ | | Trump allies Rod Blagojevich and Roger Stone suggest Pritzker should be sued for calling Trump a ‘rapist’: “The call comes on the heels of a major settlement with ABC News for using similar language,” by your Playbook host. If you are Pedro Martinez, Playbook would like to hear from you! Email: skapos@politico.com
| | WHERE'S JB | | No official public events
| | WHERE's BRANDON | | At 7059 S. South Shore Drive at 5:30 p.m. to attend the Metropolitan Peace Academy graduation
| | Where's Toni | | At the Cook County Building at 10 a.m. to preside over the County board meeting — At the County Building at 3 p.m. to attend the annual Menorah/Kinara lighting
| | | | You read POLITICO for trusted reporting. Now follow every twist of the lame duck session with Inside Congress. We track the committee meetings, hallway conversations, and leadership signals that show where crucial year-end deals are heading. Subscribe now. | | | | | | | THE STATEWIDES | | — MADIGAN TRIAL: After prosecutors rest, defense in Madigan corruption trial calls ex-AT&T exec about deal to hire Eddie Acevedo, by the Tribune’s Jason Meisner and Megan Crepeau — Illinois sees most significant wage drop in the country since 1935, data shows, by the State Journal-Register’s Tom Ackerman — Budget pressures could impact K-12 funding: “State Board of Education gets briefing on fiscal landscape ahead,” by Capitol News’ Peter Hancock. — Illinois education officials want lawmakers to close loopholes on student discipline, ticketing, by Chalkbeat’s Samantha Smylie — SPOTLIGHT: Illinois is one of the top states obsessed with ugly holiday sweaters, according to a study, by the Peoria Journal Star’s Mike Kramer
| | CHICAGO | | — BUDGET FALLOUT: Pricier checkout bags, rideshares and streaming are among the fee and tax hikes in the 2025 budget: “Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 spending plan avoided a property tax hike, but Chicagoans will still see an increase in numerous fees and taxes that impact their daily lives,” by the Block Club’s Quinn Myers. A rundown of how your pocketbook will be hit, by WBEZ’s Mariah Woelfel and Tessa Weinberg And there’s more fiscal pain: “Higher wages, pension bills and inflation are still weighing on the city as Covid-era funds used to help plug the 2025 deficit are ending. That means less cushion for future shortfalls, and the outlook for more state and federal aid is uncertain,” by Bloomberg’s Shruti Date Singh. — As Chicago braces for threat of mass deportations, it's losing its quarterback on migrant issues: “Brandie Knazze is stepping down as commissioner of the city’s Department of Family and Support Services, effective Dec. 31. She is moving to the lower-stress nonprofit world, although she refused to say where,” by the Sun-Times’ Fran Spielman. On the ground: Migrants face a dwindling safety net and backlogs in work permit and immigration cases, by the Block Club’s Mina Bloom and Francia Garcia Hernandez — Wall collapses at future Bally’s casino site sending debris into the Chicago River: “The former Chicago Tribune Freedom Center is being torn down to make way for the casino. Some white material is still floating up the river,” by the Sun-Times’ Brett Chase. — Advocate investing $1B on Chicago's South Side in new hospital at Quantum and Microelectronics Park, by ABC 7’s Jasmine Minor — CTA says bus schedules to return to pre-pandemic levels, one month after train service returns, by the Tribune’s Sarah Freishtat — After School Matters opening huge teen center near Cabrini-Green, by the Block Club’s Patrick Filbin — White Sox change stadium name to ‘Rate Field,’ fans collectively boo, by the Block Club’s Mack Liederman
| | COOK COUNTY AND COLLARS | | — Accused Highland Park parade shooter’s incriminating statements to be admitted at trial: “Lake County Judge Victoria Rossetti denied defense attorney’s motion to suppress the videotaped remarks Robert E. Crimo III gave to police after his arrest, rejecting arguments that his constitutional rights had been violated during questioning,” by the Daily Herald’s Barbara Vitello. — Elgin approves plan to move ‘Tent City’ residents to a hotel, tear down encampment for the winter, by the Daily Herald’s Rick West — Evanston to HUD: Affordable housing is biggest need, by Evanston Now’s Mattew Eadie — Homer Glen Village Board race finalized with 9 candidates for 3 trustee positions, by the Daily Southtown’s Michelle Mullins
| | TAKING NAMES | | — Michelle Obama says former President Barack Obama is like most guys: He’s hard to shop for during the holidays, via Jennifer Hudson on X — Michael Jordan’s 23XI racing team can compete in NASCAR’s 2025 season, by The Associated Press
| | | | POLITICO Pro's unique analysis combines exclusive transition intelligence and data visualization to help you understand not just what's changing, but why it matters for your organization. Explore how POLITICO Pro will make a difference for you. | | | | | | | Reader Digest | | We asked what recent innovation blew your mind. Mimi Cowan: “Sometimes when I'm Face-Timing or on Zoom, I remember that this was the ‘future’ on the Jetsons and it's like wow!” Kirk Dillard: “Google’s Quantum Computing breakthrough. I am a board member of Intersect Illinois so like Gov. Pritzker, I am into this amazing life changing future. Also, great economic development for Illinois — especially the southeast side of Chicago.” Ed Epstein: “A retro change: restaurants dropping pandemic- era QR code menus and bringing back printed menus.” Mike Gascoigne: “E-books. Anytime a book is too big to want to carry or to small to want to pay physical copy price I put it on my Kindle.” Donna Gutman: “AI is mind blowing.” Michael Halpin: “YouTube Music allows users to switch between audio and video modes while listening to music — Spotify can’t do that!” Andy Shaw: “Chat GPT. Beyond the twilight zone.” Next question: What do you hope the new year brings for politics in Illinois? Email skapos@politico.com
| | KEEPING UP WITH THE DELEGATION | | — Sen. Dick Durbin gave a biting answer to CNN’s Manu Raju this week. Asked how he could support a pay hike for members of Congress given they are struggling to nail down a government funding bill. “What about the media?” Durbin jabbed. “Half of your listeners are not there anymore, and you’re still getting the same paycheck? What’s going on?” Watch it here — Congresswoman Robin Kelly (2nd) picks up the baton on HIV: After more than two decades in Congress, outgoing Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) is passing the torch of the global fight against HIV to Kelly, her fellow Democrat, reports Carmen Paun in the POLITICO Pulse newsletter. Kelly will lead the fight to reauthorize a massive U.S. global HIV/AIDS program in the next Congress, Lee’s office announced Wednesday in a statement first shared with POLITICO.
| | | THE NATIONAL TAKE | | | — The DOGE cost-cutting initiative will be constrained by politics, Trump’s preferences and a lack of legal authority, by the Tribune’s Victoria Guida — Elon Musk fueled backlash to spending plan with false and misleading claims, by POLITICO’s Daniella Diaz and Katherine Tully-McManus — Biden makes a last big push to keep Trump from killing the electric car, by POLITICO’s David Ferris, Alex Nieves and Alex Guillén
| | TRIVIA | | WEDNESDAY’s ANSWER: Congrats to Graham Grady for correctly answering that Chicago’s Yellow Line has the fewest stops of any Chicago Transit Authority “L” train. They are Howard, Oakton-Skokie and Dempster-Skokie. TODAY’s QUESTION: What is the name of the Civil War military encampment located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers? Email skapos@politico.com
| | HAPPY BIRTHDAY | | State Sen. Ram Villivalam, state Rep. Anna Moeller, Cook County Circuit Judge Beatriz Santiago, attorney and Air & Waste Management Association Chair Larry Falbe, lobbyist John Borovicka, Origin Investments content strategist Barbara Bohn and Boston Consulting Group consultant Haim Engelman. -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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