Party Crashers, Chicago Style

The Chicago City Council voted to allocate $75 million from parking meter resale towards pensions, creating a budget gap for Mayor Johnson's 2027 budget. This decision raises questions about how to fill the financial void through new taxes, fees, or service cuts.

Plus, more on the corporate head tax and police budget.

Guest: Ishan Daya with the Institute for Public Good.

Five days out from Chicago’s first fully elected school board election, CPS Board Member Yesenia Lopez (District 7B) joins Megan Thuy and Andrew Herrera. They talk about what the board actually does, who’s spending millions on an unpaid office, and why charter school interests care so much about who wins. Yesenia also explains what it’s like to represent 34 schools with no office, no budget and one chief of staff shared across all 21 board members.

Before Yesenia joins, Megan and Andrew cover:

• why Andrew didn’t run in the 25th Ward
• petition challenges in the Chicago mayor and alderman races
• George Cardenas and his AI-built mayoral campaign website
• the anti-BDS repeal advisory referendums on ballots in Oak Park and other Illinois communities

Andrew also asks whether the elected school board has delivered on its promise, and what Springfield should fix.

Early voting is open now. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

We spent 20 minutes not talking about the budget, so here it is uncut.

Stephanie Skora of the Girl, I Guess Progressive Voter Guide joins Megan to talk about the 2027 municipal races, now that petitions are in: 13 mayoral candidates and 11 unopposed alderpeople. Stephanie flags the races to watch, including two progressives vying to take on Ald. Jim Gardiner in the 45th, and South Side progressives Ald. Jeanette Taylor, Ald. William Hall and Ald. Julia Ramirez facing tough races. They also dig into Stephanie’s take on Chicago DSA and why Taylor’s endorsement fight matters.

The bigger conversation is about why infighting is a luxury. Stephanie and Megan compare organizing in Texas and downstate Illinois, where there’s no room for purity politics, with Chicago’s factional left. Stephanie also explains Girl, I Guess’s two litmus tests: Palestine at the federal level and policing at the local level.

Find Stephanie at girliguess.com and @stephanieskora, and join the Girl, I Guess voting group on Sway.

This intro to Chicago Budget of 2027 features the one and only Stephanie Skora of the Girl I Guess Voting guide. Megan and Stephanie get into the complexities of Chicago's political landscape, the role of progressive voices, and the contentious budget allocations for policing. T

The conversation explores the complexities of taxation, community investment, and progressive governance in Chicago, the need for equitable tax contributions from wealthy individuals and corporations.

It also discusses the challenges faced by progressives in the city council and the importance of home rule in shaping local taxation policies.

Takeaways

• Importance of independent voices
• Challenges in progressive politics Police budget impacts city finances
• Progressive taxation can fund reforms Equitable taxation is essential
• Progressives need to unify on key issues

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Launch
• 02:56 The Role of Progressive Voices
• 06:01 Navigating the Political Landscape
• 08:55 Critique of Political Organizations
• 12:00 Understanding the Budget and Policing
• 15:01 Community Safety and Police Accountability
• 17:59 The Future of Progressive Politics
• 27:01 Budgeting for Police and Community Safety
• 30:32 Political Dynamics and Police Control
• 33:01 Progressive Politics and City Council Challenges
• 34:41 Curbing Police Overtime and Misconduct
• 37:01 Legislative Barriers to Budget Reform
• 40:10 Structural Issues in City Budgeting
• 41:37 Disagreements in Budget Proposals
• 46:01 Corporate Taxation and Community Funding
• 55:58 The Role of Corporations in Community Support
• 56:05 Rethinking Taxation and Community Investment
• 59:02 Progressive Unity and Governance in Chicago
• 01:03:54 Understanding Home Rule and Taxation Challenges
• 01:09:59 Analyzing the Budget Process and Community Needs
• 01:17:00 The Need for Bold Legislative Risks

SEIU of IL's Anthony Driver joins Megan and Steve to talk Chicago Unions and Labor, and how to organize for the people.