The Latest Breaking News from Lori Lightfoot

CHICAGO — U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia took two key steps toward announcing a campaign for Chicago mayor this week, amending his campaign committee to support a City Hall run and filing an economic disclosure statement as he continues weighing a challenge to Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

The poll of 616 likely Chicago voters was conducted last week by Public Policy Polling, a Raleigh, N.C. firm that works only for Democrats. Half were contacted on landlines, the rest on cell phones via text message.

Three years in, INVEST South/West has secured significant investment commitments, but many people are still asking if the program has had an impact. We can vociferously say it has.

Carmen A. Rossi’s Chicago Parking Solutions got a two-year contract to park cars at more than a dozen schools even though the school system said another company put in a better bid.

CHICAGO — Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson will run for Chicago mayor, adding another progressive challenger to the field of 2023 candidates and raising the prospect of a rematch between the Chicago Teachers Union and Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

In the last 20 months, the union’s 3,000 city employees have received a 2% pay raise as inflation has spiked. For starters, the union says it wants a “fair” wage.

The Cook County commissioner said he is running because incumbent Mayor Lori Lightfoot has failed progressives. “The hopes and desires of working families have been ignored,” Johnson told the Sun-Times.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot says there’s no lack of transparency in her budget, and police spending isn’t the only measure of public safety.

Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Alderpersons rejected the mayor’s nomination of retiring Ald. James Cappleman to chair the Education Committee on a 29-18 vote. Lightfoot’s choice would have passed up mayoral challenger Sophia King (4th), who has been serving as acting chair.

The salary of Chicago’s mayor hasn’t gone up since Mayor Richard M. Daley held the job in 2005. Also on Wednesday, the council approved a resolution of support for the Jewish community, citing recent antisemitic comments by the rapper formerly known as Kanye West.