Jake Sheridan

This weekend, dozens of Chicago Tribune journalists will be on standby as huge protests promise to arise in our city.

At the same time, many of us will be organizing to fight buyouts. Our work is essential to democracy, and it's under attack. I'm grateful for my union today.

Hey, please follow back so I can message -- Chicago Tribune guild leader hoping to discuss something.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson blasts Rahm Emanuel today:

Donald Trump's "playbook" of government cuts is the same strategy Emanuel executed in Chicago with school closings & "neoliberalism," Johnson said.

“A tyrant in the White House. We got here because someone gave him the script." Watch⬇️

Artists rip Mayor Brandon Johnson’s arts commissioner, department ‘dysfunction’ in letter The letter, posted to Instagram Wednesday as a petition people can sign, harshly criticizes Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Clinée Hedspeth.

Yikes! 100 artists have drafted a letter to Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson expressing “deep concern” over alleged failures in his administration’s work for the arts community, ripping Dept. Head Clinée Hedspeth. By @jake-sheridan.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2025/04/10/a...

Charities across Chicago see huge shortage in coat donations as winter sets in: ‘We’re significantly thousands behind’ Nonprofits and community organizations that run winter coat drives say they are facing a serious shortage of donations this year as they try to help homeless and low-income Chicagoans weather the c…

Charities across Chicago are experiencing the same inexplicable decline: A shortage in winter coats. Is it donation fatigue? B/c the city has weathered warm winters recently? A mix of both? “We really can’t put our finger on what it is,” said one advocate. “We’re significantly thousands behind.”

With @adquig.bsky.social & @aliceyin.bsky.social, we take a look at the other problems Chicago must sort out — like a CPS budget & CTA financial cliff — the prospects of sustainable revenue in the future, potential of credit downgrades and more.

New here: Mayor Johnson pinned hopes for fiscal stability on meetings with Gov. Pritzker's team on "progressive revenue."

Such meetings have not been happening, a source close to Pritzker told me. More on Chicago's financial future, for
@chicagotribune:
t.co/aYh893GhWM

Hahaha. Apparently their brains are literally smooth!

Lions huddle on heated rocks. Penguins get a snow melt system & warmed pool. Koalas can't figure out when to go inside with their "smooth surface" brain, so zookeepers watch close.

On how Lincoln Park Zoo animals stay warm in winter, by @chicagotribune.com's Rebecca Johnson:
t.co/tiYg4uHjFH

NEW: Mayor Brandon Johnson's budget passes 27-23, the closest vote in decades.

The vote ends a chaotic, tense struggle over the budget that ultimately included no property tax hike, few cuts and several fee hikes. Details in @chicagotribune (gift link):
t.co/cQ1rmKVAHq

Mayor Brandon Johnson's $17.1 Chicago budget passed in a 27-23 vote.

The 2025 budget largely avoids spending cuts while also not raising property taxes — despite Johnson's initial plan to hike them $300 million — while passing with one of the slimmest margins in decades.

The word “progressive” doesn’t say a whole lot — labels aren’t super useful in the City Council.

But many of the folks who are in the Progressive Caucus and frustrated with Johnson are part of the bloc he generally needs to win to pass anything.

Clear here: Johnson’s relationships with many City Council progressives are just straight up bad right now.

They feel like he doesn’t respect them, doesn’t lead with transparency and isn’t being responsible. It is very hard for him to get much done without them.

Both Chicago City Council Progressive Caucus chairs excoriated Mayor Brandon Johnson his budget process. They said it was disrespectful & will harm the city.

“We are not prepared, and the fault lies squarely with you and your administration,” Ald. Maria Hadden said. Her speech:

This is a lot less money than advocates said they wanted ($1 million).

It’s probably enough to start buying some equipment, but probably not enough to start plowing snow in 2025 — maybe sets up an early 2026 start. Will find out.

NEW: Plow the Sidewalks has been added to the Chicago budget aldermen will soon vote on.

A line item for $500,000 under "accessibility programming" in the amended budget is an earmark for the program to pilot city-run snow plowing, I'm told.

A moment of calm, then two more anti-Trump protesters stand & shout with signs.

Hard to hear what the fourth anti-Trump protester is saying because of their mask. The often disruptive crowd of regular pro-Trump attendees cheers as the other folks get booted. Meeting recessed.

At Chicago City Council, anti-Trump protesters disrupt public comment with signs decrying fascism.

Several public comment speakers had just stated their support for Trump border czar Tom Homan’s plans for mass deportations. The protesters got kicked out pretty quick.

The coalition here involves many of the same groups that backed “Treatment Not Trauma” and the
Good Kids Mad City peace book.

The money they are talking about is often used by the CPD to pay for its annual massive overspending on officer overtime.

Chicago youth organizer: “We don’t need more policing. We need youth programs & investment into tools that are more capable of making communities safer.”

Group wants over $100 million in police vacancies cut and shifted to guaranteed income & youth jobs amid budget crisis.

I can see it! Better than what I usually get too, haha:

Before Ronnie Reese was fired, Mayor Brandon Johnson texted CTU’s Stacy Davis Gates: "Ronnie! Call me. Message from the Elders." CTU says she didn’t respond. City Hall won’t explain text. Mayor says he didn’t learn of misconduct until later www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/03/a...

Read @jake-sheridan.bsky.social and @aliceyin.bsky.social story from a wild day of Human Resources heat on Mayor Brandon Johnson as he tries to pass a budget www.chicagotribune.com/2024/12/03/a...

Mayor Brandon Johnson says he doesn’t tolerate behavior that got his ex-spokesman terminated but offers little else Mayor Brandon Johnson said his administration does not tolerate the behavior that got his spokesman, Ronnie Reese, terminated but offers no other details.

Wednesday night before Thanksgiving and Mayor Brandon Johnson responds to Ronnie Reese scandal the Tribune broke Tuesday morning. By @aliceyin.bsky.social, @jake-sheridan.bsky.social and @royalpratt.bsky.social: www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/27/m...

Mayor Brandon Johnson says he doesn’t tolerate behavior that got his ex-spokesman terminated but offers little else Mayor Brandon Johnson said his administration does not tolerate the behavior that got his spokesman, Ronnie Reese, terminated but offers no other details.

Mayor Brandon Johnson admin is moving to place Ronnie Reese on the do not hire list and remove two women he pushed on the list. This comes many months after 1st Trib report about culture complaints at City Hall @aliceyin.bsky.social @jake-sheridan.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/27/m...

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ex-press director faced sexual harassment, misogyny, racism complaints before firing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s former communications director was accused of sexual harassment, misogyny, racism and other abusive behavior before he was fired.

An "untouchable" top staffer in Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration was fired months after several complaints alleged harassment, misogyny, racism and other abuse.

Gift link to our story on the complaints we obtained, with @byaliceyin & @royalpratt:
www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/26/m...

Sidewalk plowing plan unfunded in Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget: ‘It would mean freedom’ The mayor’s team said budget challenges made funding the pilot impossible this year, frustrating advocates who say there is money to do so.

Coupla two tree good budget stories to catch up on…
From @jake-sheridan.bsky.social on the lack of funding for a $1 million sidewalk plowing pilot that accessibility advocates were counting on: www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/25/m...

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ex-press director faced sexual harassment, misogyny, racism complaints before firing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s former communications director was accused of sexual harassment, misogyny, racism and other abusive behavior before he was fired.

NEWS: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s comms chief faced sexual harassment, misogyny, racism complaints before firing. Chief of staff Christina Pacione-Zayas was criticized for talking about "peace circles" to complaining workers, city gave him “verbal coaching.” www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/26/m...

Important context: Johnson admin knew of sexism, verbal abuse complaints many months earlier. We previously reported on 3 workers fired after complaining about mistreatment in August 2023. Story, with @jake-sheridan.bsky.social
and @aliceyin.bsky.social
www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/26/m...

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ex-press director faced sexual harassment, misogyny, racism complaints before firing Mayor Brandon Johnson’s former communications director was accused of sexual harassment, misogyny, racism and other abusive behavior before he was fired.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s former communications director was accused of sexual harassment, misogyny, racism and other abusive behavior before he was terminated. Story by @aliceyin.bsky.social, @jake-sheridan.bsky.social, @royalpratt.bsky.social:
www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/26/m...