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Dear neighbors,
I'm writing you a relatively long newsletter opening because the 2026 budget and 2026 ward infrastructure plan are worth spending time on.
On the 2026 budget, I appreciate the many 1st Ward residents who have already reached out, for and against both its narrative and its facts. I differentiate the two because there's a gulf between them that's worth examining. The narrative is a budget built on progressive revenue that protects against authoritarian Trump budget cuts. That's a budget I could believe in. The reality deserves more scrutiny.
This budget, with some exceptions, would include a twelve month hiring freeze. You read that right: We are being asked to pass a budget that would preclude the hiring of the majority of the positions in it. That should give one pause. It would reduce our advance pension payments for the first time in years, a move we were told last year would result in a credit downgrade for the city. That should also concern us. We have also been told that retroactive union contract payments (such as for our firefighters) and police misconduct settlements would be paid for by issuing bonds. I've said in the past that we issue bonds not for operating costs but for items with long lasting value like fixed infrastructure because that's what good government looks like. A precedent of funding operating costs with bonds is a bad one to set, no matter what else is in the budget. We'll have more spaces for you to weigh in as we continue to dissect and develop this budget, but for now I hope you'll fill out this budget survey so we can get a clearer sense of your priorities.
Speaking of fixed infrastructure, now is about the time when you'd see us solicit ideas for participatory budgeting. So what's happening for 2026? We're taking it as a catch-up year on items we've heard strong support for but have had a hard time implementing. For example, the top ballot items for 2025 PB were an all-way pedestrian scramble at North, Milwaukee, and Damen, as well as improved pedestrian infrastructure at Cortland and Western. However, CDOT has been slow to develop these concepts with us. They will instead be funded and implemented in 2026. We will also be focusing on improving infrastructure in the school safety zones adjacent to St. John Berchmans and Brentano Elementary following overwhelming outreach from those communities and specific needs identified at those areas.
I'm particularly proud to say after years of advocacy from 1st Ward residents and decades after they disappeared from Chicago, we are partnering with JCDecaux on the first automated public bathroom in the city! There will be some installation costs borne by the ward, but the actual unit is free. We can't wait to bring this amenity to the ward!
Finally, what rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches toward Wicker Park? Why it's the Halloween edition of Meet Me on Milwaukee! See you on Sunday!
Sincerely,
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