CHICAGO — Alderman Jason Ervin, Chair of the City Council Budget Committee, published an editorial yesterday in the Chicago Tribune to urge Chicago Board of Education members to follow through on the commitment to pay Chicago Public Schools’ portion of the MEABF pension payment.  

 See excerpts from Chair Ervin’s op-ed below:  

“For the past five years, CPS has made their portion of the pension payment. Last year in good faith, Mayor Brandon Johnson reduced the amount that CPS would have to pay from almost $300 million to $175 million to demonstrate our partnership with the school district and to provide some relief to CPS’ budget.” 

“Martinez defends this reversal by saying that CPS has no legal obligation to make this payment. No member of the City Council disputes this. The issue at hand is that members of the council voted to appropriate such a large surplus because we were operating with the understanding that CPS would follow through on the pension payment. By refusing to make the $175 million payment, CPS is jeopardizing more than $300 million in potential surplus next year alone.” 

“Essentially, Martinez may make your taxes go up because he refused to follow through on the commitment he made to the City Council. Furthermore, Martinez is sending a clear message to CPS employees that he is not responsible for fully compensating them with the incomplete budget he proposed. Instead of spending his time generating a comprehensive solution, now he is pointing the finger at the citizens of Chicago and expecting us to pick up the tab.” 

“We need a productive working partnership with our school district to improve our schools, not a political showdown between the City Council and CPS.” 

 Read the piece in full at this link.  

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