Chicago Teachers Union calls for City Hall rally on February 25 to demand TIF money go to the schools to avoid pension pickup cut, layoffs proposed by Claypool and Rahm's Board of Education...
The Chicago Teachers Union late on February 24 issued a call for a march and rally at Chicago's City Hall against looming cuts in the schools. The rally, scheduled for the afternoon of February 25, 2016, is designed, according to a CTU press release, to demand that TIF funds go to the schools.
CTU PRESS RELEASE:
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NEWS PLANNING ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Stephanie Gadlin
Feb. 24, 2016 312-329-6250
CTU to lead emergency revenue rally Thursday to stop school layoffs; educators to march from City Hall to $30M TIF project
CHICAGO-The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) on Thursday will lead a coalition of parents, students and community organizations in a direct action targeting one of the most egregious TIF projects, River Point Development. Protestors are calling for no layoffs of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) educators and education support staff. Forrest Claypool has threatened cuts to every school in the city and created a crisis where none was imminent. Thursday's action will send a message to Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his handpicked CEO that they must not choose to protect tax increment financing (TIF) money at the expense of Chicago's public schools and students.
"Mayor Emanuel does not have to implement more layoffs and cuts to our classrooms," said CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey. "Both the city and CPS have TIF dollars and other options available to them. River Point is yet another example of what schools are being cut to protect-wealthy developers making a profit at our students' expense. Taxpayers should not have to subsidize wealthy developers."
WHO: Chicago Teachers Union members, Chicago Public Schools parents and students, and community organizations from across the city.
WHAT: Emergency rally to stop school layoffs and a demonstration of an unnecessary TIF project that is siphoning millions of dollars from public schools.
WHEN: Thursday, February 25, 2016... 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago -march to - River Point Development, 444 W. Lake Street
WHY: This demonstration comes days before public school educators are expected to receive another round of layoff notices from CPS.
River Point is yet another city-funded project that is not needed. It has no community benefit. The developer, Larry Levy, is a multimillionaire real estate investor, corporate CEO and owner of high-end restaurants around the world. He has also donated thousands to the campaigns of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and other Rahm Emanuel allies, including Forrest Claypool.
By: Jo-Anne Cairo
Spending money at Levy's.
CTU members and associates should limit their spending at Levy's establishments. CTU should provide a website and or list about this places.