>> Hello and thanks for joining us on Chicago tonight.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Brandis Friedman has the evening off.

Here's what we're looking at.

Cook County residents are getting another shot at filing property tax appeals.

One of the Board of Review Commissioners is here to explain why.

>> And please let place like Grey's Lake.

>> A new bill could offer a new beginnings people with criminal records.

And the Chicago Park District unveils its budget for next year.

More on the new projects planned for the city's parks.

>> First off tonight, new legislation sparked by a Dalton woman forced to give birth in a truck after being sent home by a northwest Indiana hospital.

>> Mercedes Wells and her husband Leon join Congresswoman Robin Kelly today.

As Kelly announced she'll be introducing a bill calling on hospitals to create safe discharge.

Labor plans.

And those would include the hospital's justification for the discharge, making sure the patient understands the reasoning and would also include racial bias training.

Well says she's still dealing with the trauma of the experience and had to return to the hospital when she experienced pain she hadn't had after previous births.

She said the pain is emotional as well.

>> I push through it good just as much as possible.

Just so I By for change, you know, make things different.

Make sure no other one.

know the black and brown women have to deal with facts.

this game.

>> O hare braces for a record-breaking number of travelers.

The Chicago Department of Aviation says projections show nearly 2 million travelers are set to pass through O'Hare and Midway airports between today and Monday.

O'hare is expected to see more than 1.6 million people, nearly 10% increase over last year, which would mark the busiest Thanksgiving period.

The airport's ever seen Sunday looks to be the heaviest day for holiday travel at both Midway and O'Hare.

Officials say passengers should.

Yep.

You guessed it, give themselves plenty of extra time.

If you can't catch a ride on Santa's sleigh about his bus instead.

Earlier today, the CTA unveiled its annual holiday bus with a redesigned exterior, a fully decked out and fest is interior.

Plus, the big guy himself, of course, a match and hopping aboard that bus for your morning commute.

The bus began its runs today and will be area around town until December.

20th find out when you can catch the CTA is holiday bus and trains plus much more at W T Tw Dot com slash holiday events.

Up next, the Cook County Board of Review is reopening its property tax appeal window.

What you should know after this.

>> Chicago tonight is made possible in part why the Alexander and John Nichols family.

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> After a 4 month delay, many Cook County property owners got a shock when their property tax bills arrived.

The median home owners bill went up by a record-setting 16.7% to help cope with what they call unprecedented circumstances.

The Cook County Board of Review is announcing everyone who lives in a Cook County Township that's already closed its property tax appeal window.

We'll have another shot to file.

Joining us with more on that is Samantha Steele Board of Review Commissioner for District 2.

We should note we also invited the other 2 Board of review Commissioners Commissioners, George Cardenas and Larry Rogers Jr.

But they declined.

Samantha Steele, thank you for joining us.

We appreciate it.

Hi, Nick, thank you for having So we had a assessor.

Fritz, Katie on the program last week discussing why bills had gone up for some homeowners.

He hinted at bit disagreement between your 2 offices.

Here's some of what had to say.

>> When we finished our reassessment of Chicago, homeowners would have had actually 2 percentage points.

Let's of the burden.

Then they started with because we saw a residential values going up.

But we saw a commercial values being higher than where they had been in the last reassessment.

These values were cut at the Board of Review by nearly 20% for commercial properties were is only for one percent for residential properties.

And that shifted about half a billion dollars of the burden.

According to the treasure on the homeowners.

>> So commissioner, still, what's your reaction to those comments Adam Assessor Keiki has talked a lot about the Board of review.

And I think it's important for everyone to understand the border abuse role in the property tax cycle.

And we are the due process for taxpayers.

So if you feel that the assessor has on justly.

Raised your assessment, you come before the Board of Review after the Board of Review.

If you're not pleased with our values, are you know your appeal results, you can go on to the Pete had is called a property tax appeal board.

It's the state level or the circuit court.

And so those 2 different branches that you can maintain.

You know, your appeal at.

And so the Board of review is just one level.

We're your local level for appeal.

And and yes, do.

We settle appeals.

That's the role that we play.

And so, you know, while he makes a statement, it's misleading.

You know, we had.

Roughly around 50%.

56% Ed Appeals at the Board of Review settled and in taxpayer doesn't submit an appeal.

There is nothing we can at the border, if you can do.

And so you're just getting those settlements from people or businesses that are appealing at our office.

>> You know, Katie also argued some of these rising residential assessments and south and West side neighborhoods reflect wealth creation.

But of course, some homeowners say higher bills are pushing them Pretty balanced, so.

>> You know, I go.

I go back a few years and I think about pilsen and remember, they were they were just overly assessed at and and the assessor talks a lot about, you know, his new models he doesn't meet national industry.

Standard levels.

and so, you know, there are levels across the country that say if your assessment is axed, but the sale prices, why you have to add a factor in there to balance that out.

And that's to bring it to market value.

Garrett, the city try which happened last year, which is the tax bill that a lot of people are seeing right now and he didn't meet those industry standards to the Cook County has not had a physical inspection of properties since 1997.

And so you're looking at close to 30 years as property is not having a physical inspection, waxed a physical inspection.

I mean, the assessor's office isn't going out and looking at the overall appearance of your house so in Polson where had foreign companies coming in and purchasing properties and or individuals coming in purchasing remodeling them.

You have the longstanding residents that haven't done that and the U.S.

U.S.

to really needs to and I say be delineated neighborhoods.

And so he needs to make sure that the assessments are reflective of what is actually going on.

Not just these models.

And that is something that I have advocating for a couple of years now is that we need a physical inspection of the properties.

We need to read delineate the neighborhoods and told that is you're just going to keep seeing people appealed.

We have a 3rd of the county appeal every year.

In other jurisdictions, you see like a 5%, Hillary.

And so that's substantial.

>> You know, you back to study earlier this year, looking at communities where assessments were higher than sale prices.

What if you found?

>> Well, we did.

We found that the assessor was over valuing properties to We did the it is the city try.

And so I I reviewed and my staff had me staff look at and the assessor's values and compared them.

And so seeing like.

If a property sells, the assessor needs to go out and see why did that property?

what did it look like at the sail date?

they're not doing that.

And so properties are selling and then some of coming in and they're fixing them or they have already fix them up to that's where the disconnect is.

We're seeing.

And and so the border of you we we saw a 5% decrease in appeals at our office.

And you were with exploring the option of reopening and what that looks like for taxpayers.

The taxpayers need to understand that that is this next tax bill for that tax that they would get next year, not the current tax bill.

And so there is nothing the border you can do to help them.

Now, I would strongly encourage taxpayers to look at their assessed value.

Look at their property record card and make sure that it's accurate.

Make sure that with the assessor has is reflective of what they actually have in their property.

Make sure they're getting their homeowners exemptions.

There are senior freeze their, you know, their veterans What any occasion that they qualify for, making sure they're not leaving anything on the table You know, there's so-called circuit breaker bill that's been introduced in the General Assembly, which would offer credits to homeowners.

>> Who've seen their property taxes go up by 25% or more year-over-year mirroring laws and quite a few other states.

Is that a measure that you would support >> Yes, ultimately we're creating more band-aids for a sinking ship.

If the assessor doesn't go out and physically inspect properties were going to have to find little remedies to the underlying cause.

And the underlying cause is making sure that the data he has is accurate and it just plainly simple isn't.

And you see that with a 3rd of the Cafferty is appealing every year.

And you know that assessor has made comments that the Board of review is tied to property tax appeal.

Attorneys.

I take offense to that.

I personally do not accept campaign contributions from property tax attorneys.

And so for him to mislead taxpayers, to think that the Board of review is in the pocket of special interests.

Is it a disservice to the taxpayers it's offensive.

And it really should stop.

>> should Cook County consider caps that some other municipalities having a sort of limiting how much a homeowner's bill can go up year over year.

I would say gas.

I would also and this is something that my policy team has been working on the assessed value, how much that should go every year after year.

Right?

So the assessed value can increase substantially.

And we saw that in Rogers Park this last cycle for the Chicago trial.

We 300% increase.

You know, property owners can't afford that with your grocery bills going up, gas going out.

Every expenses going out than your property.

Tax bills, increasing 300%.

It's people are being taxed out of their profit.

homes and it it's a disservice to our taxpayers.

We've got just about 20 seconds left, but I want to ask, do we know yet when property owners?

>> We'll be able to file and these reopened.

When do we do not to my office?

My colleagues and I are working out a schedule and what that looks like for future tax bills.

I'm so we don't want to delay anything, but we also want to provide that opportunity.

It would just be for individuals that had not appealed already.

at our >> All right.

Well, I'm sure a lot of folks will be awaiting that eagerly and we'll be sure to let them know.

Commissioner Samantha Steele, thank you very much.

Thank you so much, Nick.

Up next, how people who have been impacted by the criminal justice system are hoping for a clean slate.

2 years ago we brought you the series permanent punishments where we explore the challenges people face after they've served a sentence in prison.

One of them was record sealing a way of making those convictions only available to certain institutions like law enforcement.

Now activists hope they've created a path to making that process much easier for those who need it.

Brandis Friedman has the story.

Nobody's asking, what was your experience when you go through programs?

Activist Marlin Chamberlain has been driving this issue for a long time.

If you filled out a slip.

>> Made a phone call sent the email like this is a win for us.

Might.

We went to the Capitol for a year.

>> Waiting Flake and He and thousands of others like him have finally notched a win.

>> Feels good feels good.

But the way I'm wired my brain is instantly thinking about implementation.

But but this was a huge milestone.

>> He's referring to the Clean Slate Act passed during the fall veto session in Springfield.

The legislation is designed to automate the ceiling of certain criminal offenses.

Currently more than 2 million people in Illinois are eligible to have their records sealed, but haven't acted on what is currently a cumbersome, lengthy process.

>> You can talk to one person who would say, hey, because I was well connected, support it in sort of like the nonprofit space had access to attorneys.

And so for me, it took 6 months.

But then there are some we've spoken to what's been a three-year waiting period.

Waves, court dates that were rescheduled, cancel or you didn't have access to an attorney.

That's not true.

Justice.

>> Justices waits for its and equitable open for everyone.

>> State senator LG Sims was one of the bill's chief sponsors ceiling allows for law enforcement.

>> Well, for certain governmental still have access to the information that would make public any less safe.

But it would make that information not available to approach to private entities so that individuals would have access to housing access to to employment, access to education.

>> A 37 year-old Julian Sims was released from prison 3 years ago after serving time on drug related charges.

What I was a cross word.

I am a culinary I I actually had my electricity because certification.

>> And that's it.

>> Did you get a job here?

You guys what they told me one allowed to go houses because I was a crime.

I have a beggar.

>> As with the current ceiling laws, the legislation only applies to misdemeanors ordinance violations in class, one through 4 felony convictions unless they involve violence.

So no murder convictions, DUIs or class X felonies, like armed robbery or assault.

The new legislation also removes the drug testing requirement to SEAL felony drug convictions, Chamberlain, a longtime advocate and someone who served time for federal drug charges himself says passing the Clean Slate Act is just the beginning.

hundreds of state and local laws prevent system impacted people from moving on.

There's restrictions around.

>> Volunteering a children's schools, certain professional license and that folks can have with the arrest and conviction records.

So there's a A-list over 1000 statues that we have catalog this still exist in our goal is to build a permanent institution so that we can continue long after Martin decides to retire.

We want this fight continue until we are.

We have eliminated all of those statutes.

For now.

Julian Sam's says a clean slate is at least a I want to start really like a class act So that could put him on a to grow my neighborhood.

>> Because I feel they got a times they got better ways to for Chicago.

Tonight I'm Brandis Accountability said Clean Slate Act passed the Illinois Senate.

39 to 17.

>> Republican State Senator Steve McClure was one of the nay votes in a statement he says in part, quote, This legislation eliminates provisions in current law that make sure people are rehabilitated before their criminal records are sealed and hidden from public view.

We can't have a system where criminals are repeatedly allowed to automatically wipe their records clean and restart a life of crime all over again without repercussions.

That said, advocates expect the Governor Pritzker will sign the legislation.

It would go into effect next summer when state police would start developing the process overseen by a task force for the first phase of records will be automatically sealed on January.

First 2029.

We're back with more right after this.

>> Reflecting the people and perspectives that make a buck This story is part of Chicago tonight.

Black Voice.

>> A long-awaited fieldhouse plans to make toxic lakefront land into a public park.

And new efforts to address homelessness.

Those are among the items in the Chicago Park district's new budget which is set for a final vote next month.

Joining us to discuss it is Chicago Park District Superintendent Carlos Ramirez.

Rosa, thanks for joining us.

Welcome back to the show.

So this is a 637 million dollar budget and it closes a 30 million dollar deficit.

The largest since the pandemic.

How did you manage to close that when we entered this budget season, we face a 30 million dollar budget deficit that was driven by rising personnel and maintenance costs, but also by decreasing state So the personal property replacement tax, which is one of the past $2 we get from the state.

>> So that pose a real challenge for the park district.

But I'm very proud to say that we were able to close that gap without layoffs without compromising service to our patrons and without having to cut the court functions of what the park district does.

So we identify deficiencies.

We made reasonable and modest revenue adjustments and we responsibly use our tip surplus dollars.

46 million dollar surplus for next year in order to balance our budget and to keep our programming accessible, affordable and of course, to keep the parks, there is a stable resource for families.

This plan budgets for a new staff member that would be aimed exclusively at.

>> Addressing homelessness in the parks, which has been, you know, very contested issue in recent years.

What do you envision their job will entail?

That's a really great So unfortunate.

We have seen an increase in homelessness across the nation and Chicago is no exception.

And we expect that with some of the cuts happening at the federal level that we're going to see that increase year to year in the coming years.

And so what we really want to make sure that we're doing is that the park district is a key and lead agency and affection waiting the city's 5 year plan to address homelessness.

So the city's chief homeless officer said the Soto she's been working with the Department family support services.

She's been working with the state.

She's been working with local advocates to develop this plan.

It's near the final stages of development and will be announced early next year.

And this staffer will work to ensure that we have coordination with the Department family support services.

That coordination is already occurring.

I'm part of that coordination.

Our deputy chief of operations as part of coordination, numerous staff members in the park district are part of coordinating those efforts.

But this staffer will really take it to the next level and make sure that we're helping to connect Chicagoans experiencing homelessness with housing.

But also that we're making sure that our parks are safe and accessible for everyone.

Yeah, I mean, to that point, you know, encampments and parks have drawn criticism from from some neighbors from some officials, including after >> fires along the North Shore Channel.

You know, a lot of advocates and folks who are living in the park say they don't necessarily feel like they have somewhere safe to go.

How do try to balance those concerns?

We have decades of research that show that housing is the solution to homelessness.

And we also want to make sure that our parks remain accessible.

And so we have been working through a working group model.

So we've been op pulling our staff internally.

We've been also meeting with stakeholders externally and we've been looking at best practices nationally to really figure out what's the best direction for us to go.

We know that if encampment is impinging on park programming, if it's near a playground, if it's near homes, those are instances where we need to take action.

But we want to ensure that we're also reducing recidivism.

So, you know, before closing encampment, we want to make every best effort that we can to connect those individuals with housing and shelter.

So they just don't end up in another park.

This budget includes a 25 million dollars for a new Ogden Park Field.

House long-awaited project there in Englewood.

Some of the funding actually came from a personal aide from state Sen really Preston grew up playing there.

>> Or their future opportunities for more collaboration with Springfield to help from these sorts of projects.

Absolutely.

So we are so grateful to our partners in Springfield, from the governor on down for their support for infrastructure improvements.

>> You know, when you look at these infrastructure improvements and these new capital projects that we're bringing online at the Park district, it really needs a lasagna, a fund to different leaders, a funding.

So we have, you know, obviously tip dollars coming from the city.

We're so grateful to the mayor and Alderman David Moore for championing of this project.

We also have capital dollars coming from the Park district budget and then of course, dollars coming from a state of Illinois elected as well.

So to that capital funding stack, we were able to accomplish moving towards the next stage for this project, which is the design phase for Ogden Park in Inglewood.

It's a historic fieldhouse.

But in the 70's, they really just messed it up.

So that community deserves a beautiful brand new field house.

And that's exactly the design process that when to kick off next year.

Now that we have the funding necessary to actually get the project done, lasagna funding.

I'm going feel there's also half a million dollars earmarked to turn the Calumet Park Disposal area which has long used by the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers.

It's going to become a lakefront park.

The court dropped plans to expand that site after legal challenges, which imagine, you know, a lot of folks in that community are excited about how much work is ahead to clean that site up let the park district we are committed to environmental justice and environmental sustainability and you can find dispose of 43 acre site where Kelly but Harbor Lakes meets Lake Michigan and it's been used and created through the dumping of dredge material.

So we need the Army Corps to continue to dredge.

We need them to go in there and to be able to keep the Calumet clear so that the port of Chicago can operate.

But a promise was made decades ago when that site was first created, that once that site was it would be transitioned into a park unfortunate under the prior mayoral administration.

That was an attempt to expand the life of that facility for decades.

More.

But I'm very happy that advocates working with Mayor Brandon Johnson working with the Park district.

We have been able to come together to say no, that expansion will not take place.

Instead, we're going to do what was promised to the community decades ago and we're going to transition that facility into a park.

So that planning process going to start next year with money from the Chicago goes Together Fund, which is a new fund.

We're launching for equitable infrastructure improvements on the south and west sides using part of our 46 moved It's a plus with funding from that TIF surplus.

And the Chicago got a fun.

We're going to set the planning process for New Park Kelli Harper next A lot of folks are looking forward to it.

You know, some of Chicago's pools had abbreviated seasons this year due to lifeguard shortages.

What's the park district looking to do to try and prevent that from happening Well, we should be very proud of Chicagoans at the Park District operates the largest lifeguard program in the nation per capita.

Only New York City has more lifeguards and but they have many, many more millions of residents.

We staffed 23 beaches over 26 miles.

And those beaches are open from Memorial Day until Labor Day.

That's our first priority.

And then, of course, we staff 70 plus.

Pulls in our neighborhoods.

And I'm really proud that we have been working to expand a lifeguard explores program.

So budget for next year continues.

That expansion in the late part sports program is a program for young people in our neighborhoods that need to learn how to swim, want to learn how to swim, but also can then become lifeguards.

So we help prepare them to take the lifeguard test.

That program has had success year after year.

It's helping us diversify our life guard force that's helping us provide opportunities for young people to have a great summer job.

So I'm really proud that this summer was the first summer since the pandemic that we opened up all of our poll, 7 days a week and committed to continuing that success.

Summer feels like a long way off, but it'll be being all right.

rested Chicago Park District.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

And that's our show for this Tuesday night.

Stay connected with our reporters and what they're working on by following us on Instagram at W T Tw Chicago.

>> Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10 local food pantry step up as Thanksgiving approaches and new requirements are coming for SNAP recipients.

Now for all of us here in Chicago tonight.

I'm Nick Blumberg.

Thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good night.

>> Closed captioning is made