Welcome to the Reader‘s morning briefing for Wednesday, March 29, 2017.
- Police union president is “certain” that Trump will help reduce gun violence in Chicago after meeting
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 president Dean Angelo Sr. met with President Donald Trump and other police union leaders at the White House Tuesday, and was pleased with the results. “Those programs that are necessary to reduce crime in Chicago, we feel certain the administration is going to work with us—especially gun violence in the city of Chicago,” Angelo told White House reporters. Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions were also at the meeting with FOP leaders. The union previously endorsed Trump for president. [Sun-Times]
- Jesus “Chuy” Garcia: Rahm’s support for sanctuary cities status is only ‘political calculus’ to get Latino votes
Cook County commissioner and former mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia suggested that Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s support of Chicago’s sanctuary city status, despite pushback from President Donald Trump’s administration, is likely “political calculus.” While serving as President Barack Obama’s White House chief of staff, Emanuel discouraged Obama from pursuing comprehensive immigration reform, according to Garcia. “There’s probably a political calculus that if he is—if he seeks reelection in 2019, he will need Latino votes, and that is quite a challenge as the election season gets reared in terms of 2019,” Garcia told the Observer at the National Conference on Sanctuary Cities in New York. Garcia forced the mayor into a run-off election in 2015 and is considering running again. “I haven’t ruled it out but I haven’t ruled it in, either,” he told the paper. “I am taking a serious look at 2019 and the prospects for bringing more progressive change in the city of Chicago. It’s still a bit far away.” [Observer]
- Inspector general report: City failed to account for $4.6 million set aside for affordable housing funds
Chicago failed to account for about $4.6 million in funds set aside for affordable housing, according to an audit by city inspector general Joseph Ferguson. In other words, the money was spent, according to the city, but there’s no way to prove that the money was spent on affordable housing projects. “A lack of strategy and undelivered resources has negatively impacted the options available to those in need,” Ferguson said. [DNAinfo Chicago]
- Rauner predicts that Rahm won’t be mayor in 2023
Governor Bruce Rauner doesn’t think Mayor Rahm Emanuel will have a fourth term as mayor based on how he’s planning to pay for pension contributions—with proposed tax increases on water and sewer services. “Who’s not going to be mayor in 2023?” Rauner said at an event. “The current mayor is not going to be mayor in 2023. . . . All this is a system to dump the problem into the next elected official, no change, no protection of taxpayers, no fundamental reform.” [Tribune]
- Club-restaurant Tao hopes to open in River North in early 2018
Club and restaurant chain Tao is planning to open its long-awaited first Chicago location in early 2018. The chain already announced that the “clubstaurant” will be located in the former Castle and Excalibur space at 632 N. Dearborn in River North. Tao is the highest-grossing independent restaurant in New York and has 20 locations around the world. [Eater Chicago]