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

I'm Brandis Friedman.

Here's what we're looking at.

From the Bears to the budget.

What state lawmakers are hoping to accomplish before session ends next month.

And the ongoing fight for reparations detailed in a new book about the 1921 Tulsa race massacre >> first off tonight, a woman shot by a federal agent during last fall's immigration raids detailed her experience in the final public hearing of the Illinois Accountability Commission.

So this daytime Brady processing what happened?

>> I've been able to fully cry.

Yes, able.

I haven't really been able to prop up prices.

there be my family got affected by a my mom?

Also, I saw >> those just hard times.

grams of fat.

>> 31 year-old man, Ahmed of Martinez explained to commission members how she had been following immigration agents in the Brighton Park neighborhood and alerting neighbors to their presence before Border Patrol Agent Charles swerved into her vehicle, then got out and opened She was struck 5 times today.

The commission also heard shared or they share testimony from an anonymous witness who corroborated Martinez's account commission members determined had no justification for the shooting.

The commission, which has spent the last several months collecting evidence and witness testimony is set to issue its final report.

Thursday top 10 construction season might be a bit easier for drivers with the help of Cook County's new interactive map.

The mobile friendly map shows where drivers can find 53 construction projects 13 of them brand-new and 40 continuing from previous seasons.

The map will detail expected.

Start dates, overview and benefits of the work including roadway, construction and resurfacing bridge replacements, rehabilitation and drainage improvements.

Residents can enter their address to learn about construction projects in the area.

The county's Department of Transportation and Highways.

Settle says it will update the map with additional projects as they begin.

Up next, we hear from some local lawmakers about what they hope to accomplish before Spring session comes to an end.

They join us right after this.

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

The Pope Brothers Foundation.

And the support of these donors.

>> State lawmakers have a lot on their plate this month with the spring legislative session coming to a close at the end of May.

The clock is ticking to approve a budget deadlines are approaching to get constitutional amendment referenda on the November ballot and affordability is front of mind for many as bills on mega projects.

Zoning reform make their way through the capital.

Joining us now, our state representative and speaker pro Tempore can Buckner a Democrat whose district covers parts of Chicago's South side, including Bronzeville High Park in the South Loop.

And state representative and House Minority Leader Todd Tony Macomb be a Republican whose district covers the far northwest corner of Illinois, including Byron and Galena Representatives.

Welcome back.

Thanks for joining us.

So in February, Governor JB Pritzker proposed a 56 billion dollar budget for the state in fiscal year.

2027 beginning July.

1st, some have called this a maintenance budget because of its minimal increases.

So compared to 2026, the governor proposed a 1.6% increase over all and a half percent increase outside of the required areas.

Representative Macomb, be over to you first.

How does this level of spending serve Illinoisans?

>> Well, it doesn't.

And it's to be a maintenance budget.

It would be a flat budget.

And this had 728 million dollars proposed increases.

So to me it would have to be a flat and you can't keep doing this every year as you're the governor and not and not expect increased spending.

Representative Buck nurse in question.

>> Yeah, for many of my colleagues said that this is a ballooning budget for the truth.

Is a blow close when has no anchor, this budget and the budget that we passed will be maker, but it is what it anchored in schools, a Cardinal health pensions, public safety, human services and the cost of keeping the promises they teammate people.

So this is a part of what we have to do to invest in our state and some people were going fine tune this and make sure that the final product is what the people deserve.

>> Representative buck to revenue estimates through March showed that the state has brought in 1.5 billion dollars more than this time last year.

Does that change your approach to budgeting at all?

>> It doesn't got to be smart.

Going to be prudent.

We can't make reactions based on some of the numbers that we get back.

We have to make sure that we maintain that are true for us.

And for House Democrats.

That means that our approach has to be to protect working families, to meet our obligations, to invest in growth and to be honest about the tradeoffs are.

And so that's good news and we welcome it.

But we can't let this send down.

The path unsustainable.

>> Representative Ako B, what are these revenue estimates tell you about the budget?

>> Well, we see those fluctuate often.

So it's not surprising that you see it, but also in the next one, you might see it the last.

And I'm glad to hear that Democrats are anchoring the budget on, you know, the most vulnerable and what's important.

However, there always is and continue to be pork projects that are strictly typically and Democrat districts.

And I don't think we can afford any let along.

Justin Democrat districts.

>> So again, Governor Pritzker, he has suggested social media companies that they might be able to provide more revenue.

Let's listen to that.

I propose.

>> A social media platform fee that will generate 200 million dollars per year to support K 12 education, parents and kids deserve to have better funded schools.

social media giants are going to feed off of Illinois families, they ought to support Illinois families.

>> Representative Macomb be do you think these social media platforms in the right place to look for generating revenue?

>> I'm not sure.

I don't know how they're going to get this maneuver.

And I think this was an idea that originally came from the mayor of Chicago and yet to put forth.

I do agree with the governor that certainly there are social media matters preying on children and actually quite honestly preying on Democrats and Republicans.

So.

>> I mean it can be a very dangerous thing.

And I look forward to, you know, seeing some of that legislation about how we tax them.

>> I'm not sure that's even have a possible way to do that.

Representative Buckner.

>> and the other things that we're going to look at this year for revenue have to be smart to have to be intentional.

You have to be targeted.

They have to be balance.

May have to not be built on the backs of the people we represent.

And so I'm open for any conversation that approaches things that way that ties the weights more ways to take burden south of the people we represent.

And I think that these are healthy conversations for staff.

>> Then there is the so-called millionaires tax, a proposed constitutional amendment to tax income over a million dollars has not been brought up in the House for a Might not make it onto the ballot in November as well.

Represented Buckner.

Would you make of that?

>> It's a very clear about this.

I think we have to find a way to make sure that all folks in the state are paying their fair share.

We're not doing it progressed but have also been very clear about is when begin to push for constitutional amendments around, fair share things like that.

We've got to be able to tell the story on what we're going to have the money and why we can be trusted with it and why it has to make sense.

Right?

And so I think the opportunity to put this on the ballot was something that I was excited about to hear from.

The people of Illinois were doing this the right way.

I don't know where this is going to but we're approaching this once again.

We're prudence deliverance which is that the right way to do it?

>> Representative B, do you think this issue is going make it onto the ballot November?

>> No, I Don, I think it would have to hit the house last week.

We have I believe it's a 3rd deadline.

So it's not going to hit the House and the Senate.

So for sure, this is one that I think we'll have to wait.

Thankfully, but we still have the constitutional amendment for the redistricting that is very concerning and should be very concerning for the state.

Okay.

So let's get into that because there is a separate ref ref or it could ask voters about amending the article of the state Constitution having to do with redistricting.

>> Representative Buckner, what would that amendment change?

>> So it puts some things in our constitution about the way that these districts are drawn.

He respects what the voting rights axis today about condition contiguous districts and making sure that we are respected for really long fight in this country around voting.

It's all right.

So communities simply committee's Republican pick representatives who represent them.

This is a big deal because we are preemptively looking at what may happen.

Supreme Court decides on what's going on with the Voting Rights Act and again, this is our opportunity 2 in trying to our constitution, some guardrails to to do this the right way and not the piece meant.

I know that there are questions about it.

There some concerns, but this is the way that this should be working.

You put up front, let the people decide you come back.

You figure before.

>> Representative Macomb be what concerns you have about this potential amendment.

>> Well, the wait is right now is not being followed.

And in my opinion, you're supposed to be doing it based on population at compact and contiguous.

And we have roughly 52 districts in the state of Illinois right now, House districts that are not meeting that that the Supreme Court has already weighed in on in the early 80's.

What should be on the constitutional amendment question should be do you want a fair and independent map, the party in control, whether it's a Democrat or Republican should not be determining our lines.

That's how you get on a fair map and to add racing to it above.

You know, now you go and 5 tiers take the train and 2 more and to bring race into it.

I think it is asking for some trouble and also think you're going to some constitutional questions on it.

>> So at the House passed a mega projects bill last week that would allow developments like a potential Bears stadium to negotiate tax rates while contributing to a property tax relief fund representative become.

We do expect this bill will provide meaningful property tax relief.

Yeah, I think it certainly can.

>> And you know that the Bears obviously spurred this mega projects on it.

I know it can just can't wait to talk about it.

He's been working pretty it.

You know, there's some clarifying language that certainly needs to be put in place in the Senate.

And I hope that that gets done whether or not it's this week or when we go back next week is a is a better question.

But, you know, we have to remember, especially as Republicans, this is about local control of the locals.

Don't want economic development and people to come into their communities and do this.

They don't have to.

I think that's one of the things that is really being messed.

Our midst communicated out and the and the state.

But we have a real opportunity to grow our state.

And I think this could be a pass to do it.

Representative Bachmann, the Bears have already indicated they want to see changes with this bill.

What would a path forward look like?

>> Well, as I think we've already our way on this path put together a bill that has the things that that they've talked about.

Another.

This is around the state have talked about wanting But we were told was that the Bears want property tax certainty.

We also have been told our constituents that they want some property tax relief and we dare to believe that we can do both of those.

At the same time, we can do it in a bipartisan And so we did that last week.

And we're really part of that work.

I agree with Leader McConnell.

There are some things that Senate could add to the conversation.

going to give them their space to do their work and welcome section of do that.

I think we're moving in the right direction.

Think it was a strong indication that the took this by the horns and have, you know, ever really begin to put us in position where we stop this conversation and move towards some actual shovels in the ground.

>> Representative Buckner, you and the governor, you've supported statewide housing reform for building housing.

What is your goal for zoning reform?

>> We're here is got a boost back is called the Biltmore Program, which is about cutting the red tape, speeding up housing state of for would be able afford ability and access and getting people into homes and homeownership.

We can't go back to the old way of keeping people from getting because of arbitrary lot size issues or concerns on issues only a lot.

Scientists don't matter.

There's a way to do this in a way they keep Illinois moving, keeps invested in growth and development and pushing in the right direction.

So what we were trying to do with this package is create a system, a statewide system here we do over housing prices and that it becomes easy.

faster, safer and cheaper to build here in Illinois.

>> Representative, come to what do you think can address rising housing costs?

>> Well, I'm a little bit of a pickle on this particular topic because, you know, the realtors are supportive of this and I'm a realtor.

However, on the opposite end of this because I want to put my mayor had on local control and and this goes completely opposite that they say this isn't a mandate on locals to have these accessory units, but it absolutely is because it does not prohibit it so we can't have a one size fits all and we can't continue You know, the mega project gives local control.

And now here we're taking it away again.

Whether it's for solar projects at in counties and municipalities or now.

Here we are trending again on home rule and local authority.

And I think we're really going the wrong direction.

You want to help with housing affordability, ability issues that we have in the state, lower property taxes and that is on the state.

The state continues to pass mandate after mandate giving our locals no choice but to raise taxes.

Okay.

A lot for all of you and your colleagues to to work on in these next few weeks.

Thanks you both for fitting U.S.

and representative.

>> Can Buckner Representative Tony become best of Luck.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Up next, efforts to bring justice to the living survivors of the 1921.

Tulsa race massacre.

Next month marks 105 years since the 1921.

Tulsa race massacre over the course of 2 days.

A mob of white men terrorized in burned down a thriving African-American community known at the time as Black Wall Street.

As many as 300 people were killed.

No one was ever prosecuted.

And last year, the Oklahoma Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit that sought reparations for survivors.

The story of those survivors and their descendants, the legal challenge and the ongoing fight for reparations is outlined in an upcoming book.

Redeem a nation.

The century-long battle to restore the soul of America written by the lead attorney on the case and he joins us now to Mario Solomon, Simmons, author and civil rights lawyer.

And we're also joined by John W Rogers Junior, a descendant of a Tulsa massacre survivor and founder of Ariel Investments.

The US's largest minority run mutual fund firm.

Gentlemen, thanks for joining us.

Congrats on the boat to the so much.

So back in 2020, that was the we remember the year of the so-called racial reckoning on.

That's when you and your legal team filed the suit.

What was the catalyst for this at the time when a callous and then one?

Because I'm from Greenwood.

I'm the son of Greenwood.

And I remember the stories of how wonderful.

>> The community was.

All the businesses on professionals and then learn how my commute was burned down and bought from the sky.

And this is something I didn't know growing up and 2, I went to college.

And from that time in 1997, I was really passing it up, educating others, an advocate for justice reparations.

And at that time we had 3 living survivors that were left all of 100 years old.

And we really thought this was a great opportunity with the so-called racial reckoning and everything that was going on that we wanted to try one more time to get justice reparations for them look at the story that like a lot of us don't know about 2 were almost adults, John, your great grandfather, JB Stratford owns several businesses, large hotel in Tulsa's Greenwood neighborhood that was destroyed during the massacre.

How did you come to learn about this part of your family's history?

I learned about it through my mom.

She was a passionate defender of her grandfather who she often said that because he was treated so badly in Tulsa and she saw her father, a lawyer, uses legal skills to stop tolls from Tulsa.

Extraditing my great-grandfather back to Tulsa after the massacre inspire her to be a lawyer and per to become the first black woman to graduate from University Chicago Law School in 1946.

So she was really proud of grandfather and her father and and their inspiring leadership.

Demario in 2024, as we mentioned, the Oklahoma Supreme Court, they dismiss the case that you brought that you are continuing to fight rep for reparations.

Of course.

What's the latest?

Where are You know, when, you know, we on sport only we would dismiss Pokemon Supreme Court, but we did get United States Department of Justice for the first time in 2025.

To issue a report about the massacre.

We've continue to move forward to make sure people understand what actually happened because right now it's called a massacre.

I'm so excited that we've been able to do that.

We have thing called Project Green.

When we talk about in the book, pushing of the efforts to make sure there's justice reparations.

The land reclamation for people like mother round 2, one living survivors.

It's 111 years old and she's still fighting for justice.

And that's one of the reasons why I wrote this book and why have people go to redeem a nation dot com and by this book read this book but also join our Greenwood 11,000 campaign about 11,000.

People agree with time of the massacre and we're looking for 11,000 people to join our campaign to make sure the mother can get that just as before she or 111 years old, despite it all, despite it all a blessing.

how do you respond to those who say, you know, it's too late to ask for justice.

The people who perpetrated that massacre all that now.

Yeah.

What I always say.

First of all, you have asked the question is debt owed and as of the debt owed and that's where you start first.

And then you say when people say, oh, this is too late is too radical.

I would say reparations is not radical, refusing pay what you know now that's radical.

You think about JB Strafford.

The most wealthiest man in Green one at the time.

John has done fantastic for his self with his business.

But imagine where his family would Jb Strafford here on the largest after American hotel at the time to strap a hotel, a match and that was not burned down, hit around for his life CF strafford to come in actually save his life.

And magic were dressed black America could be if this didn't happen.

But that's why this book is about not just about what happened in the past, but a blueprint moving forward to create green with all over the nation.

I'm John, the destruction of black Wall Street.

Of course, you know, not the only instance of black or institutions being torn down.

>> What is the long-lasting impact of that kind of destruction and the generational wealth it gets stolen.

When that happens?

>> Well, it's an enormous amount of wealth that stolen.

Arguably my great grandfather's.

Well for now with over 100 million dollars and to think what we could do with that in our family and the amount of philanthropy and political empowerment come to our community.

If we are able to to benefit that.

and the thing that really makes me also very unhappy is the anchor institutions even today places like Tulsa hospitals, universities, the museums are not working with black businesses.

They're not giving us economic opportunities.

You would think that that spirit would be because you're not going to give us reparations directly, at least do business with black businesses.

You're local communities.

>> Similar to the you know, to the question about people might say it's too late, John.

Some folks might look at your success and say you don't need reparations.

What would you say to that?

I think that I don't I can't argue that I need reparations.

>> But I think we deserve a chance to build a bill businesses of scale.

You know, our mutual fund company, Errol Investments is so much smaller than the big guys.

The Fidelity's of the world.

And so we we should have that opportunity.

Bill, something great and, you spoken river Jackson's memorial.

We talked about how important it was to have strong black businesses.

When you look at what John Johnson did for our country with that money in jet and George shops and it all to at Pershing.

They employed people they created philanthropies.

It's supporting our community and our businesses in many, many ways, both the virtuous circle.

Demario.

The book starts with an author's note where you will quote, You here.

>> When I speak of repairing America's soul, I do not mean restoring something that was once hole.

America has never had a soul from its beginning.

This nation was built on genocide, slavery and racial exploitation.

Repair is not nostalgia.

It is construction is laying the foundation that was denied at the beginning, insisting that integrity and dignity be established where none existed before.

What should reparations look like?

Comprehensive repair for this country and for black people look like land and looks like opportunities for wealth transfer as John talked about, well, opportunities have access to capital.

>> Having people have opportunity to be successful.

And that's what I mean, when I say if we want to have a soul in America, we have to start by fixing what actually started this country off in the wrong direction.

And that is its Lehman.

That is genocide.

And that is not doing right by people whose been wrong.

It's not about us.

Is John, as you know, can we are getting the reparation?

Obviously, he's been very successful, but it's not about what happened is not about how he's doing now is about the harm that occurred and the harm is still happening to everyone that's impacted by the Tulsa race massacre.

>> The concept of reparations, John has come a long way.

The town of Evanston having created a reparations package, both the city of Chicago and the state of Illinois have created commissions.

Illinois recently releasing the report.

>> Does this show that the needle is moving and that some form of reparations is to come.

>> I think it was it was moving slowly.

But now with President Trump in and the things that are going on today in Washington, the Justice Department, it's really hard to make a case that these these opportunities are going to be there for our community.

As we know, diversity, equity inclusion has been kind of deemed a 4 letter word.

People can't even talk about it anymore.

corporate corporate in the corporate world, the University world.

So I think preparations even though it's the right thing to do morally right thing to create equal opportunity for us to create wealth.

That's something that I think right now or federal government has no interest tomorrow.

Some question, do think the needle is moving?

I think it was moving.

I think John is absolutely correct.

What's happening with the Trump administration.

I think the good thing about the Trump administration showing everyone exactly what needs to be done and no one now can say, oh, everything is OK like people talk about before.

>> And I think in the book and redeem a talk about how we move forward and utilizing the 5 think Greenwood principles to recreate the green all over this country because Green was just as much a physical location.

was the state of mind.

And so while we're working with the government and fighting for reparations and justice for what was done, we can also work within our own communities and do what we need to do to build ourselves You name some of those.

You name the 5 principles.

Yeah.

What are those have it folks in Greenwood, bill, their success in about 20 seconds, the one community, number freedom I they went there to be free.

Number 3 was ownership.

Number 4 was well circulation and number 5 was willful, resilient.

And that's what we're talking about this year as we talk about the 100th anniversary, the mask this year, but its also the 100 and 20th anniversary of the founding of Greenwood.

And that's just as important as the massacre, OK?

Well done to Mario Solomon Simmons, John Rogers Jr, thanks to both for joining us.

Appreciate it.

Thank you.

>> Again, the book is called Redeem a Nation the century long battle to restore the soul of America.

It is out on May.

12th.

And we're back right after this.

>> Reflecting the people and perspectives that make up our communities.

This story is part of Chicago tonight.

Black voices.

>> And that's our show for this Tuesday night.

Join us tomorrow night at 5, 30 10, Chicago based satirical news site.

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Hear about their plans for the platform shows now for all of us here in Chicago Brandis Friedman, thank you for watching.

Stay healthy and safe and have a good thing.

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