How will Brandon Johnson assure voters of his independence from the Chicago Teachers Union? A final pre-election interview
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An intense and often-heated Chicago mayoral race is in its home stretch – Tuesday is Election Day.
CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov talked with both candidates to get their final thoughts about some hot-button issues. Among the topics she discussed with Brandon Johnson was a lawsuit filed by members of the Chicago Teachers Union who are upset that a portion of their union dues went to his campaign.
On Friday, Johnson was seen surrounded by supporters outside a voting supersite before making himself available for a 10-minute interview.
"No one wants a dictator," Johnson said. "They want a collaborator. That's what I bring."
When Kozlov spoke with Johnson on Friday, it had been one day since some members of the CTU filed an unfair labor practice complaint. They are upset that a portion of their union dues were diverted to the CTU's political action committee – and then to Johnson's campaign.
Johnson: "The Chicago Teachers Union will deal with an unfair labor practice as they always do."
Kozlov: "You have no concerns that because they funded your campaign, and now there's this lawsuit, that this could be a red flag?"
Johnson: "What I'm most concerned by is the fact that there are 21 individuals who supported Donald Trump, that support my opponent."
Johnson is a former Chicago Public Schools teacher and a CTU organizer – now on leave from his union job. According to the watchdog group Reform Illinois' database, the CTU's political action committee has donated $2.4 million to Johnson's mayoral run.
The CTU's contract is up next year. If elected, Johnson has said his fiduciary, or financial, duty will be to every Chicagoan.
Kozlov: "How can you assure voters that you would not give the CTU a so-called sweetheart deal at the expense, potentially, of taxpayers – but would take all factors into consideration?"
Johnson: "That's exactly what I said. That is the assurance. You tell people the truth – and I've done this as a Cook County commissioner."
Unlike his opponent Paul Vallas – who proposes repurposing underutilized public school buildings and even moving current students to other schools – Johnson wants to fund every existing school fully.
Kozlov: "So how do you do that without raising property taxes, as you say you will not do?"
Johnson: "It is not the only revenue source. We have a funding formula – a new one that I helped organize – to change and shift. That funding formula is based on need – not per pupil."
For clarification, Kozlov spoke directly with a CTU spokesperson on Monday who said Johnson has been on leave from his union job since early November – and is no longer drawing a CTU paycheck.