Latest news with #CTU
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
‘We won't let it stand': Chicago Teachers Union calls for state aid amid budget deficit
CHICAGO (WGN) — Financial problems are piling up at Chicago Public Schools, amid the district's growing budget deficit and more cuts from the federal government. Now, the Chicago Teachers Union is calling on the state to step up and provide assistance. CTU representatives spoke Wednesday about how the impact of CPS's $734 million budget deficit is starting to be felt, adding that many are concerned that they might not receive their negotiated retroactive pay until the fall. 'They must pass a budget that isn't going to shortchange our students,' said Jhoanna Maldonado. Last month, the district laid off 161 employees and says it will not fill more than 200 positions. Although the financial picture is murky, the teachers say they won't tolerate waiting for CPS to make good on their new contract. CTU vice president Jackson Potter was among those who spoke Wednesday, addressing concerns. 'We are not going back to Pedro Martinez' false promises that we have a significant and appropriate amount of spending to fund our contract and then we discover when the new CEO is in place that suddenly they don't have any money for libraries or librarians, suddenly they're talking about cutting special education that put them under state oversight for illegally violating the law,' Potter said. CTU leadership is calling on the state legislature to raise taxes on millionaires and billions. But raising the income tax would require everyone to pay more. Illinois has a flat tax system. 'We are here today calling on Governor JB Pritzker to immediately schedule an emergency session in Springfield, Illinois to address the needs of our people, whether it's health care, higher education, Medicaid, or K-12 education,' Potter said. 'These cuts are severe as they are perverse, and we won't let it stand.' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also sees the state as part of the solution. 'It's no secret across the state of Illinois that there is still yet to be a fully funded school district; it just doesn't exist in Illinois right now,' the mayor said. Complicating matters for CPS, Cook County has said the district's twice-a-year infusion of property tax revenue will be delayed. Some, like former CPS CEO Pedro Martinez, have suggested Chicago tap into its TIF well. Joe Ferguson, the head of the Civil Federation, says TIF is not the long-term solution, however. 'The actual amount of money that exists that isn't obligated in TIF year in and year out is significantly less than a billion dollars,' Ferguson said. 'CPS could only sweep for half of it on the basis of a decision by the city, which is supposed to make its decision on the basis of what the city may need, in a world in which we're not supposed to be sweeping TIFs at all.' To shore up finances, Ferguson wants the city and state to rethink school spending and revenue sources. He's proposing a State Finance Authority with control over the CPS budget. 'At the end of the day, the state is going to have to be part of the solution, but right now the state does not have a responsible – fiscally responsible – grownup on the other side in CPS,' he said. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Outside control of CPS's budget could be a tough sell, as Chicago just moved to an elected School Board. Governor Pritzker has stated that he'd like to allocate more funds to education. This year, under the evidence-based funding model, the state boosted K-12 funding by more than $300 million. But CPS wants and seeks more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Scoop
5 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
FamilyBoost Or Fiscal Blowout? Taxpayer Handouts Shouldn't Go To The Top Earners
Responding to news that the Government is extending childcare subsidies to families earning up to $229,100 a year, the Taxpayers' Union is calling the move completely out of touch. Taxpayers' Union spokesperson Tory Relf said: 'If you're pulling in nearly double the average household income, you do not need a handout from other working taxpayers to help pay for daycare. The average household income is around $120,000.' 'It's not often we find ourselves agreeing with the CTU and Craig Renney, but they're absolutely right to call this out. The Government should be focusing support on families genuinely doing it tough, not those who are objectively well-off by any national measure.' 'The whole point of FamilyBoost was to ease pressure on low- and middle-income families. Creep the threshold high enough and suddenly it's just free cash for the comfortable.' 'If the Government thinks someone on $229,000 needs help with childcare, maybe they should spend a day living on the median household income instead. When you're earning more than $200k, taxpayers don't need to be picking up the bill.'
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Tricity public transport faces crisis as 100 buses to be phased out and replacements delayed
Come November, the Chandigarh Tricity public transportation system will face a major crisis. Eighty percent of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) buses on the Tricity routes will be off the road, and their replacements — 100 electric buses — are stuck in legal and procedural delays. Out of the 358 diesel buses on local routes, 100 will complete their 15-year service limit by Nov this year, and these will have to be phased out. "All of these are on the Tricity routes — Mohali and Panchkula districts — comprising 80 per cent of the total buses on these routes. Taking off these buses will leave a large number of Tricity passengers using public transport in the lurch," said a UT official. "This is more so as the CTU is the mainstay of the public transport system in the Tricity, with Mohali having no Tricity bus service available and Panchkula having a very limited local bus service. When these 100 buses are taken off the road, there will be a consequent reduction in bus services within the Tricity." The process to replace these 100 diesel buses with e-buses started a couple of years ago. "The buses were being purchased under a central govt scheme, and even the tendering process was completed last year. But since then, litigation plagued the execution of the tender. On July 2, there was a final judicial pronouncement expected to resolve the issue, but it didn't happen, and legal proceedings are still going on," said the official. Meanwhile, a UT proposal to procure 100 e-buses by initiating the tendering process at its own level is pending with the ministry of home affairs (MHA). "Recently, the MHA got the nod from the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) for the proposal. Thereafter, the MHA sent the proposal to the department of expenditure, ministry of finance," said the official. The new 100 e-buses were to be ultra-low entry (ULE) vehicles of 12m length. The existing e-buses with CTU are 9m long and of low entry. The 100 buses are to be availed under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme . One option is to relax the norm for the 15-year rule on the service tenure of govt buses. "The central govt rules categorically stipulate taking out of service vehicles completing a 15-year tenure. But the department would propose to the competent authority to relax this norm for these 100 buses," said the official. Another option the department is working on is to divert some of its long-route buses to Tricity routes. "Though it will help Tricity passengers, CTU long-route buses will suffer. CTU will also lose its long-route passengers to other carriers. It will entail major losses for the CTU," said the official.
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tricity public transport faces crisis as 100 buses to be phased out and replacements delayed
Chandigarh: Come November, the Chandigarh Tricity public transportation system will face a major crisis. Eighty percent of the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) buses on the Tricity routes will be off the road, and their replacements — 100 electric buses — are stuck in legal and procedural delays. Out of the 358 diesel buses on local routes, 100 will complete their 15-year service limit by Nov this year, and these will have to be phased out. "All of these are on the Tricity routes — Mohali and Panchkula districts — comprising 80% of the total buses on these routes. Taking off these buses will leave a large number of Tricity passengers using public transport in the lurch," said a UT official. "This is more so as the CTU is the mainstay of the public transport system in the Tricity, with Mohali having no Tricity bus service available and Panchkula having a very limited local bus service. When these 100 buses are taken off the road, there will be a consequent reduction in bus services within the Tricity." The process to replace these 100 diesel buses with e-buses started a couple of years ago. "The buses were being purchased under a central govt scheme, and even the tendering process was completed last year. But since then, litigation plagued the execution of the tender. On July 2, there was a final judicial pronouncement expected to resolve the issue, but it didn't happen, and legal proceedings are still going on," said the official. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Meanwhile, a UT proposal to procure 100 e-buses by initiating the tendering process at its own level is pending with the ministry of home affairs (MHA). "Recently, the MHA got the nod from the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) for the proposal. Thereafter, the MHA sent the proposal to the department of expenditure, ministry of finance," said the official. The new 100 e-buses were to be ultra-low entry (ULE) vehicles of 12m length. The existing e-buses with CTU are 9m long and of low entry. The 100 buses are to be availed under the PM e-Bus Sewa scheme. SOLUTIONS ON TABLE One option is to relax the norm for the 15-year rule on the service tenure of govt buses. "The central govt rules categorically stipulate taking out of service vehicles completing a 15-year tenure. But the department would propose to the competent authority to relax this norm for these 100 buses," said the official. Another option the department is working on is to divert some of its long-route buses to Tricity routes. "Though it will help Tricity passengers, CTU long-route buses will suffer. CTU will also lose its long-route passengers to other carriers. It will entail major losses for the CTU," said the official.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Bharath Bandh: Almost no impact in Bengaluru
The Bharat Bandh called by various trade unions across India seems to have had little impact on daily life in Bengaluru as transport services are operating as usual in the capital of Karnataka. A coalition of 10 central trade unions (CTU) had called for a bandh opposing various government policies. While some transport unions have supported the bandh, in Bengaluru both Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were plying as usual. There has also been no change in the frequency or timings of the buses. The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) had issued an advisory as thousands of protesters were expected to gather near Freedom Park in the morning. 'A protest has been organised by various organisations at Freedom Park (on July 9) at 8 a.m to highlight their demands. Around 5,000 persons are expected to participate. As traffic congestion is likely in and around Freedom Park, people are hereby informed to use alternative routes,' the advisory stated.
