Playing with Fire

Shortshanks, using Huberman as a Judas-goat, is targeting the teachers:

• Mayor Daley urged the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday to enter “the real world” of shared sacrifice to avert drastic budget cuts that, Schools CEO Ron Huberman has warned, may include raising class sizes to 37 students.

• Chicago Teachers Union President Marilyn Stewart issued a statement saying that teachers “appreciate the real fiscal crisis facing Chicago Public Schools,” but they don’t believe that means they must give up salary or benefits. She urged Daley to fight for more education funding from Springfield, specifically by raising the income tax.

Stewart isn't doing the teachers any favors supporting tax increase in these times. But she's facing her own election and after all, a signed contract is worth its weight in gold. She'll sacrifice the kids and class size to protect her membership.

If Shortshanks and Huberman were serious about closing the budget gap in the schools and in the city, they'd look at all the money being spent on connected contracts and the like. See the post right below this one - we're talking billions over the past few years.