>> chicago mayoral candidate lori lightfoot and tony prek winkle were in a debate last week. the current mayor, rahm emanuel

is not running for reelection and the debate is courtesy of nbc five and telemundo chicago. nbc tower, decision 2019, the race for chicago mayor. brought to you by nbc5 and telemundo chicago, the union league of chicago, and the chicago urban league. >> good evening i'm carol marine, the political editor of nbc chicago. broadcasting live from the nbc tower, during the next hour we'll explore the critical issues facing the city of chicago. tonight we hear from the two candidates for mayor. our forum is sponsored by nbc5 and telemundo chicago, in partnership with the chicago urban league, and the union league club of chicago. here now, are the candidates.

lori lightfoot, former federal prosecutor, past president of the chicago police board and former partner at the law firm of mayor brown. toni preckwinkle, cook county board president, and share of the cook county democratic party. one thing is certain, an african american woman for the first time in history will be our next mayor. we thank everyone who is watching at home and in our audience. our forum is a round-table conversation not a formal debate, no openings, no closings, the candidates will not necessarily be asked the same questions and while some of the questions will come from me, in the audience are my colleagues. nbc5's political reporter, mary ann ahern, and benjamin zamora. you can join the conversation on social media by using the

hashtag #chimayorforum. before we dive into the policy issues let's start with some political questions. ms. protect wingal, you'll be the first person to control the mayor's office and the cook county democratic party. one of your own commercials calls you a boss. as we sit here in 2019 should one person have that much power. >> ms. preckwinkle: i was elected committeeman in 1992 carol, and i worked hard for more than 20 years to make the party more inclusive, and diverse. most of the time i was banging my head against the wall, i'm grateful for the opportunity to make the party more diverse. we created an executive committee, and that executive committee has three members of the latin f-x committee.

and four african americans out of the ten. i want to make sure the party reflects the diversity. >> host: nine years at a county board president, that would make you an insider. >> ms. preckwinkle: i beat the machine, i got elected on the third try, i was the first woman elected alderman of the fourth ward. i formed the progressive caucus, one of the three founders of the progressive caucus, i sponsoredle and supported every living wage that came before the body. we strengthened our neighborhood schools, and built a lot of housing, i think it's 1500 units so we strengthened struggle communities and worked lard to address the public safety challenges that the community faces. >> host: they paint you a city hall appointee to a number of prominent positions under two mayors, you know your way around city hall, would that define you

as an insider? >> ms. lightfoot: i think it's interesting and disappointing that tony protect wingal and her people would try to criticize me for being unsuccessful. my father worked 2-3 jobs, my mother cleaned houses and was an aid in a mental hospital, nursing home and at the end of her working career she cared for older people who were at the end of their live and were sick and shut in. they sacrificed every single day to make sure i could be successful. i am a black success story. as are money people who are in the middle and upper middle class in this city. for somebody like toni preckwinkle to criticize me for being successful i find it highly ironic. >> host: so you both dismiss the notion that you are in any way insiders. >> ms. lightfoot: i'm not a

person who decided i would climb the ladder of the political party. the corrupt political party. i don't hold the title of committeeman, central committeeman, boss of the party, those are the credentials of an insider. of the positions i've held first as a public employee, during the term of richard m daily, i worked for the police department, for the procurement department, and i took on and solved tough challenges, and tasks a lot of people shied away from, and to summing that somehow that makes me something other than what i am, the one thing i am is a person who took on rahm emanuel. i didn't stay on the sidelines until goliath was slayed, i stepped up because i knew our city needed leadership and to bring to the table voices that needed to be heard. i wasn't afraid of rahm.

>> ms. preckwinkle: i grew up poor too, that's not the point. i was a teacher, i worked for not for profit organizations, i was a staff herald in the washington administration, i've been an alderman, president of the county now, and let me say while i was doing that, for the last 13 years, she has been an equity partner that's an owner of a law firm that defends big tobacco, and big farma, and defends environmental polluters. she herself was one of the attorneys that defended merrill lynch against discrimination suits by african americans. >> host: let me just stop you right there. [inaudible conversations] >> host: everybody's going to get a chance to talk. >> ms. lightfoot: i didn't interrupt her, i'd by grateful if she'd be as courteous to me. the question is not that you're

successful, it's possible to be very successful and not be an equity partner and owner in a firm that has a history of protecting the privileged and the powerful against working people, against working families. >> ms. light-foot's response, go ahead. >> ms. lightfoot: i wondered the hypocrisy you're going to bring to the discussion. whether than discussing issues that are important for people across the city, you took a $2,500 donation from one of my partners. if we were so awful, why are you soliciting donations to your current campaign for mayor brown. that is the height of hypocrisy, and let me tell you something else. while you had been in your public life you have aspired to buddy up with and defend the

likes of jill beariose, who has completely crushed the dreams of low-income black and brown homeowners all over this country. and -- and you have taken money from, and given a job to ed burke's kid. so i find it the height of irony that you're criticizing me for the things i have done in my life both as a lawyer, and i'm proud of the fact that i rose to be a senior equity partner in the law firm that uses its resources to do good. >> moderator: we'll get to all of those things, let's start break out issues one-by-one. the mayor appoints the superintendent of police and the ceo of chic public schools, ms. lightfoot are you ambivalent about keeping janis jackson as the head of cps? >> ms. lightfoot: i think there's a time and place to talk

about what -- who should stay, and if they're not staying what the transition is. here's what i know about cps. we've had five ceos in the last five years. no organization can be successful with that level of volatility at the top. and so i am really focused on making sure that we've got a stable system, that we are focused on rebuilding our neighborhood schools. there are questions that i have, certainly, about her leadership. but frankly i'm not measuring the drapes before i get to office. i think we have to get through this campaign, we'll sit down and have a conversation, and see if our values align. i don't know that yet, and i think it's inappropriate for me to judge that. and frankly, add even more instability to a system that desperately needs stability. >> moderator: you copied pre preckwinkle a keeper. --

>> and i great respect for janet jackson, she was a product of the public school, a teacher, a region administrator and now superintendent of the schools. i talked to her, and i know that we need to invest more on our neighborhood public schools. that has to be a priority for us. i talked to her about that fact. you can determine the equality of the public schools by the zip code. we need to make sure all of our schools are properly resourced and i think that's a real change. >> moderator: superintendent johnson, is he gone. >> ms. preckwinkle: we need a superintendent that acknowledges the racism in the police department, and he hasn't been willing to do that. >> moderator: before you come back, let me go down the questions we have a lot of ground to cover. among the greatest divide is the police among the citizens they serve. citizens worry about crime and many distrust the police. police find marginalizes and

unappreciated. how do you in any specific way bring those sides together, ms. lightfoot. >> ms. lightfoot: i think superintendent has been a good ambassador for those divides. we laid out a number of different things that were important to rebuild trust between the police and the communities that they were sworn to serve and protect. we have to acknowledge the fact we live in one of the most segregated cities in the country. we recruit from the segregated neighborhoods. but we're not doing enough for veteran officers, to make sure they understand the texture and nuance of our neighborhoods. >> moderator: so recruitment is one of your points, ms. preckwinkle, what are yours. >> ms. preckwinkle: i worked with local officers, and community residents. the police department used to

invest a lot in community policing. and that's a real gap, and it leads to mistrust and wareness. i think it's important that we need to go back to the community policing ideas we had and practices we had in the 90s where there were regular beat meetings and opportunities for police to get to know each other. >> moderator: so community policing, we've talked about the two of you being progressives. when business leaders and homeowners hear progressive they hear liberal, and fear that taxes are going to skyrocket and the government regulations are going to increase. what do you tell homeowners and business leaders to assuage their fears about both of you, begin with ms. preckwinkle. >> ms. preckwinkle: i have a counsel of economic advisers and chaired by john rogers, and it shares advice on how to use our

own resources and advice on how we should conduct ourselves in a larger arena. with their support and at their insistence i brought together the political leader, the economic development professionals and the business leaders in our 7-county region to work together to try to lift up northeastern illinois which is the economic engine of our state. what we've done is create the chicago region growth corporation, crgc, helps small and medium side businesses export more. we focused on helping the metal fabrication industry because it's strong in all seven counties. i not only have a counsel of economic advisers to give me advice and support, but also i have -- at their suggestion convened the leaders of our seven-county -- >> moderator: so pro-business, so ms. lightfoot what do you say to homeowners and businesses.

>> ms. lightfoot: i say i will not turn my back and raise the tax. we need to make sure that we are running government efficiently. that we are better fiscal stuarter stewards of precious tack dollars. people are sick and tired of being nickel and diamond, by fines and levies. no one should be going into bankruptcy because they have parking tickets. no one should be losing their driver's license because they have non-moving violations. we have to think about the ways in which we can be better fiscal tubes err stewards and that starts with making sure we are not t tax dollars, lighting them on fire in a pile. >> moderator: we're not talking pensions, we're talking about operating budget. half a billion dollars in the red, ms. lightfoot where do you find that additional revenue? >> ms. lightfoot: the city of chicago has no risk management

systems whatsoever. there's nobody full-time job to look at, mitigate, and identify the risk. things that i talked a lot about. 50-$60 million in police settlements, judgments and attorney's fees for which there doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency. we have to do better, over the last seven years alone we've got into the bond market at our terrible credit rating and borrowed almost half a billion dollars. if that debt b isn't restructured, we're going to pay back 2-3 times the amount. that is an area we need to fix and solve. there are other ways i can i think we can make city government run more efficiently. i'm not talking about lay-offs. >> moderator: let's talk about one revenue thing, and ms. preckwinkle where are you going to find the money. >> ms. preckwinkle: i'm a big proponent -- the state shares revenue with cities towns and villages and we want the revenue

raised as equitibly as possible. so i'm a big proponent of the graduated income tax. and my opponent would be in the highest category, and i wouldn't. but let me just say -- and when i came into office i had $487 million gag gap to close. i told everyone it was going to be shared sacrifice. i brought the 11 officials and said we need to cut your budgets 15%. it was shared sacrifice, no magic bullet, no magic solution. >> ms. lightfoot: but you raised taxes. >> ms. preckwinkle: so it was $487 million, almost half a billion, and we instituted efficiencies, we refinanced our debt, we made the terrible and difficult decision to lay off 1500 people, but we balanced

budget, and $850 million in cuts we've reduced our workforce and indebtedness, so i have a record of stewardship over the last eight years. and the county, i have never raised property taxes. i think that's the biggest concern for our residents. >> moderator: the pensions are a dismal 27%. 80% is what's considered healthy. in two-three years the city will need an extra billion dollars to fund pensions. should pensions be cut for new city employees. >> ms. lightfoot: i don't think we should start the talk about new money. >> moderator: then should the state monday amend the constitu- under any circumstances? >> ms. lightfoot: no. we have to meet our obligations to our existing workforce, and we can't do that. >> moderator: so mayor emanuel

wants to borrow $10 billion to fund do you support it ms. lightfoot or oppose it? same for ms. preckwinkle. >> ms. lightfoot: then went away after rahm emanuel announced he wasn't going to has kind of resurfaced. the problem is we don't know the details or the funding stream is going to be. what the interest rate is going to be, and frankly, pension obligations funds in this state and other cities like detroit and stalkten have met with disasters results. like everything we have to be transparent, and put the cards on the table and understand the new autopsy of the deal because the devil is going to be in the detail. no one, including the city council has gotten a full briefing on what that is going to be. >> moderator: for the

$10 million bond? >> ms. preckwinkle: i'm concerned that the autoimmune would be unfavorable to us. >> moderator: both ow you favor an elected school board. the chicago teacher's pension fund is $11 billion in the red. as mayor are you prepared to turn over to an elected school board the right to raise property taxes or other revenues, and lose what some would call "skin in the game." ms. preckwinkle? >> ms. preckwinkle: we're the only school district in the state that doesn't have an elected school board. the only school district in the state. i have always said it's unfair we pay for teacher's pensions across the state and for our own teachers, but the rest of the state does not pay for teacher's pension. there's no equity, or justice there, and no justice that every other school district in the state has an elected school board, and we don't. i think it's important to extend a democracy as far as we possibly can.

and that includes the inconsistent with the rest of the state and having an elected school board. >> moderator: ms. lightfoot, did you think you're forsaking skin in the game. lottery no, i don't. i watched as parents called my mom at dinner time, talked to her in the grocery store. i support parent representation on a elected school board. as mayor of the city if you can't form a relationship with another elected body, then shame on you. you have to build relationships, and build partnership, and i feel totally comfortable with the fully elected school board. >> moderator: let's take a turn to talk about our economically divided cities in other ways. let's begin and mary ann ahern. >> i am with edcooper who is the president of the union league of chicago, and he has a question. ed? >> research indicates that by 2030 our city's african american population will be about half of

what it was in 1980. this exodus is driven by factor, especially the lactof employment opportunities. what will you do to address the issues and support the businesses that provide the jobs chicagoans need? >> moderator: so he's asking what do you do to stop the exodus of african americans out of the city. >> ms. lightfoot: i think the challenge is of people leaving they're afraid of the violence. we haven't provided good neighborhood schools to make sure their kids are going to be nurtured in a safe environment, and of course the taxes. the first thing for me is making sure we have a specific and dynamic plan to tackle the violence that's plaguing way too many neighborhood. i don't want our kids growing up with fear as their constant companion, and that is the overarching issue in my view of all of the other challenges we face in the city.

we're not going to be able to get businesses to invest, or get schools to improve, or give people a pathway to good well-paying jobs if we don't address the violence in this city. >> moderator: ms. preckwinkle. >> ms. preckwinkle: we need to have decent wages for people who work in the city. people have to believe there's opportunity for themselves and their children. and that's why i support a $15 an hour minimum wage. you should not work full-time and live in poverty. and the $15 an hour minimum wage takes the family of four above the poverty line. we have to have a minimum wage, and i have a plan to implement by 2021 a $15 minimum wage. we have to support community businesses. talking about opportunity. we have to support small and medium size business said in our neighborhoods which provide jobs, they're the principle supplier of employment in our economy. we have to invest in micro-loans in these businesses and grant programs that provide them with

an opportunity to start up, to sustain and build their businesses. and i agree, we have to meet the challenge of violence. but i'll tell you, in the work i did as alderman, i found that rebuilding the neighborhood, addressed the violence issue. because the more people you have in the community, and the more people you have with eyes on the street the less crime you have. >> moderator: let's put our eyes back in the audience. with been zamora. >> i'm with barbara lumpcon, the president and ceo of the chicago urban league, barbara, thank you for being with us what is your question for the candidates. >> in november 2018 the chicago city council passed a five-year housing plan which noted growing concerns about inequitable growing concerns. what is your plan of high quality affordable housing in all of chicago's neighborhoods as mayor? >> ms. preckwinkle: when i was

alderman we worked hard with community residents with the chicago housing authority with the development community, to build housing in our ward. we built hubs of units of housing. if you're going to rebuild the city you have to start with affordable renting house, and the affordable requirements is not producing units. the last time i got a report it was 400 unit in the last twelve years. we have to put a task force to look at the program and try to figure out how we can really make an impact on the need for affordable housing. and the second part of it is, we have sort of two challenges. communities that have been disinvested in, and there are lots of vacant lots, and we need to rebuild from the ground up, and communities that are challenged by gentrification, and that's why i support the efforts in springfield to lift the ban on talking about rent control. . . .

and to make sure we're doing everything we can spin mac speaking of housing and would like to turn your attention i don't know if anyone here has an accurate number but it seems like this one monday morning at the encampment overlooking the expressway for go this is our

city these are our residents for go what is your plan specifically to help these people quick. >> it is important we need to enact what was enacted by the chicago homelessness with an extra real estate tax on properties of more than $1 million to have a fund dedicated to fighting the homeless but we need to get more city resources into housing with those federal dollars but we have not invested our own corporate dollars. >> where does the money come from quick. >> the problem that we have with homelessness is graphic in the pictures you have seen. >> i know that but where does the money come from quick. >> we have to reallocate existing resources and also look at how we can procure more space and federal support

pritzker in contrast to his predecessor was sympathetic to look for support for this kind of work denied we could solve this problem ourselves in our housing plan we propose a progressive tax on real estate transfer tax that is different from homeowners of less than 500,000 and tax more on higher assessed value. we believe we can generate between 60 and $80 million every single year to tackle the homelessness problem but what we see in the underpasses and other parts of the city is a growing homelessness population we have to do better to address this issue. and then to have 24 hour

walk-in center so they can get the resources they need during the daylight hours. >> out of curiosity what a homeless person asks for money what do you do quick. >> it depends on the circumstances i try to support organizations that are out there supporting homelessness. >> you'd redirect them quick. >> it depends on the circumstances absolutely if i'm walking back from lunch i will share the food or i will give money but on a one-off basis. >> what do you do if you are walking down the street and somebody panhandle's you quick. >> it depends on the circumstances sometimes i give money sometimes i try to direct them to services when i was alderman of the city of chicago that is one of the things we did was constituent service and we had to find affordable housing for people.

it is one of the biggest challenges of the city especially supportive housing for those who have been homeless or struggle with addiction and substance abuse. homeless population is driven in part by the challenge we face around substance abuse, addiction and mental illness. the city has those mental health clinics. >> we will take a 62nd break and when we return we will talk about chicago schools and sanctuary cities. ♪ . >> welcome back to the telemundo chicago forum with our candidates spent the chicago teachers union

contract ends in june and in los angeles the teachers there recently received a new contract with a 6 percent raise now chicago teachers are asking for a 5 percent raise. you have received the support of chicago teachers union what do they deserve and how do you give it to them without breaking the bank? preckwinkle:. >> it is a big mistake to talk about your negotiating strategy at this point in time it does make sense at all i'm very proud of the fact i am a supporter of the chicago teachers union but as mayor it is my job to do the best for all citizens including negotiating fair and reasonable contracts. but as president of the county with those contract cycles. >> same question to you ms. lightfoot what can you give them without breaking the bank? t9 and to become a very

important issue of the city and obviously with public schools we have to be fair to the teachers but the context of what are we doing to be fair to students? to make sure we have quality neighborhood schools or resources to put librarians and nurses and counselors back in the schools and it has to be part of a larger conversation. i don't have a job yet but if i could finish obviously we need to make sure we would do everything we can to improve the quality of life. >> you have police and fire into municipal workers all in need of contracts if con - - teachers get one thing do other workers deserve the same

quick. >> i don't think it is apples to apples comparison. we have to do fair to those were doing important jobs whether the police or fire or teachers. i will not say here obviously and negotiate to the studio audience but we have to make sure we are doing things the right way i will not let contracts expire and take years and years before i get those renegotiated that has been the pattern of the last seven years. >> is it fair if they get one thing than others to get more quick. >> and you have to negotiate a contract separately but i will say one of the real challenges we have of chicago public schools is the allocation of resources for you can pretty much predict the quality of the school of the zip code just like that - - life expectancy. that can be the case we have to have quality neighborhood schools we cannot have a strong city without strong neighborhoods and without

strong neighborhood schools and as a teacher i know they are critical but in many schools we need bilingual support, social workers , psychologist of a young person comes from a community and coming in the morning to succeed academically they need to be successful. >> and with the moratorium of closing schools a great majority are underused so how do you repurpose those buildings quick. >> the report is 50 schools that are still vacant that is important we find alternate uses for these buildings if you close the school you close the resources from the community they have to walk there every day.

but the adults drive by this vacant school and they feel the same loss. it is really important we make it a priority to repurpose the zones - - institution. >> understood but how will you repurpose all 49. >> bad number that is still on the city dole is 38. what we have to do is look at the neighborhoods where they exist and engage the community how to make those schools with community access there is a lot with a knee community centers and afterschool places where we can teach stem and other things but that has to be part of a conversation with the community and other stakeholders to figure out the highest investment. >> let's go back out to telemundo. >> this question involves

immigrants already living here and chicago status of century city what action will you take of the trump administration actually does take away sanctuary city? preckwinkle: it is interested she accepted the endorsements. >> hold on. >> one at a time. preckwinkle: both are trump supporters and both voted against giving legal aid to immigrants in the city of chicago legal aid program for the city of chicago. napolitano is a trump supporter and actually he left the progressive caucus because chicago was a city. >> let me respond. >> no, no, no.

preckwinkle: you can lie and then i will respond. >> let me call a timeout and say one at a time. lightfoot: i have got to correct that. it is amazing to me instead of talking about the issues that our important instead of addressing the challenges we have as a city what you clearly are determined to do from date number one of the election and every day since is to tell a lie after lie. now let me address the specifics there is no endorsement ms. napolitano showed up with the firefighters union that i welcome that endorsement they are both members of that but if you check our records i have been highly critical of both alderman.

preckwinkle: when somebody stands at the that is better than the endorsement and let me say in public life we often disagree but i don't call the people with whom i disagree liars. that is really disrespectful. and it is hard to be an effective leader to engage in name-calling. this is a person who not only engages in name-calling here but at another point you called me a cockroach. i don't know how you can be an effective leader if you believe who disagree with you or express opposing views are subject to name-calling. >> but not to the point of sanctuary cities.

preckwinkle: i am very proud that cook county would not cooperate with eyesore immigration enforcement we said if somebody is detained you will let them go the same way we would who had citizenship or documents. we took that step early on in the administration and we need to close the loopholes which enable the chicago police department to cooperate with immigration customs enforcement we need to amend the city ordinance so that chicago police department does not cooperate. if the police are seen as a force of immigration. >> respond to the sanctuary cities ms. lightfoot. lightfoot: we cannot be in the city where cooperating with i.c.e. and organization highly politicized by the current administration we need to eliminate the exemptions to sanctuary cities the police department cannot be

cooperating with i.c.e. if i am elected mayor one of the first things i will do is make a priority to sit with i.c.e. to find one - - to define the rules of engagement we cannot have i.c.e. arresting parents in front of their children to terrorize. >> we have 20 minutes left we will cover as much ground as we can i will keep my questions tight if you keep your answers tight. ms. preckwinkle a lot of your associations have been discussed you hired alderman burke son at the county whether exempt or not isn't that the definition of patronage? preckwinkle: i've been a county employee 20 years department of homeland security and they hired them i go around to the communities in the city. what people are concerned about is there own neighborhood sometimes it is

gentrificatio gentrification, concern they have lived in a community for generations and others a concern there is no investment in their neighborhood they don't see anything happening of housing construction or business development. the concerns is the quality of the neighborhood public schools or secure neighborhood whether gentrification or investment and public safety. when i was alderman there were two questions that people would ask me if they said i want to move into this ward are they safe and how are the school. >> with the alleged racial bias the case was settled at $160 million it was determined it could turn into a class action were you on the wrong side of history quick. >> no. frankly you need people like me with my background to be at the table.

the result of the work the lead plaintiff in the case endorsed my candidacy and he endorsed me to share with the matters of the public because they understood and you want somebody like me at the table because i do bring a different view and background for those experiences to advise the ceos in cases like that. >> ms. preckwinkle in your campaign commercials you talk about exposing is the attorney who pushed the court to release the video have you joined in a fight and you both

have bully pulpits? preckwinkle: i am grateful to the family and the pastor who represented the family for the work that they did to keep this issue on the radar and attended to publicly i'm grateful to the community activist to work so hard to keep this issue in the forefront of public attention when the tape was released, i said to mayor emmanuel, i thought he should fire the police superintendent. it is important to get public attention. i made the autopsy report immediately to the family and to the journalist pursuing the case that was the basis of the release of the case the whole case proceeded i am very grateful to the family and to the pastor and those who supported me and the activist who kept the issue alive and

forced the video to come out. >> i don't think we should politicize the murder of a young man. i just don't i thought the video was difficult to see it was played by way too many tv stations we had to try to keep our daughter away from that and i don't think it's appropriate to put into a political ad to politicize that there are many issues we have to face in the city and certainly issues around police violence are on top of the list and i have done everything i could and it is hard work to make sure that police officers are accountable in the actions that they take in the line of duty in particular. >> just say yes or no. barack obama hasn't lost in election since 2000 they sent a message they want a

community that benefits agreement should he offer one? preckwinkle: no but the city should. >> yes you have to make sure those in the neighborhoods with the development frankly it's unfortunate if i become mayor i will be sure to be involved in that with both sides to forge a resolution. we are fortunate to have the center but we have to do right by the people in those neighborhoods. >> the hope ms. preckwinkle what song makes you want to get up and dance? preckwinkle: the change will come. >> ms. lightfoot what makes you sing out loud in the car? lightfoot: victory. >> what you do to relax quick. >> not this. i have every bleacher report

espn and sports app i play close attention i am excited and i'm looking forward to a new bear season. preckwinkle: i am a history teacher by profession and i love reading biographies for has a history teacher also antique fares i love old stuff. >> to either of you ride a bike. >> i don't i walk. >> i do ms. lightfoot do you wear a helmet. lightfoot: yes i do. follow the law. >> ms. preckwinkle since you don't do you think there should be greater enforcement of traffic laws for bikers who don't sometimes follow the traffic lights? preckwinkle: it is incredibly dangerous to ride without a helmet and many bike riders don't pay attention to the traffic laws which is not only infuriating but scary for

drivers. >> do either of you double park or if you have a driver allow that person who was driving you to double park? preckwinkle: i am afraid sarah. [laughter] lightfoot: i try not to but honestly when there is no parking yes that has happened but i try not to because frankly i'll get a ticket. [laughter] . >> on the terms of epidemics of youth with the u-turns in the middle of intersections does it annoy either one of you quick. >> yes pickle absolutely. >> i have been known to make liberal use. >> you mean progressive? [laughter] . >> not really what annoys me are people who change lanes abruptl abruptly.

>> so when it comes to the city of chicago with more police on the street can we just not afford it quick. >> i think the police need to concentrate on violent crimes that is the real challenge that faces so many neighborhoods. nationally 62 or 63 percent of murder cases the suspect is arrested in the city of chicago it is 15 percent. we need to focus resources to address the crimes that scare us which is the murders and shootings we haven't done a good job to address that. part of it the detective core was stripped under mccarthy we don't send detectives to investigate crimes but the other part is a wariness on the part of communities to work with the police. we have to address that through community policing a better planning and better supervision for officers.

>> we do need more police on the streets. >> we made a mistake years ago when this started and richard daley's term we got a lot of traffic control but the challenge is we have far more cars on the street and we did before there is 10000 more per day so we have to do a much more effective job to frankly think about what is the right level of regulation for the rideshare community that you put people back on the street who know how to manage traffic. >> now we have another question. >> you are both non-native chicagoans ms. preckwinkle you were born in st. paul minnesota and ms. lightfoot born in ohio so give us one thing that tells us that you

are a true chicagoa chicagoan. lightfoot: i'm a white sox season-ticket holder over 20 plus years and a ticket holder for the bears i have been in the city 32 years and i own a house here and i am totally committed to the greatness of the city. preckwinkle: i am also a white sox fan and a great lover of the biggest asset that we have of the lake and the neighborhoods it is a wonderful city with fascinating neighborhoods is the reason when you walk down the street people are speaking different languages and that's what i love. >> combined 12 percent of registered voters cast ballots for both of you and in predominantly african-american words you are not the first

choice so tomorrow wilson announces his endorsement how important is that? preckwinkle: and is a history teacher i said democracy is the best and most fragile form of government on earth because it depends on the active and engaged informed citizenry i am always concerned about voter turnout as a democratic layman and a history teacher but it is important for people to be engaged in these elections and we will work hard to convince people to come out we will go to all the communities to take our vision to hear what people have to say. >> what about the endorsement quick. >> i don't know what he will do i am not as worried about as reaching out to the voters that is critical and mister wilson is second. >> hats off to mister wilson

he has been a candidate many times building and remiss infrastructure it speaks to an urgency in the black community in particular about the unequal distribution of resources in the city and we have to make sure frankly we are looking in a way frankly that we haven't over the last ten years we need to take the case to every neighborhood in the city to talk to people about the desperate need to change since may 2018 that is the message of the hope we will be bringing to every community we will work hard to win every vote and encourage people this is the election of our time and we have an opportunity. >> talk about differences and there are many that there are

a number that are an agreement. you're both against the expansion of charter schools berkeley both support the implementation of the police consent decree so there are some likenesses. ms. lightfoot telus one thing you admire about ms. preckwinkle. preckwinkle: i think one of the things i would say with the affordable care act was implemented it was incredibly important the health system was fully on board to implement those services and had access to them obviously with a host of other people felt those were involved with the affordable care act through the county health care system did yeoman's job to provide real access to affordable and good health care in this county. >> ms. preckwinkle what you

admire about ms. lightfoot? preckwinkle: she is open and honest about her lgbtq orientation it is respectful of differences to understand all of us matter and there is dignity in each and every one of us and there has been so much discrimination and prejudice and homophobia in the country it's important particularly prominent people declare their sexual orientation with pride. >> there have been strong if not better words in this election between the two camps and the two of you and it happens but at the end of the day, do you respect or trust one another to lead this city should you lose? preckwinkle: i have spent my life as a teacher working for not-for-profit organization

organizations, government and the washington administration and as an alderman and president of the county now. what concerns me is in that time. , she has been an equity partner and owner of a law firm that has the reputation and history of defending big tobacco and big drug companies and polluters. i say that concerns me because i am concerned about working families and working people so to be a part of that law firm and profit from that kind of work is troubling to me. lightfoot: a $2500 donation from one of the partners if it troubles you that much and give the money back. give the money back. >> that is a no. [laughter]

. >> one of you will be the first african-american woman to lead this great city. ms. lightfoot how do you view this moment in history? lightfoot: i focus why i got into the race to make sure that frankly people from my experience working class folks growing up in the same area that i grew up and have the same opportunity to participate in the greatness of the city we are a great city. >> that we have to do better. preckwinkle: people will not stay in the city if they don't believe there is opportunity for them and their children's we have to be sure it is provided to all people and we have to do that through growth that is the only way to build the city. >> thank you both for joining us tonight and a special thank you to the chicago urban

league the candidates had been invited to answer questions after the four of that is live streamed on the chicago website and on our app. the runoff election is apri aprd let's have a warm applause for our candidates. [applause] thank you and good fear is fear itself. your countrywhat can do for you. ask what you can do for your country. >> and the people who knocked these buildings down -- newest book, the presidents, noted historians rank america's best and worst chief executives provides

insight into the 44 american presidents. stories gathered by interviews with noted presidential historians. explore the life events that shaped our leaders, challenges they faced and the legacies they have left behind. published by public affairs, c-span's the presidents will be on shelves on april to third. you can preorder your copy as a hardcover or e-book today. at c-span.org/the presidents. or, wherever books are sold. the house rules committee will meet today to discuss a proposal calling for robert mueller's report of his release to be made available to congress and the public. that is today at 5:00 eastern on c-span3 and online at c-span.org. you can listen with the c-span radio app. both chambers are in session today. the house is in at noon and the senate will come in at 3:00 p.m.

eastern. president trumps emergency declaration on the border is expected on thursday. they will consider the presidents judicial and executive nominations. live coverage of the house on c-span and the senate on c-span two. on friday, house majority leader and minority whip talk about this week's floor schedule. >> on monday, the house will meet at tova clark p.m. for morning our debate and 2:00 p.m. with votes postponed until 6:30 p.m.. on tuesday and thursday, they will meet at 10:00 a.m. for debate and 12:00 p.m. for allegedly to business. on thursday, the house will meet at 9:00 a.m. for legislative business with west votes no later than 3:00 p.m.. we will consider several bills under suspension of tul