Mayor Brandon Johnson says leaders against progressive agenda for CPS must 'get out of' the way

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Did he or did he not ask Chicago Public Schools CEO Pedro Martinez to resign? Earlier this week, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he did not ask anyone to do anything, but when asked to clarify that statement Wednesday the mayor was tight-lipped.

"I don't ever discuss personnel issues," he said. "I find it to be highly offensive, irresponsible and raggedy, and I don't do raggedy."

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However, Johnson made it clear that all of his leaders must share his progressive agenda to transform public education.

"I was elected to fight for the people of the city and whoever is in the way, get out of it," he said.

Martinez got in the way when he and the mayor's handpicked school board refused to secure a short-term, high-interest loan to pay for a new teachers' contract and CPS pension payments, a decision many aldermen agree with.

"That is something that is not sustainable, will create structural deficits for our city and for the public school system going forwards, and he was right to say no," said 34th ward Ald. Bill Conway.

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While some alders say the loan is no reason to fire Martinez, they do agree with the Chicago Teacher's Union that the CPS CEO must come up with a plan on revenue options; 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said the mayor should be doing so as well.

"When we were in Springfield, instead of talking about a Bears stadium, borrowing money to do that, we could have been talking to the governor, hey we see a pension payment on the horizon, we need help covering that right now," he said.

The tension over the ouster of Martinez has fueled reports of a mass resignation of the Chicago School Board. The mayor again denied asking board members to step down.

Johnson has also delayed presenting his budget plan for the entire city. With a big deficit to close, Johnson said nothing is off the table, including a property tax hike.

"Looking at everything, and we will put forth a proposal that not only closes this budget deficit, but sets us up for the future," he said.

Johnson made a campaign promise not to raise property taxes. He said Wednesday the way to transform the city is for the rich to pay their fair share of taxes.