Up now: @CivicFederation& #39;s Lawrence Msall, which released a 103-page analysis of the budget today. Plan is "creative and reasonable," he says. https://www.civicfed.org/ChicagoFY2020 ">https://www.civicfed.org/ChicagoFY...

However, Civic Fed is concerned about $163M the city expects from the federal government for ambulance reimbursements and $50M from a revised Real Estate Transfer Tax. Msall acknowledges that RETT change is likely dead, for now: "There is little room for error."

Msall gets extra time to continue his analysis.

The most important job: developing a long-term plan to meet Chicago& #39;s pension obligations. Asks Lightfoot and aldermen to work with Pritzker and General Assembly on pension consolidation. [The bill moving through the House today does not include Chicago.]

Msall: "We have a population challenge here in Chicago." Warns aldermen not to take steps that would accelerate that trend.