Mayor Daley Wants to Build New Schools As Chicago Loses Kids

CBS TV Chicago reports:

Mayor Daley unveiled his plan for new schools Thursday, and it doesn't involve raising property taxes.

CBS 2's Jon Duncanson reports the mayor is striking out on his own.

Calling it a sweeping plan for Chicago Public Schools, Mayor Daley Thursday said he's going it alone.

"I'm not going to wait for Washington, D.C. I'm not going to wait for Springfield, but the City Council, the mayor are going to take this on themselves," Daley said.

It a billion dollar plan funded from tax increment financing districts and school bond funds. It will bring nine new high schools, 15 elementary schools and three major high school renovations to neighborhoods citywide.

It's strange, Chicago has recently lost 8000 kids in the public school system,and Mayor Daley wants to build new schools! Shouldn't they be shutting schools?