SOON AS WE GET IT. CITY OF CHICAGO HAS IMPLEMENTED A HIRING FREEZE. YEAH, THAT MOVE. THE MOVE COMES AS THE CITY TRIES TO RECORD A MASSIVE BUDGET SHORTFALL. WGN'S BRONAGH TUMULTY. >> HE'S JOINING US WITH THE DETAILS TONIGHT. GOOD EVENING. AS THE MAYOR'S PUT A HOLD ON HIGHER IN ATTRIBUTING THAT MEASURE TO THINGS LIKE RISING LABOR COSTS DECREASE IN REVENUE FROM STATES, CORPORATE TAXES AND HIGH COSTS FOR CITY PENSIONS. IN TIMES GONE PAST TO FREEZE LIKE THIS DID NOT INCLUDE PUBLIC SAFETY JOBS. BUT THAT'S THE ORDER THAT'S COME DOWN DUE TO AN ALMOST BILLION DOLLAR DEFICITS FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR. >> FOR US, THE MESSAGE THAT I HAVE IS THIS YOU KNOW, >> AS YEAR VERY HARD DECISIONS, CITY OF CHICAGO IS PUTTING THE KIBOSH AN FITTING ANY OPEN POSITIONS. NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL IS ALSO AT THE WINDOW AND OVER TIME IS SET TO BE SLASHED. HIRING FREEZES ARE DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE EXPLORING THAT CONVERSATION WITH BUTCH DIRECTOR. A NICHE GUZMAN HAPPENED LAST WEEK. THE FREEZE BECOMING REALITY TODAY DUE TO BEING SEVERELY IN THE RED, THE CITY'S PROJECTED BUDGET DEFICIT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR'S STEMS AT AROUND 223 MILLION. BUT FOR NEXT YEAR, IT TO ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS. WE HAVE. >> NO NEW CONTRACTS THAT CAME INTO PLACE LAST YEAR WITH CPD. AND WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF NEGOTIATIONS THE CHICAGO FIRE DEPARTMENTS. IT'S REALLY UNUSUAL TO HAVE A HIRING FREEZE THAT GOES ACROSS THE BOARD, INCLUDING ESSENTIAL SERVICES, EMERGENCY SERVICES, POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS ARE USUALLY EXEMPT FROM MONDAY. IT'S LIKE THIS WITH PAST CLEARY. PRESIDENT OF CHICAGO, FIREFIGHTERS UNION, LOCAL, 2 TELLING WGN TO NICE. >> THIS MEANS, FOR THE CITY'S OVERWORKED, PARAMEDICS ALREADY A MANDATORY REHIRE. WE'LL BE FORCED TO WORK EVEN MORE. BUT MAYOR BRENDAN JOHNSON RAN A CAMPAIGN AGAINST HIKING PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH CIVIC FEDERATION PRESIDENT JOE FERGUSON SAYS WOULDN'T FLY ANYWAY WITH CHICAGOANS. PEOPLE ARE SELDOM RECEPTIVE TO TAXES EXCEPT FOR REALLY GOOD CAUSES. THE CAUSE HERE HE'S HAVING FAILED TO DO OUR HOMEWORK IN THE PAST. HE TELLS US THE BUDGET PROBLEMS OR A CAN THAT'S BEEN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD TOO OFTEN UTILIZATION OF THE WORD CRISIS IS AN IMPORTANT ONE HERE WHO'S TO HELP CLOSE THE GAP SAYS THEY'LL BE LOOKING TO CITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT CAN BE ELIMINATED ALONG WITH NEW MEANS TO CAPTURE REVENUE. VERY COUSIN, ADDING HE HOPES GOING FORWARD. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL KEEP THEIR COLLECTIVE ON THE GAS. THE CITY COUNCIL. >> NEEDS TO BE CRITICALLY INVOLVED ASKING THE HARD QUESTIONS SO THAT THE PUBLIC SEES THAT REALLY THE ADMINISTRATION IS BEING PUT THROUGH THE PACES. >> LAUREN JIGGETTS: IT SEEMS