What the Lurie budget does

It will be a while before anyone drills down into the details of the mayor’s budget plan. It’s 343 pages, and most reporters so far have just outlined the press statements.

But the patterns that will shape this document, and Lurie’s legacy, are pretty clear.

A budget is a statement of policy priorities. Here’s what this budget does—and what the Lurie Administration has made its top priority:

—It pours money into public safety, particularly law enforcement. Every major program area will face cuts, except the cops, the district attorney, the sheriff, and the public defender (you can’t keep arresting people if you don’t provide them defense lawyers; it’s a Constitutional right).

—It pours money into keeping the streets clean.

—It cuts deeply into contracts with nonprofits that provide es