By Shruti Singh, includes “Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Wednesday will lay out how she plans to close the largest budget gap in Chicago’s history as Covid-19’s resurgence threatens to hobble the junk-rated city’s recovery in the years ahead. … ‘We are facing a stark reality.’ said Christopher Mier, a managing director for Loop Capital Markets, whose investment-banking clients include Chicago. ‘I expect the mayor will confront that reality head on and seek the best solutions in difficult circumstances.’ …”