City Council - Regular Meeting

Tuesday, December 16, 2025

The City Council meeting featured extensive public comment on the proposed budget, with speakers debating the corporate head tax, the city's deficit, and funding for community programs. Aldermen also voted to amend the schedule for upcoming meetings, including a potential Saturday session, to address the budget crisis.

About this meeting

Government Body
City Council
Meeting Type
City Council
Location
Chicago, IL
Meeting Date
December 16, 2025

Transcript

109 sections

11:10Speaker 22

I think we will.

11:17Speaker 9

Mic check one, two. Mic check three, four.

11:20Speaker 12

Mic check and a mic.

11:21Speaker 9

Mic one. Mic two. Mic three. Mic four.

11:29 – 28:27Speaker 11

Good morning, Alders. Please remember to log into your devices. The meeting will begin shortly. Thank you. Good morning members of the City Council. The meeting will begin shortly. Please remember to log into your devices. Thank you. Good morning, members of the City Council. The meeting will begin shortly. Please remember to log into your devices. Thank you.

32:40Speaker 10

Council will come to order. Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call.

32:58 – 35:32Speaker 21

Advise to record your votes and mark your attendance. I will now call those who did not respond. Alderman Robinson. Not present in chambers. Alderman Hall. Not present in chambers. Alderman Harris. Not present in chambers. Alderman Beale. Alderman Beale is present. Alderwoman Ramirez. Not present in chambers. Alderman Coleman. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Curtis. Alderman Curtis is present. Alderman O'Shea. Alderman O'Shea is present. Alderman Mosley. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Rodriguez. Not present in Chambers. Alderperson Fuentes. Not present in Chambers. Alderperson Rodriguez Sanchez. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Nugent. Alderman Nugent is present. Alderman Vazquez. Not present in Chambers. Alderwoman Clay. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Haddon. Not present in Chambers. Your Honor, we have a quorum.

35:33 – 35:51Speaker 10

Very well, there are 38 present, 12 that are absent. We do have a quorum. Alders Mosley, Harris, and Ramirez have requested to participate in today's meeting remotely for reasons stated in Rule 59. Can we receive confirmation that they are available online?

35:51 – 36:06Speaker 21

Alderman Harris? Here. Alderman Harris is here. Alderman Mosley? Alderman Mosley? Alderman Rodriguez.

36:07Speaker 11

Ramirez is present.

36:10Speaker 10

Farewell. So Ramirez and Harris are both present.

36:13Speaker 15

Mosley is present.

36:14 – 37:00Speaker 10

Mosley is present. Thank you, Madam Clerk. I get a motion for the approval of the participation remotely. It's been moved. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. Madam Clerk, please add them both to the quorum roll call. Let's stand for the Pledge of Allegiance to rise. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. You can kindly remain standing for our invocation, which will be delivered by Pastor Jason Hevelston from the church in the square.

37:04 – 37:59Speaker 23

Thank you, Mayor Johnson. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, you are good and your steadfast love endures forever. What a gift to wake up with breath in our lungs and purpose in our hearts. What a joy to be commissioned as your servants and neighbors to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. What a privilege to seek the welfare of our city together. I pray for my friends, these who offer their intellect, their ability, their time, and their volition to be a terror to bad conduct and participants in good trouble. I pray that in their hustle, they would know your peace. In their weakness, they would know your strength. And in their desire, they would know your goodness, truth, and beauty. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing to you, our Lord, our rock, and our redeemer. In Jesus' name, amen.

38:00 – 38:53Speaker 10

You may have your seat. Chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.

38:54 – 39:17Speaker 12

Thank you, Mr. President. Looking at today's agenda, the question that I'll ask to the body is that we have no committee reports. Is there any other business that is sought to be done today? If there is no business, then I would ask for a motion to adjourn. But if there is other business, then we should proceed if there is other business.

39:22Speaker 10

Yes, the chair recognizes Alderman Beal.

39:25Speaker 14

Mr. Chairman, our rules say that if we do have a quorum, we have to have public comment first before we look to a ground.

39:37 – 40:07Speaker 10

So, all right. Okay, so the question is, do we want to proceed with the meeting if there's no business? Barring, of course, the portion of the meeting for public comments. So the question is still the same, even with public comments, does this body wish to carry out an entire meeting if there's no business? Chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.

40:10 – 40:28Speaker 22

Thank you, Mr. President. I concur with our colleague from the Ninth Ward. Unless we are suspending the rules to avoid public comment, We have to continue until a motion is made to adjourn in the order as prescribed by the rules of order and procedure.

40:28 – 41:01Speaker 10

Very well. I think what, and I'm just going to interpret, the question was asked, should the meeting proceed if there's no business? It's not a matter of whether or not public comments will be permitted. I don't believe anybody has an issue with public comments. But the question is, absent, would you all need to come to order? Otherwise, I'm going to ask you all to leave. So public comments, but the question is, after public comments, then, do people wish to carry on with a meeting with no business? The chair recognizes Alderman Beal.

41:02Speaker 14

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, after public comment, I do have business that we need to attend to.

41:07Speaker 10

Oh, okay. Well, then there we have it.

41:09 – 41:24Speaker 8

The chair recognizes Alderman Vasquez. Thank you, Mr. President. One, just wanted to be kind of a roll call, but two, I had a question related to items on agreed calendar as we had resolutions that might pass in this meeting. So is that something that would move forward as part of business?

41:25 – 41:46Speaker 10

Okay, well, I think we've already determined that business will proceed. So thank you. It's just a question. All right. The chair recognizes Alderman Hall. I'd like to be added to the roll. Yes, please add Alderman Hall. Alderman Hall and Vasquez to the quorum roll call. All right. Are there any other orders that wish to be added to the quorum roll call? Very well, Mr. Clerk.

41:48 – 42:06Speaker 11

The council will now begin the public comment period, which is limited to a maximum of 30 minutes. Each speaker is limited to three minutes. Speakers cannot yield or transfer their time to another speaker. Any written comments that have been submitted will be posted and made available for automatic review. Our first speaker this morning is George Blakemore.

42:11 – 43:49Speaker 18

Good morning. A non-functional government. A non-functional government. The mayor and these 50 aldermen. Non-functional government. And you know that this is supposedly a part-time job, but they get paid full-time money. over $100,000 more expense, and all they can steal. They are all corrupt here. A non-functional government, the black ones, the white ones, the Hispanic, the Asian, all of them is no check in balance. Now, what is their political party? They're all Democrats. They're all Democrats. All my life, I've been a Democrat. But when I was looking at this non-functional government here, I decided to change. And I said, President Trump, come here and clean up this swamp. And then they had a go raid and then flip raid. Why are you doing this, Mr. Blakemore? Revenge. I'm doing it because of revenge. A non-functioning government like communist China, fascist Germany, or Russia. No chicken.

43:49Speaker 19

One party system. That's no good.

43:54 – 45:08Speaker 18

What does it do, Mr. Blakemore? It breeds waste, fraud, and abuse. And they all, look while I'm talking, you see this man right here, O'Shea, and then look at Mr. Hall down here. They disrespect us, especially the people in the black community with this taxation without representation. Sit down, O'Shea, sit down. We're out in Devlin. All of y'all, all of you are disrespectful. When the public comes to speak, you must keep quiet and play like you're listening to the public speaker. I think you're a bully. I think I told you, called you out. Now you're looking at me. We got to call them out. One by one, we got to call them out. One by one, by name. All of them. And did you know this country was built on violence? The French Revolution, the American Revolution. Mr. Blakemore, how can you get them all out? Uh-huh. How can you get them all out? What did the colonists do to Great Britain?

45:09Speaker 19

Did they vote them out?

45:10Speaker 18

Did they try to communicate with the Boston people? They threw them out.

45:19Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker this morning is Zoe Lee.

45:35 – 48:37Speaker 19

The bogus budget that's trying to be passed today through the Committee on Finance because Christmas is next week. Just know we will be working hard to unsee all of you. It's time to clean house and our volunteer list is growing every day. The budget is not for the working class and not for small businesses to grow. Only more money. Tax increment financing, TIF, sent to CPS to continue harming our children. That's why we must come for the disgraced 50 and the pitiful 20. It's an uncomfortable truth. Now, Brandon, you have really embarrassed the city. You really do not know what you're doing. You don't care and you're arrogant and you act like you a baddie. You act like we owe you. Tell Mayor Stacey Davis Gates, Gates Davis, whatever her name is, to tell you to step down and get somebody else in here to save our city. You can't tax any corporations because we don't have any corporations. Y'all killed them through COVID. Okay, so you really owe them something. If you want to tax corporations, let's talk about these real estate corporations. Wells Fargo. Wells Fargo should be paying out the A for black people. If you want to talk about corporations, you're not laying off anybody, but you're going to raise them raises that nobody should get no raise. Nobody should get a raise. That's crazy. No boat yacht tax. No tax period. The migrant crisis, that's what you needed to talk about. That $2.2 billion that you and the progressive Hispanic KKK caucus stole. Let's talk about the COVID-19 surplus money. Let's talk about that epidemiology money. Let's talk about that line item for that $220 million in this 2026 budget that you put in 2024 for new arrivals. When I'm homeless, because you won't settle my case because you arrogant, because you a baddie. You a Tony Preckwinkle. Why Tony Preckwinkle just spent a million dollars on a new home? Why y'all property taxes going up through the roof? Trump, the beautiful African ladies in Chicago, we need your help. We need your help and we need you to bring the feds. Federal oversight. We need federal oversight because they stealing black people's property. And he's doing it with the Lions then. Joshua Davis, Stephen Davis, the mother.

48:39Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Alex Goldberg.

49:01 – 49:49Speaker 24

Good morning. I'm going to do a dramatic reading of a Sun Times article from Friday in the voice of an appalled billionaire. Chicago's head tax was long called a job killer, but is there evidence to back that up? A WBZ analysis of employment data finds a lack of evidence that Chicago's previous head tax or its repeal is to blame for job trends in Chicago and sheds light on who the mayor's new proposal could affect by Mariah Wolfel and Amy Quinn, December 12th, 2025. For as long as I've been alive, Chicago's employer head tax has been derided in one colorful way or another as a job killer. In 2011, when the city council voted to slash and repeal the policy by 2014, former mayor Rahm Emanuel plotted the council members and declared the head tax is a job killer.

49:50Speaker 16

That's right.

49:51 – 51:55Speaker 24

A WBZ analysis of city tax data and publicly available economic data reviewed by four economic and labor experts found a lack of evidence that Chicago's previous head tax or its repeal is to blame for job loss or growth in Chicago. WB's analysis sheds light on who would potentially be affected by Johnson's proposal. Less than 1% of all licensed businesses in Chicago, roughly 20% of jobs at companies across the city, and companies where an average salary is estimated to be roughly $110,000 per year. Johnson had argued that those costs to large companies are worth the revenue from attacks earmarked for community safety programs that have played a role in historic reductions in Chicago's violent crime. Civic Fed, no, Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson, Joe Ferguson has seen compelling evidence that would constitute calling the head tax, has not seen evidence to constitute the head tax a job killer. Everybody asked the question, he said, and the answer is no, I haven't seen it. If the head tax had been designed differently to actually encompass all employers, I would be more concerned about it being a job killer than the way it is currently designed, said Audrey Guo, an economist at Santa Clara University. When Rahm Emanuel worked to kill the head tax, The union representing librarians, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, urged Emanuel and the city council to reverse course. The defense of a corporate tax giveaway while suggesting that working folks take a pay cut is out of step with most people's values. AFSCME spokesman Andrews Lindell told the Chicago Tribune at the time, why should the men and women who make our libraries run bear the funding shortfall alone? Mayor Rahm Emanuel's priorities look a lot more like those of the president's anti-union budget-slashing protect-the-wealthy political opponents.

51:55Speaker 12

That sounds about right.

51:58Speaker 24

The evidence is resounding. The head tax is not a job killer.

52:05Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Zitlali Adameh.

52:24Speaker 7

I'm so sorry, what was that name again?

52:27Speaker 11

Zidlali Adame. Our next speaker is Dominic Kepias.

52:44 – 55:44Speaker 7

Good morning, everyone. Mayor Alders. My name is Dominic Coppias. I am the general manager of SmokeStation in Logan Square, and I came here again today to once again urge you not to pass the Quinn Hemp Ban and to tax and regulate, not ban, hemp. Some quick facts. I told you all last week that your press release says 88,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually. Well, the CDC's own figures put that estimate at 178,000 for 2024. Alcohol, according to the CDC, is the most commonly used substance among people 12 and older. Now, there have been no documented deaths from marijuana, from cannabis, and certainly not from hemp. Why are we even talking about banning a substance when we tax and regulate a substance that is demonstrably more dangerous to our children in our communities? We have tens of thousands of liquor stores in Chicago. We have no problem regulating this. Now, I'm not against alcohol. I'm a drinker. But we must treat our regulations with reason, not rhetoric, and not demagoguery. Let me show you a quick story with one of my regulars. Her name is Miriam. She and her mother live in severe chronic pain and only the strong edibles that hemp stores sell give them any relief. Dispensaries are prohibited from selling cannabinoids with strength in that capacity, in that quantity. You can't get over 100 milligrams from a dispensary that, I'm sorry, for people with severe pain, that's just not enough. Looks like I have plenty of time. My god, I'm faster than I thought. Now, everyone, I'm going to speak a bit off the cuff here with the 50 seconds that I have. Look, we sell hemp to regular people. We card every single individual. We have never sold hemp to anyone under 21. I warn people when they ask for my strong stuff, for the strong edibles and the strong flower dye cell, to be careful to only do this when you have weight tolerance. I point them to a milder product. if I don't think they'll be able to handle what they're looking at. And frankly, I do not appreciate being called shady when we have certificates of authenticity, excuse me, COAs.

55:46Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker this morning is Marla Bramble.

56:01 – 59:05Speaker 5

Hi, good morning, Mayor, City Council. I've had the pleasure, and sometimes not pleasure, of coming here for years. I've been fighting to work to improve Chicago residents' lives, bringing affordable housing, community safety, health care, and dozens of issues that, frankly, if we weren't organizing, wouldn't happen in this city, and you know it. I've worked with many of you here in this council over many, many years. We fought side by side, and I want to believe that many of us still share these values together. So today I'm here supporting the Protect Chicago budget. We need to keep moving in this direction. The community safety surcharge, doesn't only protect people who benefit from the programs that it funds. It benefits all of Chicago. For years, we've been hearing people say, Chicago is so dangerous. No one wants to live here. Everyone's moving out. The businesses are moving out. while violence still happens and none is ever okay, the statistics are trending downward. Why would we not fund programs that help continue on this track? Why would we stop doing what we know works? We're finally seeing statistics that we haven't seen in decades. And we need money to pay for it, just like everything. We're talking about, for the corporate head tax, we're talking about the top 1% of corporations. With the adjusted numbers of who pays for this, taking this to corporations that have over 500 employees, y'all, this isn't small business. These are multi-million, multi-billion dollar corporations. It is less than two cents on the dollar for them. People don't even have pennies in their pocket anymore. That's how irrelevant it's become. Not the people who are working there. And the salaries that are most affected are over $100,000. What are we really talking about? Do we want to see violence continue so that we can have a reason to continue to fight for draconian measures? Is that really the agenda? I really encourage you to think about when you came into office, when you were sworn into office and who you pledged to serve. Are you serving Chicagoans or are you serving corporations? Because the way our country is going, we're at risk of losing our democracy.

59:07 – 59:32Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Brenda Duncans. Our next speaker is Brenda Duncans. Our next speaker is Angie L.

59:49 – 1:02:52Speaker 25

Good morning, Mayor and members of City Council. My name is Angie, and I'm here with the Latino Union of Chicago. Across the city, black and brown workers who keep Chicago running are being pushed into dangerous informal labor markets with almost no protection. Day laborers and street vendors are routinely exposed to wage theft, discrimination, ICE targeting, and violence simply because they are looking for work and are brown. Hiring corners have become sites of fear and harm, where abuse and intimidation are normalized and accountability is absent. As Bobino, the face of fascism itself, returns to the city, the risks facing workers only intensify. At this moment, it is paramount that the city of Chicago offers workers dignified places to work, to look for work, and dignified working conditions, rather than leaving them exposed to violence, harassment, and exploitation. Because the city has failed, everyday residents have had to fill the gap. The Latino Union built a network of more than 100 volunteers who show up at hiring corners to accompany workers, deescalate conflict, and document harm. Neighbors stepped in because government protections were absent. While this volunteer network reflects the strength of our community, it also exposes a bleak reality, a clear gap in governmental responsibility. Safe Hiring Sites offers a real concrete alternative. They would provide indoor designated locations where workers can connect with employers safely, earn income with dignity, and access basic protections, especially during extreme weather and a period of heightened targeting of our communities. Without funding this initiative, exploitation will continue to happen. will continue to go unchecked, and workers will keep paying the price with their bodies, their wages, and their livelihoods. This is not a costly, unrealistic proposal. This safe hiring site pilot requires $500,000, less than a fraction of 1% of Chicago's budget, and can be funded through existing resources without cutting essential services. For such a modest investment, the city can reduce harm, limit liability, and bring stability to neighborhoods that are currently being ignored. Chicago depends on the labor of day laborers and street vendors. Yet at the moment, that labor is being exploited in fuel view of City Hall. For a city that prides itself on progressive values, leaving black and brown workers behind is not something to be proud. We urge the city to move forward and fund safe hiring sites. Thank you. And for the audience, over the summer, a lot of the hiring corners saw an insurge of Haitian immigrants there. So this is a black and brown issue. This affects our working class. And as you can see, xenophobia is rampant. There are day laborers right now on the street running from their lives. I just saw it in my group chat. We need government action.

1:02:53 – 1:03:06Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you very much. Our next speaker is Lanfetta Thomas.

1:03:15 – 1:06:19Speaker 4

Yes. Don't count this to my minutes, but black people are the freedmen of the descendants of slaves only. There's no such thing as black and brown if you're not acknowledging descendants of slaves only when you say black. But members of the council, Chicago is facing a $1.15 billion corporate fund deficit. That reality demands discipline and shared sacrifice, not gimmicks, not carve-outs, and not raises for people inside this building. Let's start with facts. The proposed $33 head tax raises about $80 million, less than 7% of the deficit, while discouraging hiring and hurting small businesses and nonprofits. It does not fix the problem. It distracts from it. If we want real solutions, we have to look at where the money is actually going. First, overtime. The CPD routinely budgets about $100 million for overtime and spends closer to $190 million. Instead of fixing this, the fiscal year 2006 proposal raises the overtime line to $200 million, normalizing overspending. Like the fire department, we need enforceable caps, pre-approval, event cost recovery, and civilian scheduling reforms Can conservatively save 100 to 150 million a year? Take this down, council, without reducing public safety. Second, wages and personnel costs. No one is calling for layoffs, but in a billion dollar deficit year, a one-year pause across the board raises for non-critical positions is responsible. Protect frontline workers and step increases, but pause blanket raises. That saves 120 to 180 million, and that pause must include this body. Each alder person earns about $142,000 a year. A typical COLA adds roughly $7,000 per alderman, over $350,000 annually across the council, compounding into future budgets. In a deficit year, no alderman elected or appointed... should receive a raise. That's about credibility. Third, contracts. Chicago spends billions annually on vendors. Targeted rebidding and consolidation in high-cost categories like IT, security, and facilities can generate $150 to $200 million without cutting services. Fourth, program audits. Since 2020, many programs expanded using temporary federal funds. Those dollars are gone. But the calls remain. A 90-day outcomes audit and sunset process can save $150 million while protecting core services. Now, CPS. CPS budgets for $370 million in TIF surplus support, yet the proposal says $552 million That's 173 more than planned with no conditions. That excess should be redirected to stabilize the city budget. CPS has acknowledged the ability to make $175 million payment back to the city, which should be formalized and tied to efficiency reforms. That's $348 million without cutting classrooms. Finally, revenue without taxing jobs. High value real estate transaction tiers and enforcement of existing business taxes can raise $150 to $250 million added up in that

1:06:19 – 1:07:09Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired. Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired. Thank you very much for your comments. Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired. Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Brianna Champion.

1:07:28 – 1:09:56Speaker 6

Good morning, everyone. We are disappointed. We are all disappointed by how agreeing on this budget has been a fight that has divided seemingly connected members of city council from each other and from the communities that you represent. Some of you ran on similar platforms and have the same values. Years ago, I remember being a much younger organizer in this city, a time before some of you occupied the seats that you are in today, and I looked up to you. I've worked alongside you in some instances, and fighting for the many and not the few was a value we shared. What happened since then? You know there is no evidence to show that a corporate hair tax is a job killer. That argument only serves the interest of those who stand to benefit, and that is not the majority of Chicagoans. I understand nuance, and we know there will be give and take throughout this budget process, but the facts are very clear. It's been two months since the Protect Chicago budget has been proposed. Does this alternative proposal even have viable revenue solutions in it? It honestly appears to have been a rushed attempt to not tax very large businesses, and that is dangerous policy practice. You cannot claim to champion public safety and be supporting this alternative package. It should not be this hard to agree on common sense solutions. There are other aspects of this budget, and we need to move on to that. There are only two weeks before the implications are dire. Organizing works, we've seen it year after year, even in these past few weeks, and important concessions happen when we do the work. You all have a lot of organizing to do amongst yourselves and the communities you represent, not just billionaire funders or large corporations. Please have courage in this moment and stand up for your neighbors that are in economic crisis. Thank you to the Alders who have been courageous so far. Thank you.

1:09:58 – 1:10:17Speaker 11

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Zidlali Adame. Our next speaker is Brenda Duncans. Your Honor, there are no further speakers who have timely signed up for the public comment.

1:10:18Speaker 10

Very well, thank you for all the public comments. There are two members that wish to participate remotely, but before we get to them, Chair recognizes Alder Fuentes.

1:10:28Speaker 13

Good morning, Mr. President. I would like to be acknowledged for the purposes of quorum. Thank you.

1:10:31Speaker 10

Very well, please add Alder Fuentes to the quorum roll call. The Chair recognizes Rodriguez-Sanchez.

1:10:39Speaker 2

Mr. President, I would like to be added to the roll, please.

1:10:42Speaker 10

Very well, please add alder rodriguez Sanchez to the quorum, please. There are two members that the chair recognizes alder clay.

1:10:51Speaker 3

Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to be recognized for quorum.

1:10:53 – 1:11:08Speaker 10

Very well, please add alder woman clay to the quorum roll call. The chair recognizes alder woman Coleman be recognized to be added to the quorum. Well, Mr. Clerk, please add alder woman Coleman to the quorum roll call. The chair recognizes alderman Robinson.

1:11:09Speaker 24

Be added for roll call, thank you.

1:11:11 – 1:11:26Speaker 10

Very well, please add Alderman Robinson as well. The two Alders that are wishing to participate remotely for reasons stated in Rule 59 are Alders Haddon. Mr. Clerk, could you confirm Alder Haddon?

1:11:27Speaker 11

Alder Haddon, are you there? Present. Alderman Haddon is present.

1:11:33 – 1:12:00Speaker 10

Okay, and was there anyone else? We already have Harris. Ramirez already? All right, can I get a motion for Alder Haddon to participate in today's meeting remotely? It's been moved. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. Any opposed, say nay. And the people in the chair, the ayes have it. Thank you. Resolutions, we do not have any. Next up, communications.

1:12:02 – 1:13:08Speaker 11

The Honorable Anna M. Valencia, City Clerk, hereby informs the City Council that the following documents were filed in her office relating to the respective subjects designated as follows. Selection of CPS HR consulting to create Inspector General qualified candidate pool. And the Office of Inspector General's report on Chicago's Police Department's discipline implementation options and record keeping. City Clerk Valencia also informs the City Council that ordinances authorizing the imposition of tax levies, approval of budgets, and execution of service provider agreements for special service areas 3 and 59-2022, which were passed by the City Council on December 10th, 2025, and which were requested to be published in special pamphlet form, were published in special pamphlet form on December 11th, 2025. City Clerk Valencia also informs the City Council that the ordinance amending an ordinance regarding the acquisition of property at 11414 South Halstead Street from Albertson, LLC for use by the City as a migrant shelter, which was passed by the City Council on December 10, 2025, and which was requested to be published in special pamphlet form, was published in special pamphlet form on December 11, 2025. Your Honor, that concludes the reports and communications from the mayor and other city officers.

1:13:08Speaker 10

Very well, thank you. We don't have any committee reports either. Matters of the agreed-upon calendar, the chair recognizes Autowoman Dow.

1:13:17 – 1:13:42Speaker 16

Thank you, Mr. President. I have received from the city clerk, Anna Valencia, a total of 40 items proposed for the agreed calendar consisting of congratulatory, commemorative, and tributary items. Tributary resolutions from Clerk Valencia and the following alderman persons, Alderman Lopez, Alderman Fuentes, Alderman Vasquez, and Alderman Silverstein. I move passage of the agreed calendar in the omnibus.

1:13:42Speaker 10

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Now for new business, the clerk will call the awards beginning with the 50th.

1:13:53 – 1:16:17Speaker 11

Zoning amendments which are referred to the committee on zoning landmarks and building standards. Traffic regulations, traffic control signals and traffic signs which are referred to the committee on pedestrian and traffic safety. Exemption from physical barrier requirements for commercial driveway alley access for parking facilities which are referred to the committee on transportation and public way. Alderperson Mitz has a proposed ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 37th Ward allowance account to the automatic expense account for the year 2025, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Conway has two proposed orders for the issuance of permits for signed signboards at 400 South Wells Street, which are referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Conway also has a proposed ordinance for clarification of the original 2019A bond ordinance regarding authorization and debt issuance, which is referred to the Committee on Finance. Alderperson Ervin has a proposed ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 28th Ward automatic expense account to the wage allowance account for the year 2025. And also an amendment for the annual appropriation ordinance, the transfer funds from the 28th Ward automatic expense account to the wage allowance account for the year 2025, both which are referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Coleman has proposed Orders for Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-023 to allow additional package with licenses on portions of West Garfield Boulevard, which is referred to Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Alderperson Lopez has proposed Orders for Amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-32 by adding a new Section 2-32-145 regarding employee back pay An event of annual appropriation ordinance is not enacted, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Beall has proposed an ordinance for amendment of the MISPA code section 4-108-080 regarding filling station hours of operation, which is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Alderperson Robinson has proposed an ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the fourth ward automatic expense account to the wage allowance account for the year 2025, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Laspada and others have proposed orders for appropriations for expenditures and amounts levied for the fiscal year 2026, which is referred to the Committee on Finance. Alderperson Laspada and others also have proposed orders for amendment of the 2026 Budget Recommendations, Revenue Estimates, and Expenditures, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Your Honor, that concludes the presentation of automatic introductions.

1:16:17 – 1:16:29Speaker 10

Very well, thank you, Mr. Clerk. For the approval of the adjournal, we don't have A journal to be approved for today. Unfinished business. The chair recognizes Alderman Mitchell.

1:16:29Speaker 15

Mr. President, I'm not aware of any unfinished business.

1:16:31Speaker 10

Very well. For miscellaneous business, Alderman Mitchell.

1:16:34Speaker 15

I'm not aware of any miscellaneous business either.

1:16:36 – 1:16:47Speaker 10

Thank you. And for the date and time of the next meeting, which has been previously set by ordinance. Thank you very much. President? Yes, the chair recognizes Alderman Bales.

1:16:47 – 1:18:04Speaker 14

President, I would like to offer up a substitute resolution to amend the current schedule for the next few city council meetings, if we can get that passed out. Hopefully, we don't need to.

1:18:04 – 1:18:17Speaker 11

Maybe we just schedule.

1:19:07 – 1:19:18Speaker 10

Does everyone have a copy? Chair recognizes Alderman Bill.

1:19:18 – 1:19:32Speaker 14

Thank you, Mr. President. It appears everybody has a copy, so I move to substitute the regular schedule that was previously passed with the substitute that is before us, and I move for a roll call vote.

1:19:32Speaker 10

Burke, well, the chair recognizes Alderman Ervin.

1:19:36Speaker 12

Thank you, Mr. President. I just wish to confirm with Alderman Silverstein that we have no objection of meeting on Saturday the 20th.

1:19:46 – 1:20:03Speaker 10

Very well. I can't answer that. The question has been raised to me to get to you, Alderman Silverstein. Do you object to the Saturday meeting? Chair recognizes Alderman Silverstein.

1:20:09Speaker 26

Yes, I do object to Saturday. Very well.

1:20:12 – 1:20:34Speaker 26

No, I'm sorry. Sorry. I'm sorry. I am aware that we have a budget crisis and that this budget needs to be resolved by the end of the year. So as much as I will not be present on Saturday, if this council needs to do what's best for the city, then I do not object.

1:20:36Speaker 10

So no longer an objection from the alder of the 50th Ward. Thank you, Alderman Irvin. The chair recognizes Alderman Beal.

1:20:43 – 1:21:09Speaker 14

Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, before this was done, we have talked with Alderman Silverstein, and we are definitely sensitive to her religion and what goes with that. However, we're hoping that if things move accordingly, that we won't need a Saturday meeting. But this is just in case for emergency purposes only in order to move forward.

1:21:09Speaker 10

There's a motion on the floor to amend the substitution. It's a roll call vote has been asked for this vote.

1:21:19Speaker 10

The roll call is in order. Thank you, Madam Clerk. We'll provide the e-vote application to record your vote at this time.

1:21:38 – 1:22:54Speaker 20

voting is now open voting is all now open if you're having difficulty please raise your hand Okay. I will now call on those who have not yet cast their vote. Alderperson Robinson. Alderperson Robinson is a no. Alderwoman Harris. Alderwoman Ramirez.

1:22:56Speaker 20

Alderwoman Ramirez is a no. Alderwoman Coleman. Alderman Coleman is a yes. Alderman Mosley?

1:23:06Speaker 20

Alderwoman Harris is a yes. Alderwoman Harris is a yes. Alderman Mosley?

1:23:15Speaker 20

Alderman Mosley is a no. Alderperson Fuentes? Alderperson Fuentes is a no. Alderwoman Haddon?

1:23:27Speaker 20

Alderwoman Haddon is a no. Alderwoman Silverstein. Alderwoman Silverstein is a yes.

1:23:49Speaker 20

Voting is now closed.

1:23:53Speaker 10

There are 30 yeas, 19 nays. The amendment passes. On the motion to reconsider, Alderman Mitchell.

1:24:01Speaker 15

Mr. President, I move to reconsider.

1:24:03Speaker 10

All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying aye. Any opposed say nay. All right, this motion fails. For the omnibus.

1:24:13 – 1:24:34Speaker 15

Mr. President, I move that matters in the omnibus be passed by the first most favorable roll call vote by the Committee on Police and Fire and the associated... One second. I move that matters in the anonymous be passed by voice vote.

1:24:35 – 1:24:59Speaker 10

Very well. There's been a motion to pass the omnibus by voice vote. All those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed say no. The motion passes. Alderman Mitchell, for the motion to reconsider. Motion to reconsider the vote. All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying aye. Any opposed say no. The opinion of the chair, this motion fails. Very well. Now for the motion for adjournment. Alderman Mitchell.

1:24:59Speaker 15

Mr. President, there being no further business before this body, I move that we adjourn.

1:25:03 – 1:25:26Speaker 10

There are no objections to order. The meeting is adjourned. But Alderman Dow has an announcement.

1:25:28 – 1:25:40Speaker 17

Yes, just wanted to remind the members of the Finance Committee that we have a meeting immediately following this meeting. I know we started at 11 and it's after 11. So I just wanted to say, please stay gathered. Thank you.

1:25:40Speaker 10

Very well. Thank you, Chairwoman.

This transcript was automatically generated from the official public meeting video and is presented unedited. It reflects remarks made on the public record by elected officials, staff, and public commenters. Transcript accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.