City Council - Regular Meeting

we'll begin shortly please remember to log into your devices if you need assistance it will be made available thank you remain seated at all times except one when entering or exiting the gallery two when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for that purpose or three when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the city council profane threatening harassing abusive or defamatory behavior or speech which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet waving of arms throwing any item whistling booing shouting or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. four backpacks large bags and sealed packages clear bags not tinted in color that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 are permitted and subject to search and five firearms ammunition fireworks laser pointers stun guns tasers mace pepper spray and toy weapons cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode can only be used while seated and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the Sergeant-at-Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery, two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for that purpose, or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the city council. profane threatening harassing abusive or defamatory behavior or speech which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet waving of arms throwing any item whistling booing shouting or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant-at-arms such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. 4. Backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages. Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12, are permitted and subject to search. And 5. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode. can only be used while seated and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the city council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery. Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting, set aside for that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the City Council. profane threatening harassing abusive or defamatory behavior or speech which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet waving of arms throwing any item whistling booing shouting or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.

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

ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the Sergeant-at-Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery. Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting, set aside for that purpose. 3. When asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive, or defamatory behavior or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant-at-arms, may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. is not permitted disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet waving of arms throwing any item whistling booing shouting or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant-at-arms such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. 4. Backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages. Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12, are permitted and subject to search. And 5. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode. can only be used while seated and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the city council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery. Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting, set aside for that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the city council. profane threatening harassing abusive or defamatory behavior or speech which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting is not permitted. Disruptive or distracting actions, such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms, throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other loud utterances, are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair, or the sergeant at arms, such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting. Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. 4. Backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages. Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12, are permitted and subject to search. And 5. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode. can only be used while seated and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the city council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery. Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting, set aside for that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the City Council. profane, threatening, harassing, abusive, or defamatory behavior, or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair, or the sergeant at arms, may lead to a breach of the peace, or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. is not permitted disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet waving of arms throwing any item whistling booing shouting or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting Any item that poses a potential safety hazards, as determined by the sergeant at arms, is prohibited in the gallery. Such items include, but are not limited to, 1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. 4. Backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages. Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12, are permitted and subject to search. And 5. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode. can only be used while seated and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the sergeant at arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the city council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one, when entering or exiting the gallery. Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting, set aside for that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the City Council. profane, threatening, harassing, abusive, or defamatory behavior, or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair, or the sergeant at arms, may lead to a breach of the peace, or disrupt the orderly conduct of the meeting. is not permitted. Disruptive or distracting actions, such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms, throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other loud utterances, are not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms. Such actions are disrupting or... Good morning, members of the City Council.

The meeting will begin shortly. Please remember to log into your devices. Thank you.

1. Any pointed objects, including knives of any kind. 2. Banners, flyers or other forms of signage. 3. Food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters. 4. Backpacks, large bags and sealed packages. Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12, are permitted and subject to search. 5. Firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun guns, tasers, mace pepper spray, and toy weapons. Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that does not interfere with the ability other individuals to view or hear the proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant-at-Arms. City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings 2023-2027 Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order and Procedure, the Sergeant-at-Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees. All individuals and their belongings are subject to certain conditions.

Good morning, everyone. Good morning, good morning. City Council will be starting shortly. Can I please have everyone to start taking their seats? City Council will be starting shortly. Can I please have everyone to start taking their seats? Thank you.

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

Good morning. Good morning. The quorum roll call is now open. The quorum roll call is now open. Please log into your device. The roll call is now open. If you need help, please raise your hand. If you need support, please raise your hand.

Do we have quiet in the chambers, please? Could you please bring your voices down in the chambers, please? Could you just hold your conversations in the chambers, please? Thank you.

I will now call on those that have not used the e-device. Alderperson La Spada, not present in Chambers. Alderwoman Dow. Dow is present. Alderman Robinson, not present in Chambers. Alderman Yancey, not present in Chambers. Alderman Hall, not present in Chambers. Alderman Mitchell. Mitchell is present. Alderman Harris. Harris is present. Alderman Beal. Not present in Chambers. Alderwoman Ramirez. Ramirez is present. Alderwoman Coleman. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Curtis. Curtis is present. Alderman O'Shea. O'Shea is present. Alderman Mosley. Mosley is present. Alderman Scott. Scott is present. Alderperson Fuentes. Fuentes is present. Alderman Beal. Beal is present. Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez. Rodriguez-Sanchez is present. Alderman Mitz. Mitz is present. Alderman Vasquez. Not present in Chambers. Alderman Napolitano. Napolitano is present. Alderman Riley. Riley is present. Alderwoman Clay. Not present in Chambers. Alderwoman Silverstein. Silverstein is present. Clay is not present. Clay is not present. Silverstein is present. Coleman is present. Anyone else I missed walking in? All right. The quorum is now closed.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. There are 44 present. We do have a quorum. There are a couple of members that have requested to participate in today's meeting remotely for reasons stated in Rule 59. Madam Clerk, can we confirm Alder Zianci and Laspada are with us virtually?

Alderman Laspada. Present. The spot is present. Alderman Yancey.

Present.

Yancey is present.

Very well. Can I get a motion to approve the remote participation and have them added to the roll call? Been moved. All those in favor, signify by saying aye. If anyone opposed, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. Madam Clerk, please make sure that you can add them to the quorum roll call. Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. 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. Please remain standing for our invocation this morning, which will be delivered by Reverend Leon Perry from Metropolitan Community Church.

Gracious and eternal God, we pause in this moment to say thank you. Thank you for the leaders gathered in this room for their willingness to serve and the responsibility that you have entrusted to them. We honor the call upon their lives to lead with integrity, wisdom, and compassion. Grant them guidance in every decision, clarity in every discussion, and unity in every effort. Empower them to reflect the voices and the needs of the entire community, remembering that they have been called to serve with fairness, humility, and purpose. protect each person here, their families, and all under their care. Let this meeting be marked by respect, productivity, and shared commitment to the greater good. In your mercy, hear our prayers and incline your ear unto us all and grant your peace. Amen.

Amen. Please be seated. This is the portion of the meeting for public comments. Mr. Clerk.

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 Jordan Mohammed.

Good morning. We deserve better healthcare facilities for South Chicago. We need a facility that has the level of healthcare that is needed with a maternity ward and a trauma center. Why do we need a quantum facility for that? This hospital is a carrot and is not even what we need. Stop limiting our options. I am a resident of South Chicago in the 10th Ward, down the street from the Southworks site. I am here today with Southside Together and the community over Quantum Campaign. The Quantum facility will cause displacement. Developers are coming for our homes. They're going to take our homes. And that is horrible. Nobody should be displaced like I was. Nobody should be homeless like I was. I was displaced from the area by a fire in 2005 and returned in 2020. At the time, my daughter was a teenager, and I had been trying to find a place for us for a long time. I finally found it. She was happy. I was happy. The building was right on the corner of 90th and Commercial. It really hurt me. It took something out of me. I got displaced mentally and emotionally as much as physically. I wound up homeless. I came back because I wanted my family, my daughter and six grandchildren to be in a community that we care about and that cares about us. But now you are trying to destroy my community with a quantum computing facility. You shouldn't have to use Lake Michigan water to keep this facility cool. But you will. The filtration system we have right now is not equipped to handle the toxins that are about to come out of that property. The entire city of Chicago is going to be affected by this. This is going to be an eco problem that goes way past Chicago and affects other states and places as well. This shouldn't even be legal. This is immoral. This is against God's land. You never asked if this was okay. I wasn't invited to any community meetings on whether or not South Chicago and South Shore wanted the facility. I really love my community. The people who live in South Chicago are rooted here. We have spent a lot of money and taxes on our neighborhood. People have spent money in order to keep their properties up. My neighbors have worked hard for many years You have homes where there are four or five generations who have lived in the community. It's home to them. It's home to me. It's a feeling of family.

Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired. Thank you. Our next...

Clerk, Mr. Clerk, ma'am, I know she didn't get a chance to finish her statement. If she provides the rest of that statement with one of my staff members, I'm happy to read it, okay? Could we make sure, Kennedy, please?

Our next speaker this morning is Deborah Lawson.

Good morning, and I'd like to say a happy birthday to Mayor Harold Lee Washington. Today is his birthday. Whereas the folklore is that drumming on the Chicago Lakefront started in Brownsville on 31st Street area in the early 50s. Whereas there we moved to Promontory Point, which is around 55th and Lakeshore Drive. Subsequently, we moved further south to 63rd Street Beach and Jackson Park in the early 60s. Whereas the drummers were met with hostility and opposition, yet they were resilient and determined to make the drums echo through the black community. Whereas the honorable Harold Mayer Washington, the first black man to be elected Chicago Mayor, 63rd Street Beach Circle is a cultural site. Whereas we are passionate about preserving the Drum Circle as an important contribution to healing and heritage of the community protecting drummers at 63rd Street Beach. Whereas this is to ensure that this area is protected from potential demolition and redevelopment by the Chicago Power District. Whereas in 2008, 63rd Street Beach Drum Circle was officially recognized by the Metropolitan Planning Council. Whereas we resolve, we, the mayor of the city of Chicago, hereby honor this legacy and the contributions of this historical iconic circle. Ancestor drummers, Mr. Spencer Bibb, Mr. Oyegbisi, Mr. Percy Coleman, Oshamo, Mr. Greg Kamuch, Mr. Joe Frost, Master Henry Gibson, Mr. Godfield Taylor, King George, Mr. Atiba Walker, Mr. Yonatan, The living drummers are Mr. Frederick Petos Alexander, Mr. Harold Currington, Mr. Royce A. Cunningham, Mr. Rick Currington, Mr. Robert F. Plum, Mr. Luther Gray, Ms. Pia Mina, Mr. Silas King, Mr. Michael Washington, Ms. Deborah Lawson, Mr. Lorenzo Loving, and Mr. Mosley, Mr. Richard Mosley, Moose Island Drummaker. I'm here to represent 63rd Street Beach Drummers and to preserve this historic circle because it is very important to the community. I've gotten so much love and response through my Drum Circle page on Facebook, and I really appreciate y'all's acknowledgement of the drummers. They have been drumming out here for over 70 years. And I felt that it was very important for me to come down here and get acknowledgement for the drummers from the city of Chicago. Thank you so much.

Our next speaker this morning is Grant Sherber. Our next speaker this morning is Dashana Irving.

I'm here. Good morning.

What's your name?

Dashay Irving. My name is Dashay Irving. I work at Bally's Chicago Casino and Food Services. I am a lifelong

I am a lifelong Chicagoan, and I live in the 17th Ward.

I am also a member of Unite Here Local 1, Chicago's hospitality union. I am here to oppose the attempt to speed up the video game terminal license at the city level. I was hired at Bally's in September of 2023, and we have made these good jobs. Our Unite Here members at Bally's have union benefits, union health care, pensions, legal services, apprenticeship training, excellent wages, all in a union contract. The contract covers approximately 140 people, some who look like me and some who don't. Black, brown, white, immigrants, Chicagoans, people of all ages. When a permanent casino opens, there will be many more of us. The pattern is clear. As VGTs have expanded in our state, casino jobs like mine have declined. As a city, we shouldn't be trying to speed up the change that will eat away at our good hospitality jobs and reduce the number of future jobs at the permanent casinos. We should be trying to reduce the consequences for working people, not rushing the licensing terminals as fast as we can. We worked hard to get Chicago casinos right and get hospitality jobs back on track. Do not undo the work we did together. Valley Chicago casino workers are counting on you. Thank you.

Our next speaker this morning is Raelle Jackson.

Good morning. My name is Ryo Jackson. I am here in support of the Quantum Lab. I feel that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the city of Chicago to take part in groundbreaking technology, rather than be here than any other place in the world, to have the moral standards and the history of Chicago to help shape the programs that they are doing. Many may not realize that the U.S. Steel site has been left abandoned for like the last 30 years. My grandfather was a boiler maker. He worked for U.S. Steel. And I feel like to be able to use this space that was once dead is great. They are making commitments to environmental protections, which I think are great. And as long as they keep their commitments, I am definitely in support. What I'm excited the most about is bringing the most brilliant minds, the most brilliant scientists to our city to help develop this technology. They have already started programs to have inspired youth in the community. I want them to continue those programs and make commitments to help out the youth in South Shore, in greater South Shore, as well as the southeast side. I think that having those brilliant scientists can help expand the minds of our people. And, you know, it's unfortunate what is happening with the community development. I really want to acknowledge that. Hopefully we can have some type of opportunities for the people, the employment opportunities for the people in the community, as well as opportunities to keep them in their homes. I think that that is very important as well. But overall, having this space come to our city, I think it's the most groundbreaking thing in the world currently. And as we sit in the middle of an AI drone war, it's important for us to have our moral context and our history of people so they are aware that our people, are important, that the people of the world are important. And to be here in Chicago, I don't want them anywhere else. So thank you, Mayor, for your support. Thank you, Alderman Chico, for your support. And thank you, Alderman Mitchell, for your support. Although I'm not always in agreement with everything that everyone does, I think on this project, it's very important that we stick together and figure out ways to help our community. So thank you, guys. Thank you very much.

Our next speaker is Emily Choklis.

Good morning. My name is Emily Choklis, and I've lived in Chicago for seven years now. As a community member and an organizer with the Sierra Club, I support the Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance and urge city council to do the same for our health and our communities. The status quo that polluters need no pre-approval from the city before setting up shop in a neighborhood is failing our communities. And I don't like what it says about our priorities, that chemical plants, heavy metals recyclers, and industrial facilities can continue to pollute in the same communities regardless of the preexisting pollution burden that people living in the homes, trying to enjoy the parks, and going to the schools are already facing. The science is clear. Pollution in these zones is correlated with high asthma rates, cancer clusters, and illness from exposure to industrial toxins. My brother and mother both have asthma. There are too many of us who know what it is like to watch someone they love struggle to breathe. As long as I live, I will never be able to erase the image of my brother in the fetal position during an asthma attack. And I don't have asthma myself, but I do have anaphylactic allergies and unfortunately know what it feels like to fight to breathe and to know that I would have died without medical intervention. For these reasons and many more, if I had the power to vote for an ordinance that prioritizes health over polluting big business, I would, and I urge you to do the same. we have a right to breathe clean air when community members are not allowed to be part of decisions that impact our health and ultimately our lives we need to commit ourselves to changing that vote yes to ensure that we consider the total cumulative impact of new pollution and what it would all to consider the total cumulative impact of new pollution that would bring to an already heavily polluted area before approving new development projects. And lastly, please do all in your power to make a zoning chair appointment. We hope that whoever is appointed will call this in committee and understands the importance that it holds to all of us in your community. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Reagan Draper.

Good morning. My comment is addressed to City Council and to all tipped workers in the audience. I'm here to support the One Fair Wage Ordinance. My name is Reagan Draper. I am a resident of the 27th Ward, and I'm a bartender on the northwest side of Chicago, and I've been a tipped worker for the majority of my adult life. No one has paid for me to be here, but I am also a proud member of Chicago's vibrant and world-class hospitality community. This is important to me because hourly restaurant workers are very important to me. Every cent in our line of work matters. Every dollar per hour is counted in the winter and the slow season when we are relying on what we made in the summer or the busy season to make it through. My experience is one of many. We're an industry of people often left to defend ourselves with no large lobby group looking out for our interests of the lowest paid worker. Yet, we are the ones that feed this city and fuel our culture. Chicago is a food capital of the world because of restaurant worker labor. We deserve respect, and we deserve our pay. Not all tip workers can afford to take time off to be here right now because we depend on the whims of a tipped credit to survive. I would also like to note that the Illinois Restaurant Association circulated an email offering people $30 an hour to be here to vocalize support for suppressing our wages. If our wages were to be frozen, every tipped worker in Chicago would lose out on more than $3,000 in 2026 alone. I support Mayor Johnson's veto to overturn the freeze on the tipped wage increase. Restaurants are an ecosystem, and everyone who works inside them should be supported. If the goal is to help restaurants, the solution cannot be to reach into the pockets of our most vulnerable and ask them to subsidize businesses. There's so much creativity and brilliance in the Chicago industry. I refuse to believe that the only solution is to take money from workers. Our people must be the red line we refuse to cross. This is Chicago, a city that historically has been the center of the American labor movement, where workers are valued and respected. We must uphold this legacy for future generations and future workers. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments. Mr. Clerk, before you acknowledge our next public comment, I'd like to acknowledge Will Hall. Alderman Hall is here. Thank you. Add him to the roll call, please. Thank you. You can continue.

Our next speaker this morning is Sonia Brantia.

Hi, everyone. Good morning. Good morning. I am a lifelong South Shore resident from the Seventh Ward. My alderman is here today, Greg Mitchell. I want to address what was said earlier. Quantum is not for community. This technology makes us a target. This is a Department of Defense funded military project used only to decrypt and encrypt data, abroad and hyperlocal. This is further surveillance and destabilizing of community trust and safety. This land was left alone. The General Steele abruptly left the community with no jobs and without the dignity of resources that they fought for with their unions. They buried that debris, forever chemicals, heavy metals, and all those things that are still in the land today. And the communities and families, when you talk to them, they are still suffering from respiratory illnesses, from cancers, and from things that no human deserves. And this is an opportunity to do things different. I've always lived near the lake and had a close connection to the nature and the history of my culture and my community. I don't want to see my neighbors displaced or poisoned by what's already in the ground being dug up. The community is desolate and natural resources depleted because this project would pollute the lake without any care to future generations. My elders and homeowners alike have already been displaced because of the increase in energy bills and property taxes. This reminds me of the forced removal of indigenous people and the dignified sacrifice of health and community autonomy by the steel workers generation. I'm not going. Community is standing and staying strong and swift. to these coercive projects. As a resident, I'm urging the mayor to retroactively, that means pull it back up, and revoke the lake access and construction permits to block the upcoming computer permits. And for today, the Advocate Hospital, whose permit is being voted on today, to revoke it, to stop quantum now, because this is possible and in your power. to reallocate the billions of taxpayer money away from quantum and promise full remediation of the Southwark site. Because the reality is people are being poisoned now. And scientists have urged residents to avoid the park completely because covered skin and well-fitted respirators are not enough. And my alderman is here. Greg Mitchell, hello. I would like for you to apologize to the Seventh Ward because you have stocks with Kwanzaa. You have real estate. So you are actively benefiting.

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker this morning is Judith Ponseca.

Hello, my name is Judith. I am 25 years old and I am working in the restaurant industry for the past eight years. I am here to support the one fair wage ordinance. I am pursuing higher education to get a brighter future. I stand here to share that increasing wages would be not having to constantly stress about how well I afford my next semester since each semester comes to about $7,000 out of pocket after financial assistance has gone through. My transportation sums up to $120 per week since I commute every day to my school. Not forgetting that I have to cover my essentials, my health care and utility bills. A living wage for service workers means providing the equal opportunity to contribute society. I also become I also come on behalf of undocumented fellow co workers that fear to be present today due to the unsettling immigration concerns. Speaking on behalf of a single mother of three, that works extensive hours to ensure that she can make ends meet, struggling to decide between purchasing gas to be able to go to work or affording groceries for the week. As the cost of living increases, including tuition, food, rent, and taxes, I ask myself, what does my generation have to do to secure a better and safer future? What does it take to show the struggle for the people to support this motion? Should my education suffer due to the burden of not being able to withhold the debt that has been generated due to the lack of income? Or should a mother have to decide between financial support for her children or being able to be present in crucial moments of their lives? I urge all older people to stand with the service workers who are the backbone of our community. Thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Xenia Polozova.

Hello, my name is Genia Plozova. I'm here with Earthjustice, a national public interest environmental law organization. I'm here today to urge the city council to pass the cumulative impacts ordinance and select a zoning committee chair that is responsive to Chicagoans living and working where industry is concentrated. Time is of the essence because many of those Chicagoans struggle daily with asthma, respiratory illness, cancer, and other chronic illnesses directly tied to industrial toxins. Recently, I heard a woman speak about the heart-wrenching experience of losing her son to asthma when an episode took his life at only age 18. This tragic situation is one of many in frontline communities and speaks directly to what the Chicago Environmental Justice Network has been saying, that the cumulative health impacts from multiple pollution sources are profound and current fragmented approaches fail to address this issue. Reviewing outdated zoning laws with a cumulative impact lens provides a holistic understanding that will no longer exclude the health of Chicagoans. Existing practices are reflected in the 20H gap in life expectancy between residents on the north versus the south side, Chicago being the second most polluted city in the country last year, 71% of Illinois residents regularly breathing unsafe air by federal standards, and Cook County being in the top 1% of US counties in particulate matter 2.5 concentration, tiny particles that wreak havoc on our bodies when they enter our lungs and bloodstream. The ordinance assesses the total burden on a community before new industrial development so that every neighborhood in Chicago can be safeguarded from housing the majority of pollution. If a neighborhood is packed to the brim with industry, there will simply be an additional layer of scrutiny to determine if a proposed facility is better suited for another location. It does not mandate the automatic denial of industry. It only corrects the balance between safeguarding industry and the people of this city. Policy with any industry guardrails often faces pushback that it reduces jobs or development. It is not an anti-jobs or anti-development stance to oppose your community being a sacrifice zone for industrial toxins. Many of the ordinance proponents continue to call for jobs programs in the clean energy industry and others that protect our public health, such as the replacement of Chicago's lead service lines that a recent study found can create up to 90,000 jobs. Public health protection cannot be separated from economic progress. Illinois loses several billion dollars annually from just one pollutant, PM2.5, from missed days of work and hospital and emergency room visits among countless lives, asthma attacks, and other illness. I urge you all to support and advance the Cumulative Impacts Ordinance to protect Chicagoans. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Grant Sherber. Your Honor, there are no further speakers who have time.

This is Grant here.

Good morning. Good morning. My name is Grant. Hi. I have lived here in the South Chicago community in the 10th ward about all my life. I've lived here, raised a family in this community, little for something of everything or nothing. I'm here today with Southside together with the awareness for the community and concerns over the quantum facility. A year ago, I had a seizure and a stroke. And I'm here to speak to everyone today because God has gave me a purpose and a second chance. If it hadn't been for Trinity Hospital, I probably wouldn't even be here today. There's a lot of elderly people in this area. We deserve access to good quality health care, closing Trinity with certain needs. They're cutting down on a lot of treatments, and they're cutting back on services within the community. While you're going to take the taxes, you're taking away Walgreens and building facilities that meet the needs for the people, not the facility for the city. This quantum is something that we don't need right now because people need health care and we need a better way of life. I have a history with family in this area. My children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, sisters, brothers are in the neighborhood and living in the neighborhood. Is it what we want to do? Quantum has already started working on the grounds within the community. Next is the concerns of environment, air pollution and cost of living. and the impact of it. A lot of people that live over here are going to be impacted. This facility is going to use enough energy to power a third of the nuclear power plant. Somebody is going to have to pay for that. And most of that is going to be put off on the taxpayers. Our utility bills will go up. Our property taxes will go up. Our prices are already going up. And it's going to get even worse. The most hurtful thing about it is that a lot of people in the community don't even know about what is being built right now. I found out on my own. My alderman, my mayor, haven't talked to me. Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much for your comments.

Your honor. There are no further speakers who have timely signed up for the public.

Well, this concludes our public speaking portion of the meeting. If we just could for a moment, I would ask that this body along with members of the public that are joining us today to just pause for a moment of silence as we pray for the dear family as well as all individuals who have been impacted by gun violence. A moment of silence, please. Thank you. Before we get to our resolutions, there are a number of acknowledgements that we have today. First, I would like to congratulate Siraj Zaruni from the LaSalle II Magnet School. Yeah, let's give it up. So I would spell out congratulations. I thought it was funny, but I'm just going to just say congratulations. Sixth grader Siraj is this year's Chicago Public Schools Spelling Bee Champion. After getting knocked out in last year's competition, Siraj was determined to work smarter and not necessarily harder, but to come back stronger. And certainly embodies the spirit of resilience, ingenuity, and dedication. proudly representing the greatest city in the world, the national spelling bee in Washington, D.C. this May. So we'll all be rooting for Sharaj. And on behalf of the entire city, we wish you the best of luck. Please know that you have already made Chicago incredibly proud by working hard, committing to your education, and of course, investing in yourself. And that is already a win. To all of our CPS students who competed in this year's Spelling Bee, I congratulate all of you as well. Your participation is a true embodiment of who we are as a city. My administration proudly cheers on our city's young people, and we will continue to invest in our young people to make sure that they're successful. So again, congratulations to Raj, and go get them in D.C. All right, John Marshall High School boys basketball team, proud to congratulate Marshall High School of winning the state championship. You know, there's a lot to celebrate when it comes to this school. And, you know, this month, Marshall holding up that trophy ceremony representing the city of Chicago. But they are proud to represent the city of Chicago from the west side of the city of Chicago. As a former teacher and father, I know how important it is to recognize and celebrate our young people during their wins and keep them motivated so that they can continue to achieve their goals. So I do want to give a special shout out to Principal Poole, Coach Bedford, and the entire student athletes that are represented today. Listen, you all, congratulations. We are so proud of you. Thank you. We do have a couple of alders that want to acknowledge you with that. The proud representative of the Westside 28th Ward, Chairman Irvin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I think you were watching Hoop Dreams last night, and Coach Bedford was the one back in the 90s.

Yeah, I got it.

But again, let me just say this to all of you all here. This is the second championship from the Westside in the last two years. So not on the south side, not on the north side, but on the west side. We had last year Chicago Hope, this year we have Chicago Marshall. And next year we will continue to maintain our superiority in both the classroom and on the basketball court. We're bringing back another championship to the city of Chicago. And again, just want to thank the hard work for the students at Marshall High School. Again, the underrated underdogs. And it's something that, you know, from the West Side, we understand that always being underrated, always being the underdog, but damn it, coming out on top. Thank you, guys.

Very well. I got you. That's right. Thank you, Chairman Irvin, for reminding us that we never pay attention to poll numbers on the West Side. The chair recognizes Alderman Curtis from the West Side by way of the South Side.

From the West Side, give it up, Marshal Commandos. I, too, am an alumni from Marshall. I'm not going to tell you I graduated, but I will tell you that 45, Jesus Christ. But I will tell you that you guys are headed in a great direction. We were champions also with our girls and boys in the 80s. To Principal Poole, I saw him. Oh, there he is back there. Coach, you've done a great job with these guys. I'm so proud of you, and I'm proud to be a commando. Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. Congratulations again. Another acknowledgment. I am proud to congratulate Farragut Career Academy boys basketball team on making it to the state finals. Come on, let's give it up. This year's team made history by making it to the state finals. This achievement is no small feat. It took hard work, dedication, and drive. So I want to congratulate Coach Emmanuel Little, Athletic Director William Nelson, and all of the student-athletes for their hard work and their dedication to this season. Know that parents, friends, families, the entire city of Chicago, we're incredibly proud of you. And by way of the Southwest, we claim you on the West Side at Farragut as well. So congratulations again, you all. Thank you very much. Next, we have Alderman Robinson, who would like to acknowledge, yes, you ready to go? Alderman Robinson, who would like to acknowledge Mayor Harold Washington Day. Alderman Robinson.

Mr. Mayor, thank you very much. And good morning to my colleagues. It's really an honor to welcome the Harold Washington Legacy Committee to the City Council. If they can please stand. as we celebrate the life and legacy of Harold Washington's birthday. Mayor Washington, as we all know, was a transformative leader who led with integrity, courage, and a deep commitment to the people of Chicago. As we advance our resolution to designate April 15th as Harold Washington Day in the City of Chicago, we affirm our commitment, Mr. Mayor, to the values he championed for equity, inclusion, and opportunity for all. We are also honored to be joined today in the gallery by Ms. Walker, who I am extremely grateful to bring this honor to the city council today to again continue to advance the legacy of our great Harold Washington. Barbara Norman, Sandra Hall, Leah Trans-William, Cecilia Ice Mays, and Maggie West. Thank you for being here today and again for continuing to carry on the great legacy of Mayor Harold Washington. Thank you. Thank you.

Again, thank you, Alderman Robinson. Next, Alderwoman Lee would like to acknowledge Sikh Heritage Month. Chair recognizes Alderwoman Lee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise today in acknowledgement of Sikh American Heritage Month, as we've done every year since I've been in office. I'm so proud to be one of two representatives on the council that are Asian American in this time when there's still so much discrimination going on. I really want to acknowledge the work of the Sikh American community here in Chicago. We have with us members of the community. If you would please rise. Thank you so much, Mr. Regina Mago. Their contributions to creating a peaceful and united Chicago really goes unmeasured. Really appreciate all that you do. And thank you very much for being here with us again today. Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Lee. Chairwoman Rodriguez would like to acknowledge the AARP Fraud Prevention Month and congratulate Chicago labor leader Carl Rosen on his retirement from the UE. Chairman Rodriguez.

Thank you so much. First, I'd like to recognize Fraud Prevention Month, everyone, this morning. the AARP and I, along with Commissioner Anaya on the county side, stood together. You know, our seniors have a lot of darkness in their life, people seeking darkness in their life, taking advantage of them. And it's time that we shed some light on them. We, the good people in government, support those who are being harmed. And in that spirit, we're calling on our whole body to support AARP. They have efforts like shred events. They have efforts called scam jams that'll be coming up. So we'll make sure to let folks know about those events and how you can partner with them. But I want to make sure that we recognize the good people of AARP who are with us here today, Alvaro Obregon and a couple of members of their team. Where are you guys at? Give them a round of applause, colleagues, if you don't mind. Thank you so much for your leadership, AARP. And I'll go on with the next one as well. Thank you, President. Carl Rosen, where you at, Carl? Would you please rise? Carl Rosen, give him a round of applause. You know, for more than four decades, Carl has been rooted in the labor movements. Presidents of United Electricians on the near west side, he's also been very, very much involved with the broader labor movement across the country and here in the city of Chicago. He's been a mentor to me and to many on the southwest side of Chicago, from being one of the founders of the 22nd Ward IPO in the early days, being one of the first supporters of Mayor Harold Washington in the mid-'80s, representing a community that sometimes did not support the right person just because of the color of their skin or where they come from. Carl stood up time and again. That's one example. But there's been many examples throughout the years. I believe that he's an Ivy Leaguer. His wife is also an Ivy Leaguer. They're amazing athletes. mathematicians and scientists of politics, I say. And they are amazing mathematicians and scientists of the heart as well. And giving everything they've had for the last decades. They've lived in Little Village on the southwest side for all that time. And your retirement, Carl, needs to be recognized, not just in this August body, but everywhere. Thank you for who you are and what kind of leader you've been to our great city. Thank you. Thank you.

Well done. Next, we have Alderman Sigcho Lopez would like to congratulate Juan Corribias on his retirement after 20 years of service with the Chicago Fire Department. And welcome Tommy Roland, a foreign exchange student from the UK to the 25th ward. Chairman Sigcho Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I have the honor to recognize a public servant, a father. a husband, a great leader, dedicated to the Chicago Fire Department as a veteran for over 20 years. This particularly hit close just when we were mourning the tragic death of another firefighter, Michael Altman, and the many, many public servants that put their lives will keep the lives of Chicagoans safe. So I want to thank the service of many of the power department, firefighters, people who are fighting every day to keep Chicagoans safe. I would like to ask also Esmeralda Colbert Rubias, his wife, to please stand up as well, because it takes a village. And I'm very proud to recognize Juan and his family, Mexican-Americans proud son of immigrants from Zacatecas, Mexico, who also has been a leader in our community, even when it was tough and during a time where he was fighting cancer in a pandemic, he did not let that stop his efforts, but he rather continued to help his community doing advocacy work to keep firefighters and Chicagoans safe. Not only is he a two-time cancer survivor, he's also joined the Latino Caucus Foundation leadership. And during remission, he even went back to school at the University of Chicago to pursue a master's degree. This is just an example of how public servants serve the city of Chicago with integrity, dignity, and respect. So I have the honor to dedicate this Selfish Service Day to firefighter Juan Covarrubias, who has committed over 20 years of service going above and beyond to protect the lives of Chicagoans and firefighters who fight every day to keep all of us safe. Thank you, Juan, and your family for your service. Thank you so much. Enjoy your time.

Thank you, Alderman Sixo-Lopez. And finally, I think we have a couple more. So Alders Burnett and Nugent would like to acknowledge Walter Payton College Prep on their IHSA state victory for Scholastic Bowl. Alderman Burnett.

Thank you. I want to give it up to the Walter Payton Scholastic Bowl team. Congratulations on being the first CPS school to win at a state level. That's no small feat. Normally I would don my orange and blue to support my alma mater, Whitney Young, but you all earned these colors today. So thank you for representing us both in the 27th ward and the city of Chicago.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Alderwoman Nugent.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'm also really proud to recognize an extraordinary academic achievement by the students of Walter Payton College Prep High School. I'm joined by Alderman Red Burnett of the 27th Ward, the home ward of Walter Payton High School. Following an outstanding 25-26 season, the Scholastic Bowl team captured its first-ever state championship in the Illinois High School Association competition, an accomplishment that reflects not only talent, but discipline, teamwork, and excellence. Scholastic Bowl is one of the most demanding academic competitions in the state. It brings together students from hundreds of schools to compete across subjects ranging from science and history to literature, arts, and current events, all at a rapid-fire pace that rewards both knowledge and composure under pressure. This year's team was led by Coach Mark Taylor, who delivered an exceptional season, finishing with an impressive 91-13 record. And he rose through some of the most competitive tournaments in Illinois. From a hard-fought runner-up finish earlier in the postseason to an undefeated run at the state finals, the Grizzlies demonstrated resilience, focus, and determination. This team is also particularly special to me, as my daughter, Connelly Nugent, is a four-year member of this team, and she serves... Yeah, she's the varsity captain. I couldn't be more proud of her and your commitment to this team. So today, it's a great honor that we get to celebrate this remarkable milestone in the students, coaches and families who made this possible. Thank you, Mr. President.

Congratulations.

So finally, we have Alder Vasquez would like to congratulate Joe Sass, a longtime community crossing guard. The chair recognizes Alder Vasquez.

Thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. President. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for the opportunity to recognize an exemplary Chicagoan. I'm proud to stand in recognition of Joe Sass today. Joe? Joe Sass is an artist, a former rugby player, a father, and for the past four years, he has served as a crossing guard for Jamison Elementary, looking out for the safety of the students. Some of y'all may know where I'm going. He describes his role as a crossing guard to treat other children the way he would treat his own daughter. He proved this back in January. On one of the coldest days of the year, when a water main broke and flooded the street, Joe did not hesitate. He carried students one by one wading through the floodwaters to make sure they got across the street safely. Some of you all may have seen plenty of coverage of when that occurred. The video of Joe carrying children across the street went viral. Thousands of people commented on it saying accurately that Joe was a model of the spirit of service and community we need more of. And I think in the times that we have where we're currently all tense about everything going on, to see somebody just do the right thing in the moment, just because it was the thing to do, is something that I greatly appreciate. He continues to live up to that model. When neighbors started a GoFundMe in recognition of Joe's work, Joe used it as an opportunity to give back by spreading those funds throughout the community. Half of the funds raised were directed towards Project Hood, a nonprofit that is building a community center in Woodlawn. And the other half he plans to use to support small businesses who have been struggling in the wake of ICE raids. I've been given this opportunity to give back, he said. And in doing that, he has once again become a model for so many of us of the way we should all operate in the world. Above all things, Joe Sass is a good neighbor. 40th Ward or two. And during a time when there are so many forces trying to isolate us from each other, he is a reminder of what we're all here to do. Be part of our community, put others before ourselves, and love our neighbors. I think a lot of us in this work, at least I know in our office we refer to it as putting on the cape, that when you see somebody in need, you just do what's necessary. And I want to thank you for showing us what Chicago is all about and recognition. So definitely want to give it up for Joe. Thank you very much, Mr. President.

You are welcome. Thank you. Chair recognizes Alder Sposato.

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to crash the party. I just want to say definitely to feel good story of the year since Derek got to brag about his alma mater. I just want you all to know that Joe and me went to the same high school. So Joe, congratulations. Feel good story of the year. One thing this whole council degree on. You're awesome, dude. Congratulations. Thank you, Mr. President.

I do want to take a moment before we move into our resolutions, our suspended resolutions. I understand that there are students and some leaders from De La Salle that are here today. Is that right? Yeah. Could you all stand, please? Let's recognize them. Thank you very much. You all may be seated. Thank you, Sergeant, for wearing your other uniform today. So thank you, Sergeant. All right. With that, Chair recognizes Alderman Mitchell.

Mr. President, I move for the temporary suspension of the rules to allow for the immediate consideration of these resolutions.

Very well. Hearing no objection, in the interest of time, we will forego the reading of the resolutions and go straight to remarks from City Council. Our first resolution is a resolution in recognition and celebration of Earth Day. Are there any members that wish? Yeah, we can clap for that. Celebration of Earth Day. Are they, as the chair recognizes, or the woman ahead?

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support to be associated with this resolution. I want to highlight everyone that's joined us in the box today. So our environmental justice champions for communities around the city. We heard from community members in public comment today speaking about the important issues of maintaining clean water, clean soil and clean air for all Chicagoans. Our city and our history of industry, of racism has led to a lot of negative health outcomes for some of our hardest working, and now most vulnerable Chicagoans. Everyone that's here in this box, I appreciate the work that you've done for your communities, for our city, for your organizations, and for your continued leadership in recognizing Earth Day. We're also really talking about making sure that we have an Earth and an environment that is hospitable, that is healthy, that has a home and can continue to be a home for future generations for all of us. We can have jobs and a healthy environment. We can have industry and a healthy environment. And I appreciate all of you. And as the chairperson for our Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy, and of course, the Alderperson of the 49th Ward, I continue to stand with you in your efforts, Mayor, with your administration and your efforts as well, to make sure that we have a Chicago that's healthier, cleaner, and safer for everyone that comes after us than the one that we inherited. So thank you, thank you, thank you.

Thank you. Are there any other, the chair recognizes Alderman Clay.

Thank you so much, Mr. President. I too rise to be associated with this amazing resolution. I have the privilege of being in a ward that is surrounded by water. And what does that mean for us? That means that we take our space very seriously. The water has become a part of our family. It has become a part of our daily lives. You really aren't even a Chicagoan if you don't go to the lakefront as soon as it gets over 70, okay? And because of that, we have pillars in our community who have made sure that not only are they protecting the water, but they are protecting the soil, and they are also protecting the community that is attached to that soil. I have the Institute of Cultural Affairs in the 46th Ward, And when I tell you that these amazing humans have been instrumental in the success of our community and the success of our Earth, I am so proud to have them be a part of the family of the 46th Ward. So I'm immensely thankful that they get to be in this box today to celebrate all of their contributions, not just to Earth Day, but to the 46th Ward and the soil and the water and the people that are there. So to Leslie, to Karen, to Tamiz, to Rory, to everybody that's at the ICA, I really appreciate you all. And I'm so proud of you for this moment.

Thank you. Karen recognizes Alder Sigcho Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I do also want to recognize, when I raise in support of this ordinance, this resolution, as a representative of a community who has endured environmental racism, I want to recognize the leadership of all the people in the box today. Your work and your efforts are noticed. I want to especially recognize, of course, the local members of PERRO, an organization that was directly involved in the shutting down of coal plants that were open in our community all the way until 2011. polluting the air and water of our community. I also want to recognize the efforts have not stopped just there. Just recently, the new Department of the Environment and under the leadership of Commissioner Tobar announced that our city now has their largest air monitoring system in the country. That is what people power can do. That's what organizing does. And I want to thank, of course, some people at the box, some impressive friends like Olga Batista, Gina, Ivana from the Environmental Council, all of you leaders. And forgive I don't mention every single one of you. But as a representative of our 25th ward, I want to thank you. As a father, as someone who lives in close proximity to the industrial corridor, I want to thank you for your efforts. We have joint efforts, including going on a hunger strike. to make sure that we put people over profit. So thank you for your leadership, your commitment. You make Chicago a great city. Your efforts and your organizing efforts works. I commend you and encourage you to keep on going until we pass the Hazel Johnson Ordinance. Thank you so much. Si se puede.

Thank you. Alder Quesada.

Mayor, in recognition of our Earth Day resolution and all of our environmental justice leaders, I want to take time to honor Penny Gibbons and the work of the Trash People organization. What started as a small cleanup in Logan Square has grown into a citywide effort, bringing thousands of volunteers together across multiple neighborhoods to care for our shared spaces, clean our streets and sidewalks, and promote environmental stewardship. Through their community cleanups, volunteer fairs, and mutual aid programs, they built community and solidarity while reducing waste and supporting some of our most vulnerable residents. We're grateful for the work of the Trash People organization to Penny Gibbons and proud to recognize their positive impact across Chicago. Thank you.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Alderwoman Ramirez.

Good morning, everyone. Good morning. I want to thank everyone in the box that makes Earth Day a lifestyle. It's not just about a day, but it's about celebrating the Earth 365 days. I want to thank the male that we have in the box today. We've grown since last year. It was an all-woman box last year. Um, but it's really a testament to all the women who, a lot of the women in the box who are mothers, but mothers in a lot of different ways and the ways that they care for our lands and care for our environment. And that is the exact same, um, that Hazel Johnson did in her spirit and the ordinance that we stand, um, alongside today. Um, as a 12th ward alderman, I want to also, um, give thanks to a 12th Ward resident, Angela Tovar, the head of the Department of Environment. So if we can all clap for her. But Angela and myself, we care dearly about the environment. And a lot of people in the box also represent the South side, the Southwest side. And so there's no coincidence that a lot of people are representing those areas. It deeply impacts black and brown communities in a huge way. So I wanna thank Sidlali, Ayana, Olga, Gina, for all of your hard work, but especially Jessica Fung, who's in our box today, also a 12th Ward resident. She is an active steward of our play garden, our beloved play garden, in which she enables in the spirit of bringing children into loving our environment. She is an accomplished author and scholar who is dedicated ensuring that children of color have access to nature. Finally, she is responsible for engagement and partnership building at Open Lands and has been instrumental in supporting the city with Space to Grow, a resilient schoolyards program. So thank you so much to everyone. And thank you, Jessica Fung.

Alderman Knutson. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I want to just recognize Earth Day as we kick off. So many of us in our wards have awesome events coming up, really started in the last week. And I want to thank those of you in the box and also the activists in our community that not only show up for Earth Day, Earth Day events and environmental policy, but also show up on zoning projects that may look small in different communities, but they come to our community meetings and they push the rhetoric towards more environmentally friendly and conscious development. I want to recognize Lauren, who she leads the Lincoln Park Conservancy, and that's an organization that not only benefits Lincoln Park, but really the whole community. North Side Shoreline, which is just a beautiful space that's the whole city's space, as well as IANA with the Illinois Environmental Council, who I've gotten to know and just learned from for quite some time. You lead an awesome lobby week and day. You're always pushing us on policy and really teaching those of us who want to push this council on policy how we can get some wins. So thank you all. Let's keep up the good work and hopefully some big policy wins this year. Thank you, Alderman.

Thank you to all of the alders who have spoken to this resolution. Again, Ayanna, Dr. Jessica Fawn, Gina Ramirez, Kendrick Hall, Leslie Showers, Nedra, Tatali, Lauren, Penelope, of course, Angela Tovar, and all the folks who are in the box today. You know, the city of Chicago celebrates Earth Day, recognizing the beauty of our planet. And most importantly, we're doing our part to ensure the future generations inherit a sustainable and a healthy planet. The city is hosting a citywide Earth Day activation, Earth Day in Motion, demonstrating Chicago's commitment to our families and the vibrant public spaces that we possess. Many of our parks and libraries will hold family-centered Earth Day events, which will encourage sustainable practices such as biking and scootering and taking pride in our public spaces through community cleanups. I look forward to celebrating Earth Day with Chicago families in the coming days. The truth is, we shouldn't take one single day to take care of our city. We must take all steps every single day to have real good, sound environmental stewardship and take pride in our neighborhoods, especially because we know we all love all 77 of them. With Earth Day, we recognize and honor the advocates, community leaders, and the grassroots organizers who carry the fight for environmental and climate justice across Chicago every single day. They follow a legacy born right here in Chicago, Hazel Johnson, the mother of the environmental justice, showed the city and the country that environmental harm isn't felt equally. In fact, she organized an outdoor gardens to expose how pollution and toxic waste disproportionately impacted black communities, and she demanded accountability, dignity, and change. Finally, because of that legacy, we have taken an important step forward with the introduction of the Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, named in her honor, which ensures that the factors that contribute to disparate environmental impacts in our black and brown communities are considered in our land use and permitting process for heavy industrial facilities. Climate change isn't a distant crisis that we read about in headlines. It's not far away from our lives. It's right here in Chicago we're seeing flooding in our homes with torrential rain, straining of our infrastructure, and turning our skies into smoky haze while wildfires from hundreds of miles away continue to impact us. So my administration is investing in a more sustainable and resilient Chicago, especially in the community areas that are more heavily burdened by climate change and pollution as a result of systemic racism. We are following a bold climate action plan, setting ambitious goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 62% by the year 2040, and to center equity in our climate investments. And through initiatives like Our Roots Chicago, we are expanding our tree canopy where it's needed the most. So through the Climate Infrastructure Fund, we are supporting local businesses and organizations who want to make clean energy retrofits and investments in our green spaces. all through our Green Homes Chicago program. We are making homes across Chicago more energy efficient, affordable, and resilient. The work continues because the future of our city and planet depends on it. This Earth Day and every day, let us do our part to protect and preserve our home. Let's leave Chicago better than what we found it. Thank you all very much and happy Earth Day. As the box is switched out, our next resolution will be honoring Arab American History Month. But before we do that, Alderman Mitchell, can I get a motion?

Mr. President, I move passes in the omnibus.

Very well. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Are there any alders that wish to speak to this resolution as our box is filled? Chair recognizes Alderman Vegas.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise to be associated with this resolution as we celebrate Arab American Heritage Month. It was this body a few years ago that introduced the first in the country resolution and ordinance that required the city of Chicago to do a disparity study specifically on the MENA community, the Middle Eastern North African American community. As a result of that passage of that resolution and ordinance unanimously, the procurement office was able to conduct a disparity study, which I was hoping to have it read out this month. Unfortunately, we're gonna do it next month. So it's good news where we'll be working with our consultant as well as the chief procurement officer to discuss what the results of the disparity study were. Based on the sneak preview that I was able to see, I can tell you that the MENA community is going to be very happy to see what that report says, because it's long overdue that this community have an opportunity to be recognized, especially when we're talking about business opportunities, and more importantly, when we're talking about the census. Unfortunately, this community is not recognized in the census, and as a result of that, have to choose a nationality that's really confusing. And so we've urged Congress to change the census language to include MENA, but we're not waiting for the federal government to move. We did it at the local level and just wanted to stand up and say, congratulations on Arab American Heritage Month. I see a lot of my friends that are in the box. The fact that these entrepreneurs that contribute so much to our city hire, people from the community, and we appreciate everything that you do for the city of Chicago. So with that, congratulations, and looking forward to seeing you next month as we discuss the MENA report. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.

Apologies, Alderman Laspada, did we miss you from the last resolution, or is your hand raised for this one?

My hand was raised for the last one. That time has passed. I'll catch up with you later. Thank you.

We appreciate your honor. Chair recognizes Alderman Nicole Lee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise in support of this resolution. Arab American Heritage Month will always have a very special place in my heart because it was the first resolution I ever spoke on as an appointed alder person in this.

Alder Nicole Lee, can you hold your mic? Sorry.

Thank you. We're all having microphone problems today. As I said, Arab American Heritage Month will always have a special place in my heart because of the significance for me as an alderman. But not only that, the kinship that I feel from the Asian American community with the Arab American community. Oftentimes when we honor these affinity months, we talk a lot about the cultural heritage that we bring over. And I don't think we talk enough about what it means to be Arab and American, Asian and American, because it's both. It's not a blending of the two, but it is how we bring our full selves to the lives that we're building here in this country. And I want to echo some of the things that Alderman Villegas said. I know that Arab Americans have contributed so greatly to the business community, not only in the Chicago area, but in the country as a whole. And obviously with the rich cultural history that you bring to our communities as well. And I know that as a younger generation, second generation, for me, it's always been a struggle because you're sort of jockeying between two worlds and creating a future for yourselves here. So as we mature in this country together, as Arab Americans, as Asian Americans, as Americans as a whole, I wish you all the best during this Arab American Heritage Month. And I'm So pleased to be support of this resolution today. Thank you, Mr. President.

You're welcome. Chair recognizes Alder Vasquez.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. I am also proud to stand in support of this resolution. I think as a chair of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights, it's given me the opportunity to really think about what the experience is for so many different people from so many different countries coming into the U.S., And I think about how challenging it is for each generation to try to make things better for the future one coming in. And when I think about our Middle Eastern North African siblings, it's been particularly challenging in this country. If you think about the 90s under George Bush and what it must have felt like being in the community here when Islamophobia was on the rise, when you saw what was happening in the Middle East, and then you see how that continues generation to generation. And in this current moment, watching the federal government actively involve itself in a war without Congressional approval to do what it constantly does, to villainize and marginalize a group and what it must feel like being a member of the community here in these United States, watching that happen in countries where many of us have come from and where family members still are. And understanding a president in this country, using those kind of moments to divide a population to sow ignorance and make it that much more dangerous to be in this country, it is more important than most other times to make sure we stand in solidarity, knowing that it is our responsibility as what I believe to be one of the most American cities in this country, to show what it means to be made of so many different communities and representing what this nation is truly about. So I want to thank you all for what you all do every single day, because whether it's working or not, just living in our own skin sometimes is its own challenge in this country. And I want you all to challenge us, to hold us accountable, and make sure we do everything possible so that you all, your children, our elders, feel every bit as safe as everyone else does walking through just the streets here in Chicago and the country, because you all make it better every single day, regardless of what the inhabitant of the White House is gonna say. So thank you all for everything you do. Know that we stand with you all and always will. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Alderman Quinn.

Thank you, Mr. President. I want to welcome and congratulate our guests today on Arab American History Month. I also want to lift up the 13th Ward Sanitation Supervisor, Moeen Zidane, who I would argue is the very best in the city of Chicago. Mo, if you're listening, thank you for everything you do on behalf of the 13th Ward residents. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you. Alderwoman Haddon.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to be associated with this resolution. I'll keep my remarks short. On this Arab American Heritage Month, I just want to say thank you for all of the community's broad contributions to our city and our country. I appreciate from the 49th Ward the friendship, the engagement that we have had as a long-standing relationship for our city. and for the Rogers Park community. So just thank you. We celebrate you. And our diversity is what makes us strong here in the city of Chicago. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Alder Sixo-Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I do want to rise in support of this resolution with great pride. I want to recognize also all the members in the box. I want to particularly recognize Abder Gulay, board member of Lyft Association, Amani Gulay, board member of the Palestinian American Association, Athletics, sorry, Abla Ayesh, CPS counselor at Hancock College Prep, Ahmad El-Hayib, Justice Coalition Board, Hatem Abduyallah, my good friend from the Arab American Action Network. Rima Suis from RSA Strategies, Rush Darwish, President of the Arab American Business and Professional Community, good friend of ours as well. Salman Aftaba, AMT Vote, and American Middle East Voters Alliance. And finally, Sonia and Sameer Khalil. I want to also give a special recognition to Sameer Khalil for all the advocacy in the Arab community. And today, as we recognize the legacy of Mayor Howard Washington, I want to thank Sameer Khalil and his family, they were the first liaison to the seat of Chicago for the Arab American community. It is a great honor to see you all today and the great contributions that the Arab American community continue to do to our city. To the many people who are not here in the box, the Arab community, we are proud in Chicago to be home of many Arab Americans in our city. It takes great pride. I taught for over 10 years in Chicago alone and Grange Park. Some of the communities still have the social fabric and the solidarity of the Arab community with our Latino community in particular. I am forever grateful for that solidarity and that building community. So today, I just want to extend on our community as we see the dehumanization and criminalization of people who look like us, that we are stronger together more than ever before. And today, we take pride in this diversity and values and the role of Arab Americans community, shaping the history, identity, and future of our city and our country. We are proud to celebrate with you today. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Chair recognizes Alderman Mike Rodriguez. Thank you, Mr. President.

I really enjoy these recognitions because I think they speak to who we are as a country. I think about like my favorite tacos, tacos al pastor. I love tacos al pastor. And the fact is that tacos al pastor wouldn't be invented if it wasn't for the broader Arab community, right? And the shawarma, exactly. The spigot that we put up and maybe we changed a couple of things about it, right? The animal I think was changed, but the spirit, that little detail speaks to me about who we are as a people and who we are as a country. You know, we aspire to be a better place for everyone. We aspire to be a better place where people from all over this world can come and do what everyone wants to do, and that's create a better quality of life for their children and their grandchildren. I think we do that only by learning from each other, by learning from each other, by becoming more one as a human race. And in those little details, those understandings of how connected we are speaks to who we are as a broader society. And the Arab America community and the leyenda in Spanish, the legacy of the Arab people is found in our everyday lives in our numerical system and so many different things, right? In all of our languages. So I just, I love these types of recognition. And today I especially love it in honor of our brothers and sisters from the Arab American community. Thank you for being so passionate and so involved in the arts, in culture, in business. but also in the social justice fabric of our society. I stand with you today and every day. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you. Alderman Gardner.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise in support of this resolution. And I want to echo some of the sentiments my colleagues already mentioned. And I just want to comment on your savvy as far as arts and business, but most importantly, your faith, faith-driven people, whether you're Muslims or Christians. That's one thing that I take away and one thing that I'm very proud of, of having people on my staff who are Palestinian and also Moroccan. And the times I've spent in morocco as well um made a distinct impact on myself and the way i view the world so i i i very much appreciate most importantly not only your again your savvy as far as business and arts but most importantly your faith you are faith-driven people and i i dearly appreciate that so thank you very much thank you older woman silverstein

Thank you, Mr. President. The 50th Ward is the most diverse ward in the city of Chicago, and the Arab American community contributes so much to the vitality of the ward, and especially Devon Avenue. And I just wanted to recognize Salman Aftab, who is here, who is very involved in the ward, and it's always so nice to see you, and congratulations.

Thank you. Alderman Robinson.

Mr. Mayor, I also rise to pay homage to the Arab community as it relates to the Arab American History Month. We celebrated Harold Washington this morning, making today, or April 15th, Harold Washington Day. And a lot of times we hear about the African American community and the Latino community Brother Khalib coming together to make history in the city of Chicago. But it was also the Arab community that also made that happen. And I want to say thank you for that today. I see friends in the box. I see Fourth Ward business owners in the box. And I just want to say thank you for your commitment to the city of Chicago and all the greatness that you bring to the city of Chicago. Thank you very much.

Thank you. The chair recognizes Alder Fuentes.

Thank you, Mr. President. It's great to see some friends in the box, Rush, Reema, Sonia, folks that I've been in community with, and so many others that I've acknowledged and been in awe of your work from afar. The Arab community is a diverse community. It's not a monolith. And since the mid-19th century, the Arab community has been a vital key player in creating, developing and elevating the political, economic and cultural landscape of our city. But most importantly, your ability to be in community with one another and stand in solidarity with communities like mine. I can't tell you how much love we always feel from the Arab community and the Puerto Rican community in Humboldt Park. And I'm extremely proud to continue to work alongside Arab leaders across the city of Chicago. You all are major players in the political sphere of the city of Chicago. You continue to show how resilient you are in creating vibrant commercial corridors like Little Palestine. We see your footprint all over the city and all over the state. And I look forward to continued friendship, continued political engagement, and how we show up for the Arab community in this moment and in every moment moving forward. Happy Arab American Heritage Month and Day. And let's continue to celebrate and do everything we can to move your community forward. Thank you.

Thank you.

Alderman Hall. Thank you so much, Mr. President. I do rise in full support. And there's a passage of scripture that reminds us that the stone rejected by the builders is the cornerstone. And Eddie, in particular, you've been a cornerstone in our war forever, as long as I can remember. And to my other friends who have been cornerstones and crossroads in our city, thank you so much. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Alderman Curtis.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to support this resolution. I am so proud, number one, of my Arab community. I have a large Arab community in the 18th Ward.

It's not a little Palestine yet, but

It's almost there. It's great. I have a lot of Arab Americans that's working with me. No matter what the issue we have, whether we talk about issues concerning hate things of hatred, they allow me to come in the middle and mediate and talk about it, and I am so proud to be a part of that. Thursday I was just at the mosque at 84th and Columbus eating my rice and lamb, and it was delicious. I really enjoy the work that you do. I've worked so... hard with Rima also. She's always around and helpful and a lot of things that we do rush coming out to the events. So I want you to know that I'm always here in support of the things that all you do moving forward. Thank you so much, Mr. President.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Again, to all the members that are in the box, just to name a few, Abder, Amani, Abla, Ahmed, and Hatim, Rima, Rush, Salman, Samir, and to all of the individuals that are a part of this great community. Chicago is home to a very proud and vibrant Arab American community that has greatly impacted the culture and fabric of our beloved city. Our city is made better due to the indelible contributions that have been made by the Arab community in arts, in the economy, science, social justice that have touched every single corner of our city. And yet we have continued to see Arab Americans targeted, often facing violence, inequality, and other atrocities just because of who they are. And that is why coming together to celebrate American Heritage Month is so important. It's not only an opportunity for us to celebrate their achievements and their contribution, but it sheds light on the many challenges that they are facing. And by honoring and celebrating this month, we are standing with the Arab-American community as they continue their fight while also holding firm on their beliefs and being a diverse and welcoming part of our city. So I'm proud to stand with all of you to recognize and celebrate Arab-American Heritage Month. And with that, Alderman Mitchell, can I get a motion for the passage of this resolution?

Mr. President, I move passage in the honor of this.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Congratulations. Alderman Mitchell on a motion to return to the regular order of business.

I move that we return to regular order of business.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Communications.

Communications from His Honor, the Mayor, to the Honorable City Council of the City of Chicago. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Chief Financial Officer, I transmit it with an ordinance amending Section 2-32-085 of the Municipal Code regarding the Voluntary Charitable Payroll Deductions Program. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brendan Johnson, Mayor. Referred to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmitted with an ordinance authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement with Westside Health Authority to provide TIF funds for the Aspire Center Redevelopment Project. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit you with ordinances authorizing a third amendment to the Canal Congress Tax Increment Financing and Redevelopment Plan. Your favorable consideration of these ordinances will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit it with an ordinance authorizing the execution of an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Board of Education to provide TIF funds for improvements at Irvin C. Mollison Elementary School. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmitted with an ordinance authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement to provide TIF funds to reimburse costs associated with the development of United Yards 1B project. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to me on finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit it with an ordinance authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement with the Workshop Arts Collaborative LLC to provide TIF funds. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Virtually yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Housing, I transmitted with ordinances authorizing the issuance of financial assistance for a mixed-use development at 3959 North Lincoln Avenue. Your favorable consideration of these ordinances will be appreciated. Virtually yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmitted with an ordinance authorizing the execution of a redevelopment agreement with Southside Community Arts Center to provide Neighborhood Opportunity Fund funds. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit it with an ordinance authorizing an amended 2026 budget and the execution of a service provider agreement with Uptown United for Special Service Area No. 34. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the command, Economic, Capital, and Technology Development. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Housing, I transmitted with an ordinance authorizing the sale of city-owned lands for the City Lots for Working Families program. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit it with ordinances authorizing the sale of city-owned lands. Your favorable consideration of these ordinances will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmitted with an ordinance authorizing the execution of a service provider agreement with the Magnificent Mile Association to issue community benefit funds for public safety improvements in the area surrounding the casino. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor, referred to the Committee on Public Safety. Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Building, I transmitted herewith an ordinance amending the municipal code regarding various parts of the building code. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Ladies and gentlemen, I transmitted with appointments to various special service areas. Your favorable consideration of these appointments will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development. Ladies and gentlemen, I have appointed Angelique Guzman and Anjanette Young as commissioners of the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability, each for a four-year term effective at the expiration of the terms of commissioners whose terms will end on June 23, 2026. Your favorable consideration of these appointments will be appreciated. Very truly yours, signed, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Police and Fire. The Honorable Anna M. Valencia, City Clerk, informs the City Council that the following documents were filed in her office relating to the respective subjects designated as follows. Notification of sale of City of Chicago General Obligation Bonds Series 2026-A. Also notification of sale of City of Chicago General Obligation Bonds Series 2026-B. And an Office of Inspector General's review of Chicago Police Department's implementation of immediate recommendations to improve its homicide investigations. And the Office of Inspector General's Report on Fairness and Consistency in the Chicago Police Department's Relief of Police Powers. And the Office of Inspector General's First Quarter Report for the Year 2026. Also filing the Office of the City Clerk was the Civilian Police Office Accountability Annual 2026 Report. And the Tabulated Statement of Returns and Proclamation of Results of Canvas for the Primary Election Returns of March 17, 2026 General Election. City Clerk Valencia also informs the City Council that all those ordinances which were considered by the City Council at the regular meeting held on March 18th, 2026 and which were required to be published in book or pamphlet form or in one or more newspapers were published in pamphlet form on April 15th, 2026 by being printed in full text and printed pamphlet copies of the Journal of Proceedings of the City Council. City Clerk Valencia also transmits here with the following miscellaneous communications and reports requiring City Council action. Zoning classifications of particular areas which are referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Claims against the City of Chicago which are referred to the Committee on Finance. Also the recommendation by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for designation of the Byrne Hall at 2219 North Kenmore Avenue as a Chicago Landmark which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. And the recommendation by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for designation of the Calliou Commons at 2324 North Calmer Street as a Chicago Landmark, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. And a recommendation by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks for designation of Roger Brown Home and Studio at 1926 North Halstead Street as a Chicago Landmark, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. And a correction of the February 18, 2026 City Council Journal of Proceedings, which is referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules. Also, the following communication from the Honorable Brandon Johnson, Mayor, was filed in the Office of the City Clerk on Wednesday, March 25th, 2026 at 2.31 p.m. To the Honorable, the City Council, the City of Chicago, and City Clerk Valencia, I return herewith, without my approval, an ordinance passed by the city council on March 18th, 2026, document number SO 2025-0017549, amending the municipal code regarding the minimum hourly wage and occupations receiving gratuities. This ordinance would deprive tipped workers of desperately needed financial stability across the city of Chicago by maintaining a sub-minimum wage. This ordinance would harm an estimated 80,000 tipped workers in Chicago. The impacted tip workers are disproportionately black and brown women. The ordinance would make the income of such workers dependent on unpredictable tips rather than the stable, guaranteed pay. The impact of this ordinance is compounded by the cost of living that continues to rise due to tariffs, inflation, and war in the Middle East. At a time when real wages are not keeping up with inflation, we cannot punish those who are the most vulnerable to an economic precarity. Despite the claims made by the proponents of this ordinance, data indicates that the implementation of the one fair wage ordinance has no adverse impact on the growth of restaurant industry. In fact, the retail food establishment license renewal rate was strengthened under one fair wage. with a consistent 81% of yearly issued licenses being renewed from 2022 through 2024 and rising to 83% in 2025 after the second step raise wasn't instituted. far more retail establishments are staying open rather than closing. The sector is growing, adding a net 680 retail food establishment licenses in 2024 and another 664 in 2025. I am committed to protecting the stability which has been granted to tip workers through the one fair wage ordinance and continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with hardworking Chicagoans as they seek security, opportunity, and dignity in the workplace. For the above stated reasons, it is my duty to veto this ordinance. Madam Clerk, please read the letter at the April 15th, 2026 City Council meeting under the heading of Reports and Communications from the Mayor and other City Officers. Signed, sincerely, Mayor Brandon Johnson.

Thank you. Alderman Villegas.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move to adopt SO2025-0017549, which amends the municipal code section 6-105-030 regarding wage allowances for contuities as previously adopted by the city council at its regular meeting held on March 18th, 2026, notwithstanding the mayoral veto submitted to the city clerk on March 25th, 2026.

Well, there's a motion to pass item number SO2035-0017549. This is regarding the minimum hourly wage and occupations receiving gratuities. This is despite the veto. A yes vote means that you support... A yes vote means you support the ordinance passage and an override of the veto. A no vote means you support the veto.

Mr. President.

Mayor recognizes Alderman Villegas.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I think some people would like to speak on this. So we'd like to reserve to close.

All right. Are there any other folks who wish to speak to this item? All right. Seeing no hands, you all, you have the right to close.

I guess. Yeah. Open and close. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President, members of the city council. Over the five-year period from January 2021 through March 2026, the data clearly shows, and I would state that not just any data, but the city's data, clearly show that wage complaints in Chicago's bar and full-service restaurant industry represent a very small share of the overall workforce and enforcement activity. Let me put this scale in context. The Chicago area has approximately 122,400 full-service restaurant employees each year. Over five years, that represents a workforce exposure of more than 600,000 employee years, hours rather. During that same five-year period, the Office of Labor Standards data shows approximately 200 bar and full-service restaurant hospitality employees, not establishments, employees associated with wage complaints. When you compare those figures directly, the result is striking. Only about 0.034%, let me repeat that, 0.034% of bar and full service restaurant employees filed a wage complaint over the entire five-year period. In practical terms, this means that more than 99.96% of bar and restaurant workers never filed a wage complaint during this period. Second, when we look at enforcement activity overall, wage complaints are not the dominant issue in this data. The spreadsheet shows that most settlements and mediations involve paid sick leave, fair work week compliance, administrative wage complaints rather than the intentional or regis wage complaints. Even among settlement and mediation cases, wage complaints represent less than half of all claims. And within the hospitality sector specifically, it affects a tiny fraction of employees. The data does not show systemic or industry-wide abuse. Instead, they show isolated violations, and hence why offers of labor standards were stood up by this body. And those complaints concentrate on a limited number of employers, affecting a very small percentage, as I stated, 0.034% of workers relative to the total 600,000 hours of workforce. Finally, this context matters for policymaking. When fewer than four out of every 10,000 workers file complaints over a five-year period, that tells us two important things. Current enforcement mechanisms are working, and they're capturing the limited number of violations that exist. The vast majority of full-service restaurant employees are complying with the wage laws. Let me underscore this. This does not minimize the importance of workers' protections. I mean, that's why we have the Office of Labor Standards. Any valid complaint deserves attention. As we see, 99.9 per 6, 99.96 are complying. But the data is clear. Wage complaints in Chicago's full-service restaurant industry are rare, extremely rare, limited in scope, and affect a very small share of the workforce. Policies should therefore be targeted, proportionate, and evidence-based, reflecting the actual scale of the problems shown in the data, not assumptions about widespread misconduct. That's why you've seen the state of Michigan, Washington, D.C., who is mayor, is an African-American woman, has rescinded it because of the fact it was impacting restaurants. And she saw that it was a policy that was wrong. And so they reverted back. This is just saying a pause, not going back to the $9 figure that was there, but really a pause. So that way, the restaurant industry that has been impacted by property taxes, fair work week ordinance, which I support, PTO, which I support, sick day. But these are all unfunded mandates that we continue piling on the restaurants and telling them, hey, you figure it out. Well, they have figured it out because they're reducing hours and they're reducing staff. And that's not what we want. That's counterproductive. We want restaurants flourishing. We want people working. So with that, Mr. Mayor, Mr. President, I would ask for a yes vote. And I guess we'll figure how this goes. And if not, it means round two. Thank you, Mr. President. You're welcome.

Chair recognizes Alderman deal.

Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I know the chairman did a very good job of, of, of closing this argument, but I just wanted to underscore, uh, one other item as it relates to this, the people who came to Chicago and solicited support to pass this ordinance are no longer in Chicago, right? They went And they came in early in this administration and found a way to get this body to pass an ordinance that we knew was going to harm business. We knew it was going to harm the very people that are living, working, and playing in this city. And so now that they're gone, The data, as the chairman stated, the data shows that this is harming Chicago. It's harming Chicago. This is not a myth. This is not something that they just made up. We have data that shows it's harming Chicago. And so that's why we have to stand up today and do what's right instead of doing what politically you think is correct. but do what's right to wrong the ship that is harming this city. Now those same people, they're not coming back because they're repealing this thing across the country because the data shows. And I wish we could rewind the tape during the committee hearing that we had on this ordinance because I specifically asked the commissioner of the department had we done a feasibility study to show how this is going to impact Chicago. Our commissioner said, no, we have not. So I said, why the heck are we going to pass an ordinance without doing some type of study to show how it's going to harm our residents? And so now we don't need a study. Because we have facts to show that it's harming this city. And I implore you all to do the right thing. Don't do the politically what you think is the correct thing. Do the right thing and repeal this thing. And let's pass this ordinance and get back to the business of putting people to work.

In the tradition of Pentecostalism, for the third closing, the chair recognizes Alder Fuentes.

Thank you, Mr. President. Look, making sure that people can afford their rents and pay their bills and put food in their refrigerator is not a politically correct thing to do. It's a human thing to do. It's a just thing to do. It's the right thing to do. And, yo, one fair wage people are here in the city of Chicago. They work in all of our restaurants. They're all over the city. They're in 77 communities. There are a lot of things that are impacting the hospitality industry. The cost of food, the cost of oil. The increase in property taxes, insurance companies doubling their policies overnight. There are ways that we can sit down and truly support the hospitality industry. I mean, I just had a conversation with Sam Toyer and Richard from One Fair Wage. We're going to have a meeting next week to talk about how we support the hospitality industry. But in a moment in which affordability is the number one issue, not just in the city of Chicago, but in this country, we cannot shift the burden onto labor to say you don't deserve a raise today because everything's too expensive. Well, everything's too expensive for them, too. I was just talking to tip workers yesterday or Monday during ward night who were talking about how difficult it is to pay rent. They looked at that ComEd bill. It almost doubled. We got to talk about the increase in utilities, how difficult it is to do groceries. Someone spent $200 on groceries and took a bag and a half home, a bag and a half of food home. They spent $200 at the grocery store. That is what every single resident, not just in Chicago, but across this country is facing. We want to have a real conversation about how we both support labor and support hospitality. I'm willing to have that conversation, but I want to be clear. The ordinance that the mayor vetoed is not a pause on one fair wage. It strikes the next two pay raises. There's no language around a pause. It's telling workers you're never going to get a raise again, and Chicago is committed to the subminimum. Now, Three years ago, we had a conversation with the Illinois Restaurant Association and we brokered a deal. That deal was to phase out the sub-minimum wage over a timeline of five years. Illinois Restaurant Association was at the table. Now, we can have conversations about how we continue to support, but let me be clear. It is not a moment to take away pay raises from people when everything around them is more expensive, when the cost of living is going up, and when people are struggling now more than ever. We are watching people become homeless. We are watching individuals who are struggling just to make ends meet wonder if they can afford a roof over their head. It is not a politically correct thing to do. It is a just thing to do. People deserve their raises because they deserve to continue to live in the city of Chicago. They deserve to continue to be affirmed and acknowledged as the backbone of the hospitality industry. We can no longer shift the burden onto them. We need to celebrate them and have conversations about how we support the industry. And let's be clear, this restaurant's opening every single day. In the last eight months, not in the last eight months, I cut six ribbons in my ward, six ribbons of restaurants in my ward and not many of them closing. So I want us to be clear, we can do both. And I don't want us to continue to listen to this rhetoric that this is a pause. The ordinance as it's written is not a pause. It is completely striking the raises saying that the city of Chicago is committed to a subminimum wage, a commitment we made to workers three years ago that we were going to phase it out. We owe them to follow up on our commitment. If we told any other workforce that we were taking away their raises, we would not be having this conversation. And so I'm not willing to allow us to take our commitments away from workers, a commitment we made three years ago. So I'm a no on this override today. Thank you, Mr. President.

All right, well, we're having church this morning. Our final closing, perhaps. The chair recognizes Alderwoman Taylor.

So what I'm about to say is in honesty. At the last city council meeting, I did something that Alders sometimes do, but we don't talk about it. And I took a walk. And so I didn't vote either way. And I did that because I didn't feel like either side, there was a right and a wrong in this conversation that we're having. We're not talking about the cheesecake factories of the world or the Fridays or the Chili's. We're talking about Norman Bistro. We're talking about Pizza Capri. We're talking about small businesses. And what is so disheartening about all of this is you're sitting in a city council full of organizers. And what we should have done was have both sides come together a long time ago and have the conversations. Because now we in this, who is right and who is wrong and neither one. I want tip workers to get paid. I want them to make a living wage. But I also don't want to see the soleis and the virtues in those small business close either. And so where is the compromise? Where is the compromise in the conversation? And I'm going to say this because I can and whatever the consequences is, it is. But y'all going to mess around and the state is going to kill tip wages altogether because they've been talking about it long before we started talking about one fair wage. And so let's do what organizers are supposed to do, which is bring people together, have the conversation and actually do the work to make sure that we can satisfy both sides. And we can. How many times have we sat here and made decisions and we're looking at one, so we go to one side and the other side is just left out. We did it with marijuana. We did it with hemp. We even did it before I got here with the damn parking meter deals. And what happens? The people of the city pay because we don't actually do our jobs. I have been in a space where I could talk to both sides. But what I will say is it's disheartening that this has been going on for three years and now everybody wants to text and say, hey, vote on my side or do this. We ain't learned nothing, have we? We ain't learned absolutely nothing. Not only is our country is in chaos because this is what we do. Don't y'all want something different? Don't y'all want to do something that helps both sides? We talk about teen takeovers. We are part of that problem. You know what? I say this and I'm adding this because it needs to be added. These are not the young people that Whitney was talking about. These are not. But they are like this because we dropped the ball. It's on us. And so I am still here debating what I'm going to vote. Not because I'm worried about what you think you're going to say, because as always, we know y'all got selective anger. Y'all got selective who y'all want to be mad at that certain time. But what we cannot do is sit on our hands and not do anything. And so I get it. But I'm going to say to y'all. We are at a space where we can do the right thing. And the right thing is for us to talk to each other, for us to get at that table and work it out. Yes, it takes time. Yes, people are not going to like it. It is okay. But at the end of the day, if you're okay with not having somewhere to work, I'm not. I'm not a ward that has a bunch of businesses. I probably have six businesses that my community could actually sit down and eat at. Six. Six. And most of them closed before seven o'clock. And so you could say I got a dog in a fight. I really don't. But I know this is wrong. We're arguing the wrong argument. The argument should be how to bring these groups together so that we can fix what's forever been broken. Because from the very beginning, when the federal tip wage was $2, we should have been cussing people out then because it makes no sense. It never has. But in the same breath, what do we do to save these small businesses that are struggling? And let's have a conversation in honesty. Because I feel like at this point, both sides are not being honest. And I don't know what the truth is. And you can like it or not. The truth is what it is. Thank you, Mr. President. Welcome.

Alderman Sposato.

Mr. President, I also apologize. I know my colleague wanted to be last. I know I'm the last of the last of the last.

I really appreciate it.

So I feel moved to say something. So as a guy that was a tip worker for a number of years, both in a restaurant and a banquet hall, the same place, I just want to give somebody a little analogy here for you. And I know all of you here have been to banquets. I know I've been to many banquets with many of you here. So Here's what people think about when you go to a banquet, because they say, I say, I'm a tipper. I worked in a business. I know how to tip. I like to tip. I don't believe in tipping. I believe in over tipping. All right. So I always say, hey, let's pitch in five bucks or 10 bucks for the waitress. Like, why would we tip them? They get paid already. So this is an analogy I use. This is what people are saying at restaurants right now. I don't have to tip them like I used to tip them anymore. They get paid. They make they make a great pay. So I'm lowering my tip. Now they make now they make some real money. So I just want to let you know that I believe I believe. that a lot of tippers don't tip like they used to because they're saying people are getting paid much more. Now you don't have to tip them as much. So that's just what I want to bring up to everybody. The more they make, the less people are going to tip. People make a great living with tips. The minimum wage thing is put in there in case you don't make the minimum wage. So... I support my colleague here, and we need to get this resolved. I don't have many restaurants in my ward either, but same thing. Maybe they're not closing, but guess what? Rather than open seven days a week now, they're open five days a week. And rather than being open for eight hours, they're open for six hours. So they're cutting back. We need to help our restaurants and our employees, and I think this will help both. So thank you, Mr. President.

Alderman Ervin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I'm going to close and raise an offering at the same time. I, too, am, what Alderman Taylor stated, First time in my 15 years in this body that I did not vote on an item that was on the floor. Because I believe 100% of what she said is correct. We are a deliberative body, a body that debates, a body that hears both sides. And what came out of that previous conversation was not a two-sided conversation. It was a one sided conversation, and we have the ability, we have the body, we have the bandwidth to take up issues. This is not how a deliberative legislative body operates when it comes to issues such as this. And again, We understand that there's pain on both sides. And it's up to us to kind of arbitrate through those issues. But we do that in the committee process. We don't do that in just the ordinance being put on the table and up or down, yes or no. There's been no real conversation. There's been no negotiation. There's been no opportunity for compromise. And again, we've lost 30 days in this conversation, which if nothing changes, well, nothing changes in the thing we're going to affect as of July 1. I hope that in this conversation that we think through not only just this issue, we had the same issue around curfew. We've had the same issue time and time again. And we have to understand that we've got to have some deliberative conversations to reach positions that actually most people can live with. Not everyone's not going to be able to live with everything, but most people can live with. And with that being stated, I'm hopeful that once this motion fails, that everybody can go to the table and come up with a solution that most of us can live with. Thank you, Mr. President.

You're welcome. Pastor Villegas.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I mean, Mr. President, rather. I hope I'm closing this time. But look, I think that this discussion, I think there is an opportunity. And unfortunately, it wasn't taken seriously. And as a result of that, ordinances are introduced to force a discussion. You know, the steakhouses downtown, they're going to be okay. They're gonna charge $60, what's $64? Because people are gonna pay that down there. As my colleague from the 20th Ward said, we're talking about the neighborhood restaurants that are surviving, but they're surviving because of the fact that they're cutting back hours and having to make the choice of pulling two levers, workers or price of food. And they're struggling. And there are some issues that are there, but they're not within our purview. So if you want to talk about utilities, you want to talk about gas prices, you want to talk about tariffs, yeah, we can have that discussion before resolutions to ask Congress and the president to do certain things around that, or the General Assembly to take a look at the ICC and talk about utilities, regulating the electricity as well as the gas. But the levers that we've instituted here around Fair Work Week, PTO, sick day, and now the TIP earned credit, those are things that we control. And they've had negative impacts. And as I stated before, that's why DC has repealed it. Michigan voted it down. Massachusetts said, no, no thank you. Because the average hourly wage in Illinois is $28.40 an hour. which is well above the $16. It's almost double. And the data that the city provided demonstrates that 99.96% of restaurants are complying. And those that are not, are being held accountable by the Office of Labor Standards, a tool that this body put forward. Illinois Department of Labor has the USDOL. There are all types of mechanisms there to make sure that workers are being paid. So we welcome an opportunity to have a discussion about how we're going to have our businesses survive because downtown is going to do okay. We're talking about the neighborhood ones. The neighborhoods when you can go to your neighborhood restaurant in Brownsville and have a steak and not have to go downtown. and pay extra money for the meter because it's more expensive down there. You can maybe find some off-street parking. I think this is what we're trying to do here. So again, I would ask for your support. If it fails, there will be a round two because we got to make sure that businesses that are hiring people, that are paying taxes, have the ability to survive in the city. And I would also state that one of five restaurants are closing. 20%. And people say, oh, that's 80%. Those other 80% of the people have that entrepreneurial spirit that says, hey, this place didn't make it. I'm going to make it. Because I got a better recipe. Or I'm going to provide better service. And then they find themselves with the same issues that put the other business out of business. So all I would say is that as we're putting forward mandates that are unfunded, And we take a look at a mechanism to help fund the mandate that we're putting forward. Had we discussed, hey, we're going to make sure you do all these things, but we'll give you a break on something else, then I think that's something to talk about. But just to continue to say that you were at the table, the menu was already set. You already know what you were eating. There was no discussion. The table was set, and the menu was already set. already set. So, Mr. President, again, we'll go ahead and ask for a vote, this time on a roll call. And again, as I stated before, round two.

Very well. The motion on the floor is to pass item number SO-2025-001745. This is regarding the minimum hourly wage in occupations receiving gratuities. despite the veto. So again, a yes vote means you support the ordinance's passage and an override of the veto. A no vote means you support the veto. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

The roll call is now open. The voting is now open. Please use your e-device. The voting is now open. If you need help, please raise your hand. I will now call on those that have not used the e-device. Alderman La Spada.

No.

La Spada is a no. Alderman Yancey.

Yes.

Yancey is a yes. Alderman Scott. Scott is a yes. Alderman Burnett. Not present. Anyone I missed. All right. The voting is now closed.

There are 30 yeas, 19 nays. This motion fails. Next up, Committee Reports. The chair recognizes Chairwoman Dowell.

Thank you, Mr. President and members of the City Council. Reporting for the City Council's Committee on Finance, which held committee meetings on April 13, 2026. The following items received a do pass recommendation from the committee. Item number one is an ordinance approving an amended redevelopment agreement for the Institute of Cultural Affairs for the Rehabilitation Project at 4750 North Sheridan Road in the 46th Ward in an amount not to exceed $2 million. Mr. President, unless someone wishes to speak on this item, I move passage of this item by a roll call vote.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Members of the council, please use your e-vote application to record your vote at this time.

The voting is now open. The voting is now open. Please use the device. The voting is now open. I will now call on those who have not used the E device. Alderman Laspada.

Yes.

Laspada is a yes. Alderman Yancey.

Yes.

Yancey is a yes. Alderwoman Ramirez. Ramirez is a yes. Alderwoman Scott. Scott is a yes. Alderman Burnett. Burnett is a yes. Alderman Vasquez. Yes. Alderman Vasquez, I thought I saw him. Oh, Vasquez is a yes. Voting is now closed. 50-0.

There are 50 yays, zero nays. This motion passes. Alderman Mitchell on a motion to reconsider.

Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.

All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying aye. Any opposed say no. No. Motion fails. Chair recognizes. Chairwoman Dowell.

Thank you, Mr. President. Item number two is a substitute ordinance authorizing the allocation of tax increment financing funds for the workforce solution programs in wards. And I'm sorry, I have to read all these words to the record. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36 37, 39, 40, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, and 50. I move passage of this item by the first most favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance report and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President, and good afternoon, members of the committee. While I do rise in support of this program, and I thank the chairman and Department of Planning in putting forth $28.8 million to help assist our businesses, I wish to reiterate something that I stated during committee. Oftentimes, this body, this committee, is being asked to use TIF dollars in the hundreds of millions throughout the city of Chicago. But what we have gotten away from as an administration and as a city as a whole, even before your tenure, Mr. President. Just a second, Alderman. Thank you. Alderman. Thank you. As I was saying, Mr. President, what we have gotten away from is a program formerly known as the Neighborhood Improvement Program. TIF-NIF, which I don't think we have seen since Mayor Rahm Emanuel was here, that program allowed us to use the TIF districts as we just heard referenced by our chair, to put money into programs designed to help Chicago residents fix their properties, fix their homes, so that they can stay and make the necessary repairs that they so often cannot afford. While that is not the issue that we're talking today, I could not miss an opportunity, Mr. President, to implore upon you and your Department of Housing to look at reimagining and resurrecting the TIF Neighborhood Improvement Program, because as I've discussed with many of my colleagues, we are ready and willing to introduce ordinances to activate and reactivate those programs, but we'd rather do it in partnership with you. This is a program that we know has worked in the past and that our residents, whether it's on the Southwest or all points in between, are constantly asking us, when will we do it again? We have the time to do it again. And as we move forward with this item, I hope that we can have this discussion next month on moving forward with that item as well. Thank you.

You're welcome. Seeing no other hands, the motion on the floor is to move the passage of this item by the same roll call vote previously applied to item number one in the Finance Committee and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider. Hearing no other objections, seeing no other hands, so ordered. Chairwoman.

Thank you, Mr. President. Item number three is a substitute ordinance authorizing multifamily housing revenue bonds and other financial assistance to Lathrop Preservation I-1C-LP for the project at 2600-18, 2601-31, 2628-62, 28... Excuse me, 2664 through 2704, 2633 through 67, 2740, 2750 through 68 North Hoyne Avenue, and 2731 through 59 North Levitt Street. and the structural rehabilitation of 2567 North Hoyne Avenue in the 32nd Ward in an amount not to exceed $40 million in TIF and $100 million in multifamily revenue bonds. I move passage of this item by the same motion.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Item number four. Pardon me. Chair recognizes Alderman Villegas. Thank you, Mr. President. I think also Scott.

Yeah. I'm glad to see that this project's finally moving along. This project has been in construction or discussions for 15 years. And the reason why I wanted to speak on it is because I actually lived in Lathrop Homes for the first eight years of my life. And I actually attended Mary Crane Daycare on a daily basis in the boys club that was there. And I'm just so happy that this community is finally going to have an updated CHA mixed market rate affordable component that they deserve. I'm sorry that it's taken 15 years, but it seems finally that we're on a path to get this thing done. And so I'm so happy to support this. And again, any way that I can help on this project, please count me in, Alderman Wagespeck. Thank you.

Thank you, Alderman Wagespeck.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Gil. I just wanted to say this will help us get up to 364 new affordable units. And Mr. President, I really wanted to thank Anna Booth and Department of Housing. She's phenomenal in the work that she does. And not just on this project, which was lengthy, as Alderman Villegas said, But I also want to thank my colleagues who stuck with it and allowed us to move forward on this project, especially Chairwoman Dowell. So thank you very much for making this a success story. Thank you, Mr. President.

Very well. Anyone else wish to speak to this project? Again, hearing no objections, so or Chairwoman Dowell.

Yes, Mr. President, I too just want to give a shout out to Ms. Booth. She's phenomenal in her presentations. Item number four is the substitute ordinance authorizing financial assistance and acquisition of 201 North Kedzie Avenue, 3201 and 3209 West Lake Street. The Hub 32 LLC in the 28th Ward in an amount not to exceed $14.5 million in TIF and $10 million in multifamily loan money. I move passage of this item by the same motion.

Seeing no hands, hearing no objections, so ordered.

Item number five is an ordinance authorizing the issuance of the city's water revenue bonds project and refunding series 2026. I move passage of this item by the same motion with the exception of Alderman Lopez who wishes to be recorded as a no.

Farewell, despite the division hearing no other objections, so ordered.

Item number six is a resolution urging the General Assembly and the governor to enact House Bill 5175 and Senate Bill 3630, allowing for the taxation of additional tobacco products by certain Illinois municipalities to reduce tobacco use rates within the city. I move passage of this item by the same motion as was applied to item number two.

Well, the chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.

Thank you again, Mr. President. And I do absolutely rise in full support of this resolution. And I thank you and your team for allowing us to collaborate before Jason Irvin has a heart attack together on addressing an issue that we saw at the state and For those who are unfamiliar, who are not part of the Committee on Finance, since 1993, the city of Chicago and indeed all municipalities have not been able to raise taxes or tax anything beyond cigarettes. Both measures in the House and the Senate currently in Springfield would allow us to tax beyond cigarettes, to tax many of those nicotine products that didn't exist nearly 30 years, over 30 years ago. And yes, my colleagues have raised concerns about the use of this new taxing authority. But before we go down that rabbit hole, we have to at least get to the opportunity of having that authority. That's what the resolution allows us to do. It allows us to join other home rule municipalities throughout the state in making this push in Springfield. And I believe that As we work together on this, we can do something fruitful and productive in Springfield that will ultimately allow us to continue cessation funding and mitigation efforts here in the city of Chicago. And I ask everyone's favorable vote for this item. Thank you.

Farewell. Thank you. Are there any other orders that wish to speak to item number six? Seeing no other hands, hearing no objections, so ordered.

Thank you, Mr. President. Item number 7A is an order authorizing the Corporation Council to enter into and execute a settlement order in the case of Derek Wardlaw and Camille Wardlaw versus City of Chicago case number 2024L004324 in the amount of $470,000. I move passage of this item by the same motion as was applied to item number two.

Farewell. Hear no objection, so order.

Item number 7B is an order authorizing the Corporation Council to enter into and execute a settlement order in the case of Carl Reed versus Richard Zuley et al., case number 23C17186, in the amount of $9.5 million. I move passage of this item by the same motion as was applied to item number two.

Hearing no objection, so ordered.

Item number eight is a communication transmitting reports in cases in which verdicts, judgments, or settlements were entered into for the month of March, 2026. This item will be placed on file with the clerk. Item number nine is a proposed order authorizing charitable solicitation on the public way permit for the Children International Organization citywide from April 20th, 2026 to December 31st, 2026. And this too will be placed on file with the clerk. This concludes my report, Mr. President.

Thank you, Madam Chair. For the Committee on Budget and Government Operations, the Chair recognizes Chairman Ervin.

Thank you, Mr. President. Members of council reporting for the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. We held a committee meeting on April 2nd. The committee has a series of reports recommending passage of the following items. Item number one is a communication recommending a proposed ordinance concerning an annual appropriation ordinance year 2026 amendment within Fund 925. I move passage. of this item by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion reconsidered.

Hearing no objection, so ordered.

Items two and three are transfers within Committee on Finance and Ward 40, both of which for year 2026. I make the same motion if there is no objection. Hearing none, so ordered. Item number four is a resolution calling for the Mayor and Administration to implement to 2026 budget package. I make the same motion if there is no objection.

Hearing none, so ordered.

Mr. President, that concludes my report.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, for the Committee on Economic Capital and Technology Development. Chair recognizes Chair Villegas. Not in your room. All right, let's move on. How about let's go to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Chair recognizes Chairman Sancho-Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President and members of the City Council. Reporting for your Committee on Housing and Real Estate, which held a meeting on April 8, 2026, the Committee has a series of reports recommending passage of 12 ordinances. These include a lease renewal, aldermanic introductions, and various land sales. Starting with item number two, on the summary of the reports, Ordinance 2026.0024039, First Amendment to Lease Agreement with 8700 Building LLC for property at 8650 South Commercial Avenue in the 10th Ward. I move passes of this item by the first most favorable roll call vote on the committee on finance and associated and successful motion to reconsider with exception of all the women Taylor who wished to be recorded as a no vote.

Very well here. No other objections. So ordered.

Item three is an aldermanic introduction from Alderman Anthony Quezada, Substitute Ordinance 2025.0019933, Amendment Municipal Code Section 5-12-130 to require 30-day written notice from landlord of rental agreement termination for tenancies under six months. Before we move on this item, there was a small technical substitute that Alderman Quesada will update, and everybody has received a copy of the technical substitute. Alderman Quesada.

Alderman Quesada.

Mr. President, I have distributed an amended substitute of SO-2025-0019-93-3 to all members of the City Council. This amended substitute is a technical change that was suggested by the Illinois Realtors Association and the Chicagoland Apartment Association. to clarify that the notice requirements in this section do not apply in cases of nonpayment of rent or violation of lease terms, which are covered under other sections of the Fair Notice Code, which this ordinance does not affect. The amendment that passed in the Housing Committee just clarifies the original intent of the Fair Notice Ordinance to ensure that long-term lease-abiding tenants do not receive sufficient time to move before a landlord files an eviction. My amendment does not create any additional rights, does not increase notice periods, and it does not limit landlords from filing evictions at the end of the notice period. And again, this has the support of the Illinois Realtors Association, Chicago Land Apartment Associations, and the Metropolitan Tenant Organization. Before I continue with the vote on this item, I move to accept the substitute as amended under Rule 33.

Farewell. There's a motion on the floor to accept the amendment to the initial item that was just placed on the floor. All those in favor of the acceptance of the substitute, signify by saying aye. Aye. Any opposed, say nay. Any opinion, share the aye. Have it. All right. Now, Chairman Sergio Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. So then I move passes of this item as substituted by the same motion, with the exception of Aldo Persons-Queen, Scott, and Dowell, who wish to be recorded as a no. Are you okay with it?

Aldo Mendel.

Yes, my no vote was predicated on the fact that the associations that the alderman identified had not been part of the conversation. That has happened, and I'm okay with the result.

All right, very well. Could you read it again with the exception of which two alders?

Yeah, so actually Alderman Scott also is wished to be recorded as a yes now, but so only Alderman Queen is wished to be recorded as a no.

Very well. The chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to also be noted as voting against this item. I'm very concerned when I hear that we are making policy that does not include all the impacted parties. We just had a very lengthy discussion about saying that we're gonna be collaborative, we're gonna work together when it came to the tip credit and how we had missed opportunities and how we allowed things to go on and persist. And yet in this very committee, it was asked if all of those individuals, those housing providing associations, the realtors and such, were included in the conversation. And the answer was no. Even now, with this amendment, with this language, it is my understanding that this arrived at 10.30 last night for most individuals who are associated with this document. That is very concerning for me. We continue to make policy not based on inviting all of the stakeholders because we are so focused on getting a very specific designated outcome. And that is a very dangerous course to continue on. And we already know that in many of our communities that when you have housing providers who are on the smaller level, the two flats, the three flats, they are being victimized by the sympathies of this room, that they are struggling against bad tenants who have become professionals at squatting, professionals at harming them, professionals at not paying rent, at not doing what we... suspect that they do, hope that they do, and instead choose to do the things that are harmful to those very people that we claim that we care about. I understand that we like to talk about housing as though everyone is a multi-million dollar developer. But in communities like Brighton Park and Bank of the Yards and Gage Park, where we know we don't have any of them, but I have plenty of seniors who own naturally occurring units, they are terrified of renting to people because every time we do something here, it ends up hurting them with no recourse, no support, and no vehicles upon which that they could remedy situations that make sense to them. We talk about how do we build more housing? How do we create more housing? That's exactly how we do it. Because so many people are sitting on units that otherwise could be rented, but they will not do it. So Mr. President, I as well will be a no on this item, and I encourage other members to do the same. Thank you. Alder Quesada.

President, and I appreciate the words of my colleague. I do want to clarify. So this past audit committee on Thursday, we scheduled, my office scheduled a meeting with the Illinois Realtor Association and the Chicagoland Department Association, as well as the Metropolitan Tenant Organization on Friday. to clarify the intent of our ordinance. They were in full agreement, understanding, because we are not expanding any of the powers or rights of tenants, and we're not taking away any powers or rights of landlords. We are just clarifying the original intent of the fair notice ordinance, and that is why they have signed off on this ordinance. Thank you very much.

Alderman Gardner.

I'd like to be recorded as a no.

Very well. So Alders Gardner, Lopez, and Quinn would like to be recorded as a no. Alder O'Shea. Please record or shares and no despite the division here. No other objections. So ordered chairman sexual Lopez.

Thank you. Mister president. Um I remember for days and other money introduction from all the men's got what is back or does 2026 0023450 designation of areas within the foundry Park development as low affordability community in the 32nd Ward. I move passes of this item by the same motion here.

No objections. So ordered.

The remaining items are from the Department of Planning and Development. Moving on, items six through nine are grouped together for convenience for the sale of city-owned property in the sixth, 24th, 27th, and 21st wards under the Chike Block Builder Open Space and Urban Agriculture programs. These are ordinances as follow. Ordinance 2026, that's 0024116, 0024111, 0024112, and 0024117. I move passes of these four items by the same motion. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Item 10 is an ordinance 2026.0024118, sale of city-owned property at 10726, 10730, and 10734 South Loomis Street and 10717 South Glenrow Avenue to far south CDC under Jachai Block Builder Platform for the missing middle infield program in the 21st Ward. I move passes of this item by the same motion.

Hearing no objections, so ordered.

Finally, items 11 through 14 are for the market rate sales of city-owned property and their child block builder. In the third, fifth, 20th words, the ordinance numbers are as follow. Ordinance 2026.0024.115, 24.107, 24.114, and 24.113. The last one passing as a substitute, a move passage of these four items by the same motion.

Hearing no objections, so ordered.

Mr. President, this concludes my report.

Very well, thank you. The Committee on License and Consumer Protection, the chair recognizes Chairwoman Silverstein.

Thank you, Mr. President. And members of City Council, I'm reporting for the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. We held a meeting on April 13th, 2026, and the following items were passed by the Committee. O2026-0024090, Amendment of Municipal Code, Chapter 4-155 by adding new section 4-155-035 regarding conditional approval of video gaming terminal licenses. Alderman Wagsback and Alderwoman Lee move to defer and publish.

Alderwoman Lee. Wagsback.

And also Alderman Lawson, Mr. President.

Alderman Lawson. You all three confirmed. Very well. That item will be deferred and published. Thank you, Madam Chair. Continue.

02025-001-9931 amendment of municipal code chapters 9-104 and 9-112 adding specifications for taxi meter use and modifying rules on taxicab equipment requirements and inspections license fees and new service fare rates. Mr. President, I move that the city council concur in the recommendations of the license committee by the same roll call as item number one of the committee on finance report and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Chair recognizes Alderman Riley.

I'd like to be recorded as a no.

Farewell. The motion on the floor for the most favorable roll call finance committee and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider despite the division. Despite the division to order Adam chair.

02026-0024021, Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-073, increasing number of maximum lake vendor liquor license issued during any license period from 29 to 31. I move passage of this item by the same motion if there is no objection.

Hearing none, so ordered.

Oh, 2026-0023370. Amendment of Municipal Code Title IV by modifying various sections regarding Wrigley Field Special Club fees, alcoholic liquor operations, and adjacent area rooftop hours. I move passage of this item by the same motion if there is no objection.

Hearing none, so ordered.

Four ordinances regarding liquor moratoriums in the second 36th, 46th, and 48th wards, 02026-0023807, and others 0024047 and 0024057 and 0023801. I move passage of these items by the same motion if there's no objection. Hearing none, so ordered. 02025-0017570 to be re-referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. I move passage of this item by the same motion if there's no objection.

Hearing none, so ordered.

02026-0024076 was held in committee. Mr. President, this concludes my report.

Thank you, Madam Chair. For the Committee on Pedestrian Traffic Safety, Vice Chair Cruz.

Thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, for which a meeting was held on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, the committee held a subject matter hearing on the closure of the Austin Avenue Bridge, pursuant to Municipal Code Section 2-102-1. No votes were taken on this item. Before the committee, there were also 412 routine traffic items. Two items were held in committee and the other 410 passed. If there is no objections, I move passage of these 410 items by the first most favorable roll call from the committee on finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider the vote.

Hearing no objections, so ordered.

That concludes my report. Thank you.

Madam Vice Chair, Chair Villegas is here for the Committee on Economic Capital and Technology. Chairman Villegas. Thank you, Mr. President.

My apologies. Mr. President, members of the City Council, reporting for the Committee on Economic Capital and Technology Development, which met on Thursday, April 9, 2026. The Committee held a meeting to recommend passing the following items. Item 1 is an appointment of Mary Tobias to SSA number 38, North Center. Items 2 and 3 are reappointments of Dorothy Hudson to SSA number 5, Commercial Avenue, Anthony A. Kayum to SSA number 21-2016, Lincoln Square. I move for pass of these items by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider. Hearing no objections, so ordered. Item 4 is an ordinance directing the Transportation Commissioner to identify information technology companies to provide asset management software for the City of Chicago. As we heard in the finance committee's item 7A, there's a settlement of half a million dollars. And so we would hope that the Department of Transportation and DTI act expeditiously to identify asset management software that will help the city reduce its risk and its liability. And with that, I move for pass of this item by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Thank you, Mr. President. That concludes my report. Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Public Safety, the Chair recognizes Chairman Hopkins.

Thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for your Public Safety Committee, which held a meeting on Thursday, April 9, 2026. In addition to approving the Rule 45 report for March 26, your committee recommends passage of the following item. Proposed Ordinance 17561, Amendment of Municipal Code Section 8450, expanding the definition of trespassing and establishing cumulative fines for violations therein. If no one wishes to speak, I move passage of this item by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on Finance, an associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Hearing no objections, seeing no hands, so ordered.

Thank you, Mr. President. This concludes my report.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Let's do the Committee on Special Events in Cultural Affairs and Recreation. Chair recognizes Chairman Sposato.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, before I start, I'd just like to take a right of personal privilege to say something that's As you all know, it's no surprise to anybody, something's been bothering me here forever, and it's nothing personal against anybody, but usually the happy committee, special events, usually a pretty quick, happy meeting. This last meeting was especially difficult, and not because there was somewhat of a contentious issue that has nothing to do with it, but the disruption with the Rule 59 people We are out of control with this. So I'm begging you, begging you to stop. I know many people have legitimate reasons, but I'm begging you to stop period, especially in my committee. So moving forward. Thank you, Mr. President, member of city council reporting for the committee on special events, cultural affairs, recreation, also known as a happy committee, which held a meeting on April 9th, 2026. The committee recommends passes of the following items. O2026-0024100 expenditure of open space impact fee funds for development of the Chicago Torture Justice Memorial at 5520 South Martin Luther King Drive. I move passage of this item by the first favorable roll call vote in a committee on finance and associate unsuccessful motion to reconsider with the exception of Alderman Napolitano who would like to be recorded as a no.

Very well, hearing no other objections, so ordered.

Item 02026-0024101, Expenditure of Open Space Impact Fee Funds for Development of Territory Community Garden at 557 North Central. I move patches of this item by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Hearing no objections, so ordered.

A-2026-0024049, the appointment of Kenya Merritt as Commissioner of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Mr. President, I wish to speak last on this item. If anybody else would like to speak. Make the motion. Looking to speak. Make the motion first. Yes, I'm sorry. Motion to pass.

pass with the most favorable roll call in the Finance Committee and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider. Very well. That is the motion on the floor. Are there any...

I'm sorry, Mr. President. My bad. My bad. I'm sorry. You're fine. I move pass the deciding by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance, associate unsuccessful motion to reconsider with the exception of Alderman Quinn, O'Shea, Wagaspak, Tabarez, Nugent, and Napolitano would like to be recorded as a no.

Very well. Are there any alders that the chair recognizes Alderwoman had?

I'll discombobulate.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to support this appointment. I appreciate your willingness to take on this really important role. I notably was very unhappy, Mr. President, with the dismissal of our, not most previous, but DK's commissioner at the beginning, Aaron, I thought did a fantastic job. This department, small but mighty, but just like lots of things related to culture and arts, oftentimes we undervalue it until it's gone. I know that the department has been struggling and I feel confident that this appointment and under the leadership of the person you're putting forth here, that we're going to see the stabilization that we need in order to make sure that the very important work of arts and cultural affairs, which some would say is one of the defining characteristics of our city, why people come here, why people who live here celebrate here, how we spend our summers, what we do in those cold months when we don't want to be outside. DECASE needs the stability, needs the leadership. strongly support this appointment and look forward to the department and the great work, especially as we enter our busy season to see it get the support that it needs. So thank you.

Thank you. Alderman Hall. Thank you, Mr. President. I just want to stand and rise in support of this appointment. We are a global city with a global leader and I'm looking forward to seeing what you see for the entire city. Thank you so much, Mr. President.

You're welcome.

Alderman Dowell.

Yes, thank you, Mr. President. I wanted to just tell you that this is a great appointment. What I appreciated from you, Ms. Merritt, was your identification of your priorities for supporting small neighborhood cultural institutions and cultural organizations. I think that's something that people are looking for, so thank you. I also was surprised, I shouldn't say I was surprised, but The number of letters of support from all over the city of Chicago, from different areas of the city, different industries, people know that this is the right appointment and are there to support you. And then finally, I know you don't talk a lot about your 26 years in city government, but you have been effective in every space that you've been in, whether you're in BACP or the mayor's office and now DKs, you're somebody who fills voids, who doesn't wait for grass to grow under their feet, but is active. And so I wish you well, and I would urge my colleagues to support this nomination. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you. Alderman Curtis.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to support this appointment. This was a great appointment, Mr. President. Again, what I support most is her governmental institutional knowledge. I'm glad we don't have someone that's coming in from the outside thinking they can feel this position. She has the knowledge of Of city government, her years has done her justice. And also with this department, I'm looking forward to working with you more with the case now. And again, Mr. President, this is a great appointment. Thank you.

Thank you. Alderman Knutson. Thank you, Mr. President. Yep. I just want to congratulate my good friend, Kenya Merritt, on her pending appointment. Kenya's history in the city is really deep. She's been in several different departments. She's served under several mayors, which not many people can say. And she even exited for a short time to be full time in the civic space. And What I understand of Kenya, even separate from knowing her through this role and other parts of life, is that she builds consensus amongst communities in the city. And I think her resume and pedigree are perfect for this fit. Right now, there is this need for a glue connector between the arts and culture community in Chicago and our city, because there's a lot of exciting work getting done. And I know I'm beyond confident that Kenya is the right person for that role. So again, we're not there yet, but congrats on the pending.

Thank you, Alderman Harris.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to support this appointment. And Kenya and I go back so many years. It's kind of incredible that it's been 26 years already. I want to thank you for your leadership and your commitment and your ability to always pick up the phone and take my call. whenever I call and bug you about whatever I'm bugging you about. And I appreciate you. I think you're going to be a wonderful addition over there. And I think you're going to take it to the next level. And I'm here to help you in any kind of way that I can help you to continue to allow our special events here in the city of Chicago to thrive. Thank you.

Thank you. Alderman Rodriguez.

Thank you, Mr. President. Kenya, I'm very excited to support you in this endeavor because I know what good of a job you're going to do. Look, there were some issues there. We brought the union in. You brought the union in. Talk to them. You're committed to continue to talk to them to address those issues. To me, that willingness to speak and engage is critically important. From a leadership perspective, Alderwoman Dow took the words out of my mouth. Your presentation, the breadth of experience and support from throughout the city, it just speaks volumes to who you are as a leader. Happy to support you. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Alderman Mosley.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of this nomination. Kenya, with your expertise, speed and accuracy is now the goal. We know you can do it. We're behind you. We got you. Looking forward to seeing it. Thank you.

Thank you. Alderman Moore. Mr. President, I want to commend you on this appointment. And I echo everything everyone else said without repeating. And the only thing I want to add to that is I appreciate your dedication and in your heart and your commitment by not only words, but action and reaching out to Alderman and talking with Alderman. And you don't get that a lot. And I appreciate that so much about you and just look forward to working with you in this position. You have my full support. Thanks.

Thank you. Alderman Taliafaro.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise in support of this appointment. And Kenya, I want to congratulate you. I know we will thrive and we will continue to thrive under your leadership as we elevate Chicago's platform as our arts and cultural platform, not only in the United States, but throughout the world. Thank you so much and congratulations. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Alderman Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President and good afternoon members of the committee. I too rise in support of your appointment today here for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Most of the time I get recognized as the dog alderman, but our Future commissioner also recognized when we met that I used to be an employee of that department. So I know it very well and know many of the people who still work there. And I am very glad to state that I think that the weight has been lifted. The cloud has gone away and the stain has been removed from DKs. just by your mere presence and your ability to connect with the employees that are there, because many of them reached out to me personally to tell me just how much better they felt now that there has been a leadership change. There are things that we need to do, and all of us know that Chicago is a destination town. Chicago is where people want to come visit, where they spend tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars here, downtown and throughout all the neighborhoods. And I know that you have a very keen understanding of that. And in conversations with some of the things that we are working on for our city, Mr. President, The fact that we're able to not only connect and drive tourism here, but do it in a way that actually uplifts our youth, uplifts our students, uplifts our neighborhoods, I think is something that has been missing from this department for some time. The rebirth of that mentality shows great opportunity for all of us because I think the last time we really had this kind of willingness to experiment with art, experiment with our culture, experiment with all of what we put together was probably when we were coming out of COVID, when we started coming back together and when we actually, for the first time, brought something like Taste of Chicago to the neighborhoods. We had the mobile taste of Chicago, which no one ever thought of, because it was always downtown. It was always in one spot in one location. And now I have to fight my colleague from the 17th Ward, because now it's part of the Marquette Park, and I can never get it back again in West Englewood. But that's OK. But that's OK, because this world loves each other. Thank you. But we know that where there's opportunity like that is in everything that we do and everything that we need to resurrect. Because when I think about my time in that department 20-plus years ago, there were things that we no longer do. We used to do major Halloween events right across the street. We used to do kids in kites at Montrose Park. We used to do a whole lot more, and we've kind of gotten away from that. So with 77 neighborhoods, 50 members of this body, I think the challenge has gladly been accepted, Mr. President, to see what we can do to resurrect the good times here in the city of Chicago. And we can do that with Kenya Merritt as our commissioner. I look forward to working with you and thank you for this appointment.

Thank you, Old Woman Lee.

Thank you, Mr. President. I too stand in support of this appointment. Kenya, thank you for all of your years of service spanning nearly three decades. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it that way. It makes us all feel old. But I think it goes without saying that an individual who has served as long as you have in government has an absolute love for this city um and and you've put more than just your heart into it um we had a great chat um and i think we we can all relate to the sacrifice um that one makes when you take on positions such as the ones that you've made um and i know that the the department is uh is improved because of your presence you know we had a really long chat just about how you write the ship um and and your willingness to take on this task at this time so it was no small task i'm excited for your time um leading d case um very excited for some upcoming things including international jazz day everybody put it on your calendar april 30th We want everybody to participate. This city has so much to offer in the way of arts and culture. And surely, you know, summer festivals are our signature, summertime shy. So really appreciate, again, your willingness to take on this role and wish you all the best as you move forward with the department. Thank you, Mr. President.

You're welcome, Alderwoman Coleman.

President, I wholeheartedly stand in support of Acting Commissioner, soon to be Official Commissioner, Kenya Merritt's appointment on today. I know your son is listening in virtually, beaming joy to joy that his mom will now lead the happy the happy department for the city of Chicago. Alderman Lopez mentioned resurrecting the good. And I do hope that in resurrecting the good and then speaking to those and ask me and being that collaboration and showing leadership for those who have felt unheard for so long for the last year and a half that you are restoring not only the integrity but the leadership that's needed to keep forth and continue to make Chicago the best city ever. I, like Chairman Dow mentioned, we weren't surprised, but we were appreciative of the diversity of all of the organizations that came in support and that sent letters. And most importantly, your predecessor's predecessor came out of retirement to come back to City Hall to speak on your behalf. And that says a lot about you, not only as a woman, as a person, but as a leader. So proud of you. I remember meeting you as a freshman alderman when you worked under, I think, BACP. BACP. And to see how your career has expanded these 20, well, six years that I've known you, just super proud on behalf of the Chicago Automatic Black Caucus. I would like to mention a part of my laundry list of those activities on the South and West Sides. But I hope that DKs can collaborate with 2FM so that we can restore the beauty back into city hall because this council is so diverse from Black History Month to National Heritage Month to Latino Month. There's so many Asian month, just so many race, cultures, religions here. We would love for it to be reflected right here at 120 North LaSalle. And we know that you have the secret sauce to make that happen and help 2FM out. They're struggling a little bit nowadays. But congrats in advance, and we look forward to your leadership. Thank you, Mr. President.

Thank you. Alderman Beal.

Thank you, Mr. President. I, too, rise to support this resolution. And I want to commend the new commissioner for wanting to even take on this role. We all know that this department before you stepped into the role was a complete and utter disaster. And the fact that you have come in and you're bringing people together, you're meeting with people, you're bringing HR in, you're doing all the things necessary to turn that ship around and go in the right direction, because you can't lead if you're constantly looking over your shoulder. And so as you're moving forward, we all want to support you. I appreciate you working me because you called me on numerous occasions and you worked me extremely well. But I will tell you, the thing that tipped me in your favor more so than anything else is how you handled yourself in the committee. And you handed yourself with professionalism, with such grace. And, you know, I expect nothing but great things from here going forward. So we want to support you a thousand percent and good luck on your next endeavor. Thank you.

Thank you. Alderman Al Hoppenworth.

Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to say congratulations on this appointment. And hello, Kenya. It's good to see you here today. I also wanted to appreciate you for giving me a call and having a conversation about your vision for Chicago. The arts is very important to me. I grew up in the arts. And of course, I'm a small business owner and my business is around the arts. And we had a conversation about how we work together on small business development. And I am looking forward to see how your vision to not only make Chicago a destination for arts lovers, but also a destination for artists so that we can stay here, so that we can have affordable neighborhoods to live in and to work in and create in. together i like your approach for really localizing um all of your efforts and i look forward to having you in the 48th ward anything that we could do together i look forward to it thank you very well thank you are there any other alders that wish to speak to this appointment nomination very well alderman chairman spazzato you may close thank you mr president so uh

Unfortunately, three of my colleagues stole what I had to say, so I'm not going to say stole it, so I'm going to just re-verify what they said. Starting with Alderman Knutson, I was going to say four different administrations and you're still here. That says a lot about somebody. that four different mayors want you part of the administration. So that's a big plus. Also the boatload of letters we got received in support of her, especially two letters, two former commissioners. So that's got to say a lot about what people think of you and the job that you're doing so far and the stability you're giving the department. And also let's not forget the boatload of money she's going to make for this city. That's the most important thing. We got to get out there and start generating some revenue with these fests and so on and so forth. So I just wish you the best. I look forward to working with you. It's been a pleasure to get to know you. We kind of casually know each other in the past, but we talk fairly often, and I look forward to continuing our conversation.

Very well. Thank you, Mr. Chair. On the motion on the floor, hearing no other objections, seeing no other hands, congratulations, Kenya Mayor. So ordered.

Chairman Sposato.

That's right. Let's make it official. Thank you, Mr. President. That concludes my report.

Very well. Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Transportation and Public Way, the Chair recognizes Chairman Mitchell.

Mr. President, members of the City Council, reporting for your Committee on Transportation and Public Way, which held a meeting on April 8, 2026, the following items passed by the majority of the members present. Page 2, Item 1, Appointment of Christian Diaz as Director of the Community Rail Board Metro, Appointment 20260023418. Page 2, item 2, appointment of Lily Diego Johnson as a member of the Chicago Transit Board. Appointment 20260024051. Page 2, item 3, appointment of Marcus A. Jordan as a member of Illinois International Port District Board. Appointment 20260024050. Pages 3 and 4 include 14 ordinances for miscellaneous items introduced by the local alderman from Wards 3, 11, 13, 16, 17, 19, 25, 26, 36, 44, and 46. If there is no objection, I move passage of these items by the first most favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance in the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Hearing none, so ordered.

Mr. President, at this time, I want to acknowledge two no votes for the appointment of Christian Diaz as Director of Community Rail Board with Alderman Samantha Nugent, Alderman Scott Wadgesback. Mr. President, that concludes my report.

Very well. Let's make sure that those two members are recorded as no votes for that particular item. Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Workforce Development, Chair recognizes Chair Rodriguez. Which item? The item that has come up in this committee? Very well. Why don't you go ahead, Chair. Why don't you go first, and then I'll acknowledge Alderman Tolley for our vote.

uh report for committee on workforce development the meeting on monday april 13th there was one item on the agenda so 2025-0015584 an amendment of municipal code title ii by adding new section 2-152-165 prohibiting any city officer granted access to sensitive locations from participating In any extremist activity, this passed the committee with the do pass recommendation. However, Alderman Martin and I choose to defer and publish the item.

Very well, Alderman Martin. All right, it's been confirmed. Alderman Tyler Farrell, do you still wish to speak to this item? No, Mr. President. Very well, that item has been deferred and published. Chairman, any other business in your committee? My report. Very well, Mr. President. For our agreed upon calendar, Alderman Harris.

Mr. President, I received from the city clerk Andrea M. Valencia a total of 139 items proposed for the agreed calendar consisting of congratulatory commemorative tribute and tributary resolutions from clerk valencia for the following older persons. I have 2 additions and 1 removal. The additions are all the person Dow and all the person mostly in the removal is all the person clay. So the following Alderman are Alderman LaSpada, Alderman Alderperson Robinson, Alderperson Harris, Alderperson Lee, Alderperson Quinn, Alderperson Lopez, Alderperson Coleman, Alderperson O'Shea, Alderperson Rodriguez, Alderperson Tavares, Alderperson Ciccio Lopez, Alderperson Fuentes, Alderperson Talaferro, Alderperson Quesada, Alderperson Villegas, Alderperson Nugent, Alderperson Knudsen, Alderperson Lawson, Alderperson Gardner, and, um, Order person, Amanda Hoppenworth, and I move these into omnibus.

Hearing no objections, so order. For new business, the clerk will begin with the 50th ward.

Zoning classifications, 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 requirement for commercial driveway alley access, which are referred to the committee on transportation and public way. Alderman Silverstein has proposed orders for the issuance of permits for signed signboards at 5943 North Lincoln Avenue and 6341 North McCormick Boulevard, which refers to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderman Haddon has proposed a resolution calling for hearings to provide insights and recommendations for a flexible housing pool program, which is referred to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Alderperson Manaha Hoppenworth has a proposed order for the issuance of permits for signed sign boards at 5257 North Clark Street, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Knutson has a proposed ordinance for amendment of Municipal Code Section 17-9-0111.5 to include religious assembly in non-accessory parking restrictions in RT4 and higher zoning districts, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Riley has proposed order for the issuance of permits for signed signboards at 1000 North West Street, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Riley also has proposed ordinance for removal of parking meters on West Grand Avenue from 0.78 feet west of North State Street to 0.40 feet west thereof, which is referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Other person Riley also has a proposed ordinance for amendment of municipal code section 4-60-022 to disallow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portion of East Erie Street and East Ontario Street, which is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Other person Riley also has a proposed ordinance for amendment of municipal code section 4-60-023 to disallow additional package licenses on portion of North State Street and East Huron Street, which is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Alderperson Napolitano has proposed orders for the issuance of permits for signed signboards at 11601 West 2E Avenue, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Vasquez and Alderperson Lee have a proposed resolution for condemnation of Chinese Mutual Aid Association for 45 years of serve, commendations of Chinese, pardon me, commendation of Chinese Mutual Aid Association for 45 years of service, which is referred to the Committee on Health and Human Relations. Alderman Person Vasquez has a proposed resolution to call for the Commissioner of Human Resources to reject disqualifying applicants of city employment who violated state and local laws in conducting duties of immigration enforcement or detention, which is referred to the Committee on Workforce Development. Aldo President Vasquez and others have proposed a resolution for expression of support to Pope Leo XIV and his call for compassion, dignity, justice, and peace. This is referred to the Committee on Health and Human Relations. Aldo President Sposato has proposed an ordinance for an honorary street designation as... Karistanoff-Azeroniewicz Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Other person, Sposato, also has a proposed ordinance for an on-air street designation as Sergeant Tom Eichler USMC-CPD Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Other persons, Villegas, Telefiero, and Conway have proposed ordinance for the Commission of Planning and Development and housing directed to encourage goals of 3% veteran-owned business enterprise participation in each city financing or discretionary approval that includes MBEWB participation goals, which is referred to the Committee on Contracting Oversight. Mr. Villegas has proposed a resolution to call for hearings on city's process and procedures for reviewing and approving applications for TIF funding, which is referred to the Committee on Finance. Other person, Villegas, and others have proposed resolution to call for hearings to examine impact of the Department of Housing and Urban Development's proposed mixed-status family rule change on vulnerable Chicago residents, which is referred to the Committee of Housing and Real Estate. Other person, Rodriguez-Sanchez, has proposed ordinance for Installation of parking meters on North Sacramento Avenue from West Belmont Avenue, West Belmont Street to West School Street, which is referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. All the persons, Rodriguez-Sanchez and Fuentes and others, have proposed a resolution for expression of support for House Bill 2929 that amends the substance use disorder Act and calls on Illinois General Assembly to swiftly pass said legislation, which is referred to the Committee on Health and Human Relations. Alderperson Cardona has proposed an ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 31st Ward Aldermatic Expense Allowance Account for the year 2026, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Telefiero has a proposed ordinance for Amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-023 to allow additional packaged goods licenses on portions of West Chicago Avenue. This is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Alderperson Telefiero also has a proposed ordinance for dedication of public alleys in the area bounded by West Congress Parkway, South Lotus Avenue, West Harrison Street, and South Lockwood Avenue, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Alderperson Telefiura also has a proposed order for the use and supremacy for signed sign boards at 2859 North Harlem Avenue, which is referred to Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Irvin has a proposed order for the use and supremacy for signed sign boards at 2322 through 2324 West Taylor Street, which is referred to Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Ervin also has proposed ordinance for amendment of municipal code title 17 by modifying section 17-3-0207 to prohibit issuance of permits for gas stations in B3, C1, and C2 zoning districts and by modifying section 17-9-0109 to prohibit new gas stations within 1,000 feet of existing gas stations or on the same block face as lots zoned RS1, RS2, or RS3. It was referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Burnett has proposed orders for the use of permits for science sign boards at 949 North Alston Avenue, which are referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Siccio-Lopez has proposed the ordinance for an honorary designation as Honorary Rigoberto Mr. G. Gonzalez Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Alderperson Siccio-Lopez also has a proposed order for the use of permits for a science sign board at 2309 South Loomis Street, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderpersons Ciccio Lopez, Rodriguez-Sanchez, and Alderman Quesada have proposed a resolution to call on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to immediately release Shala Sezor and to ensure safeguarding of immigrant rights and prevention of further abuses of power in immigration enforcement, which is referred to the Committee on Health and Human Relations. Alderperson Tavares has proposed an order for the issuance of permits for a signed signboard at 5124 South Pulaski Road, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. While the person Rodriguez has a proposed order for an honorary street designation as Lulu Simmons Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. While the persons Chico, Hopkins, Curtis, and others have proposed a resolution to call for hearings on the status and reasons for the Chicago Police Department delays of procurement of new records management system and appropriation for procuring new acoustic gunshot technology system, which is referred to the Committee on Public Safety. While the person Curtis has a proposed ordinance for an honorary street designation as Matthew J. Thomas Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. While the person Curtis also has a proposed ordinance for an honorary street designation as Devante Cool Barton Way, which is referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. While the person Lopez has a proposed ordinance for an amendment of Municipal Code Section 4-60-022 to allow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on a portion of South Ashland Avenue, which is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection.

Excuse me.

All the person Lopez also has proposed resolution calling for hearings on discontinuation of signage related to peddling, loitering, skateboard, skateboarding on sidewalk and littering violations, which is referred to the committee on public safety. All the person Lopez also has proposed order for the commission of department of transportation was directed to immediately. reinstate production of all signs related to various violations within the municipal code to present any decisions to discontinue signs 90 days before action is taken and immediately install or replace all missing, damaged, or ordered signs within 180 days. We should refer to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Alderperson Lopez also has a proposed ordinance for amendment of municipal code titles 8, 9, and 10 requiring the Chicago Department of Transportation to produce, install, and maintain signage related to various prohibitions. We should refer to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way. Alderperson Lopez and others have proposed an ordinance for amendment of municipal code section 18-29-309 to require all plumbing systems erected in the city of Chicago to include backflow mitigation valve, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderperson Lopez and others also have opposed the ordinance for amendment of Ordinance SO 2024-007838, Section 2.2, regarding issuance of bonds to include financing home repair program in the amount of 2.5% of the bonds issued, which is referred to the Committee on Finance. Alderperson Quinn has a proposed ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 13th Ward wage automatic allowance account to the automatic expense account for the year 2026, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Quinn and others have proposed ordinance for amendment of Municipal Code Section 6-105-030 to extend dates for employers' allowances in occupations customarily receiving gratuities, which is referred to the Committee on Finance. Alderperson Lee has proposed ordinance for the use of permits for signed sign boards at 4435 through 4439 South Ashland Avenue, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Billing Standards. Alderperson Lee, Alderperson Wagaspak, and others have proposed a resolution to call for hearings on status of City's progress implementing efficiencies and other programmatic reform options identified in Financial and Strategic Reform Options Report, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Chico has proposed ordinance for amendment of the annual appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 10th Ward automatic expense account to the wage allowance account for the year 2026, which is referred to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations. Alderperson Robinson has proposed orders for historical landmark fee waivers for the properties at 3309, 3311, and 3313 South Prairie Avenue, which are referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderman President Robinson also has a proposed ordinance for the installation of parking meters and the amendment of municipal code section 9-64-206 to establish hours of operation for meters on portions of South Columbus Drive, which is referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Alderperson Robinson also has a proposed ordinance for amendment of municipal code section 4-60-073 to limit maximum number of lakefront vendor liquor licenses issued in the 12th Street Beach or Rainbow Beach to a number of two, which is referred to the Committee on License and Consumer Protection. Two committees call the Committee on License, the Committee on Zoning. The matter is referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules. Alderman President Hopkins has proposed ordinance for the removal of parking meters on a portion of East Chicago Avenue and the installation of parking meters on a portion of East Ontario Street, which is referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Alderman President Laspata has proposed orders for the issuance of permits for signed sign boards at 1523 West North Avenue, which are referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards. Alderman President Laspata also has proposed a resolution to call on the U.S. Congress and the past and President Donald Trump to sign the Living Wage of Musicians Act of 2025, which refers to the Committee on Workforce Development. Alderman Lopez has proposed ordinance for amendment of MISPA code section 2-56-050 regarding powers and duties of the Inspector General to investigate various allegations concerning participating in extreme activities, which is referred to the Committee on Workforce Development. Your Honor, that concludes the presentation of automatic introductions.

Earl, thank you for the approval of the Journal, Alderman Mitchell.

I'm not aware of any corrections to the journal from the March 18, 2026 meeting and move that it be approved.

Hearing no objections, so order for unfinished business. Alderman Mitchell.

President, I'm aware of one piece of unfinished business. It was filed by Alderman Irvin and I defer to him. Chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I have one piece of unfinished business, which is to allow the consideration of ordinance number 020260022510. which regards the amendment of the municipal code section 4-156-962, clarifying license requirements regarding lawful sports wagering that was deferred in order to publish at the March 18th, 2026 city council meeting. On December 19th, 2025, the city council passed a revenue ordinance with the 2026 budget package article 18, Eight of the revenue ordinance amends the city sports raising ordinance. The purpose of the amendment was to make the sports waging ordinance apply to online sports wagering under the amendment operators of online sports wagering are required to pull licenses from the city. and to remit the city sports wagering tax. This ordinance simply further clarifies that even if online sports wagering facilities, entities are physically located outside of the city of Chicago, they still must remit this tax. After any discussion, I move passage of this ordinance by voice vote.

Very well. There's a motion and a four for the passage of this item. Does anyone wish to speak to it? Seeing no hands, all those in favor signify by saying aye. Any opposed say nay. Any opinion of the chair? The ayes have it. This item passes. Alderman Ervin on the motions to reconsider.

Move to reconsider.

All those in favor of reconsideration of this vote signify by saying aye. Any opposed say no. No, this motion fails. Thank you, Alderman Ervin. Alderman Mitchell, anything else?

I'm not aware of any further pieces of unfinished business.

Very well. For miscellaneous business, Alderman Mitchell?

I'm aware of two pieces of miscellaneous business. The first piece of miscellaneous business was filed by Alderman Martin, and I defer to him.

Very well. The chair recognizes Alderman Martin.

Thank you, Mr. President. I filed a Rule 41 notice with the clerk of my intent to call for a vote discharging the Committee on Committees and Rules from further consideration of Ordinance O2025-0017573 regarding the amendment of Municipal Code Chapter 2-44 by adding new Section 2-44-170 regarding requirements for low-income housing tax credit qualified allocation plans. and thereafter moved to re-refer the matter to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. But first, I move to discharge the Rules Committee from further consideration of this item by a voice vote.

Before we move to discharge, does anybody wish to speak to this item? All right, very well. All those in favor of the discharging of this particular item, signify by saying aye. All those opposed, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The motion is discharged of the committee on committees and rules. For further consideration for the item 02025-0017573, it has passed. Alderman Martin.

I now move to re-refer ordinance 02025-0017573 to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate by a voice vote.

Very well. Does anyone wish to speak to this? Seeing no hands. All those in favor of the re-referral of this item signify by saying aye. Any opposed say nay. In the opinion of the chairs, ayes have it. This item has been re-referred to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Alderman Mitchell.

Move to reconsider the vote.

All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying aye. Any opposed say no. The motion fails. Alderman Mitchell.

The second piece of miscellaneous business was filed by Alderman Conway and others, and I defer to Alderman Conway.

Very well. Thank you. Alderman Conway.

Thank you. Mr. President, I filed a Rule 41 notice with the Clerk of my intent to call for a vote on Resolution R-2026-0022537 regarding the amendment of City Council rules of order and procedure for the 2023 to 2027 term to appoint new Chair and Vice Chairs to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards which was referred to the Committee on Committees and Rules on January 21st, 2026 City Council meeting. Since that time, my colleagues and I have drafted the substitute resolution, which was circulated to all members of this body via email yesterday, April 14th. But to follow the proper procedure to vote on the substitute resolution, however, I would first like to make a motion to discharge the Committee on Committees and Rules from from its duty to consider this resolution following debate, but then after that, I will then make a motion to substitute the resolution with the language circulated to this body, which puts Alderman Lawson as the chairman and Alderman Cruz as the vice chairman of the zoning landmarks and building standards, and will call for a vote on the substitute resolution. So therefore, Mr. President, I first move to discharge the Rules Committee from its duty to further consider this resolution by voice vote.

Very well. So before us is the motion to discharge the Rules Committee. Before us is the motion to discharge the Rules Committee from its duty to consider this resolution. So all those in favor, signify by saying aye. Any opposed, say nay. Any opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. The motion to... The motion to discharge the committee on committees and rules from further consideration of item R2026-0022-537, it has passed. Before I refer back to Alderman Conway, the chair recognizes Alderman Conway. Coleman.

Thank you, Mr. President. Pursuant to Rule 33, I move to accept a substitute resolution for R2026-0022537, which has been circulated to all members of the council by majority vote.

What's the substitute? Okay, just a second.

Passed out to everyone. This substitute.

Just relax you all. Alderman Coleman. All right, we'll make sure we get that substitute. As that's being passed out, Alderman Coleman, what is the substitute?

Okay, the substitute resolution identifying the chair and vice chair of standing committees with committee on economic capital and technology development with Alderman Curtis as chair, Mosley as vice chair and the remaining members stand and committee on zoning landmarks and building standards as Villegas as chair and Alderman Lawson as vice chair and all of the rest of the remaining members of council on the committee.

Alderwoman Haddon. Thank you, Alderman Coleman.

I move to lay that motion on the table.

Pharrell, so there's a motion on the floor for the substitute to the substitute. That substitute has since been asked for that item to be laid on the table. So in other words, there's a roll call vote for it. So in other words, if you support the laying of the table, it means you do not wish to move forward with the substitute to the substitute, and therefore opening us up back to the original motion of the initial substitute that was offered up by Alderman Conway.

Sure. Alderman Lopez. Thank you, Mr. President. Just as a point of order, Alderman Conway has not had a substitute introduced and accepted as of yet.

Very well. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. It was meant for the discharge. That is correct. The item on the motion on the floor is to lay the substitute that Alderman Coleman brought to the floor to lay that item on the table. If you vote yes... it means you wish to proceed back to the initial movement around the discharging that Alderman Conway moved forward.

Alderman Irvin. As, as Alderman Lopez stated, we don't have a substitute before us to lay on the table. So either the, a substitute is accepted or, or not. We don't, We have the original right now.

Thank you. Again, the item that is So there's a motion to lay the substitute, which is the only substitute that's on the floor by Alderman Coleman, of which he read. The item, of course, has been requested for it to be laid on the table. So thank you for that clarification. Thank you. Alderman Haddon, did you wish to speak again?

On behalf of my colleague from the 15th Ward, I was just going to remind people that the motion to lay an item on the table is not debatable.

Thank you. Very well.

No, we haven't been called to vote. I didn't hear it.

Oh, I did. Yes, members, please use your e-vote to record your vote at this time.

Sorry, we didn't hear it.

Okay.

Open, did you open it? Yeah, he said call for it.

Again, the item, there's a motion on the floor to lay the substitute item on the table. Alderwoman Coleman's substitute.

All right. The vote is now open. The vote is now open. Please. Your E device voting is now open. All right, I will call those who do not vote yet. Alderman Laspada.

Yes.

Laspada is a yes. Alderman Yancey. Alderman Yancey. Alderman Chico. Chico is a yes. Alderman Taylor. Not President Chambers. Alderman Mosley. Mosley is a no. Alderman Scott. Scott is a no. Alderman Irvin. Irvin is a no. Alderman Talaferro. Talaferro is a no. Alderman Villegas. Villegas is a no. Alderman Riley. Alderman Gardner. Alderman Gardner is a no. Alderwoman Silverstein. Silverstein is a no. Alderman Yancey? All right, the voting is now closed.

There are 23 yays, 25 nays. The motion to lay the substitute item on the table has failed. The chair record... The chair recognizes Alderwoman Coleman.

Thank you, Mr. President. I renew my motion to accept the substitute.

Very well. There's a motion on the floor to accept the substitute. And the substitute motion, has this been a request for a roll call? And that substitute would, could you just restate what the configuration of the reorganization would look like?

The substitute refigures Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development as Curtis as chair, Mosley as vice chair, and the remaining members of city council remains on this committee. Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building Standards, Alderman Villegas as chair, Alderman Lawson as vice chair, and the rest of the remaining city council members on this committee.

Very well. There's a roll call vote for the substitute. The chair recognizes Alderman Rodriguez.

A quick point of clarification. The way I read it is Mosley and Lawson are already vice-chairs, so those aren't changing, right?

Very well. Members, please use your e-vote application to record your vote at this time.

Thank you.

I will now call on those who have not used their e-device. Alderman Laspada.

No.

Laspada is a no. Alderman Yancey. Alderman Moore. Alderman O'Shea. No, Moore is still casting. I'm coming back. O'Shea? Yeah, O'Shea is a yes. Alderwoman Taylor. Alderman Taylor is not here. Alderman Mosley. Alderman Mosley is a yes. Alderman Moore. Did you put it in? I can't skip over. I'm sorry. My parliamentarian is telling me I can't skip over you. You got it? Okay. Alderman Scott. Scott is a yes. Alderman Irvin. Irvin is a yes. Alderman Talaferro. Talaferro is a yes. Alderman Wagaspak. Wagaspak is a yes. Alderman Riley. Riley is a yes. Alderwoman Clay. Oh, did it go through? Alderwoman Haddon. Alderwoman Silverstein, both not here in chambers. Alderman Yancey, just checking.

Hey, sorry, I'm back. I was talking to a constituent, yes.

Okay, you're a yes?

Yeah.

Okay, Yancey is a yes. Okay, the voting is now closed.

There are 27 yeas, 20 nays. The motion to accept the substitute has passed. Chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.

Thank you, Mr. President. I move to accept as amended, adopt as amended.

All right. The motion has been accepted. Now there's a motion to pass and to adopt the substitute motion. Okay. By voice vote. All those in favor of the adoption of the substitute, signify by saying aye. Any opposed, say nay. In opinion of the chair, the ayes have it. On a motion to reconsider, Alderman Mitchell. Move to reconsider the vote. All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote, signify by saying aye. All those opposed, say no. This motion fails.

Chair recognizes Alderman Villegas. Thank you, Mr. President. First of all, I want to thank my colleagues for having the confidence to support me for this position, but I would be remiss if I didn't say thank you to the Vice Chair of Zoning, in Alderman Lawson Bennett, who's done a tremendous job. And I look forward to working with him to make sure that we're putting forward policies that help developers get things built quickly so we can realize the much needed property tax revenue in order to fund government services. I can tell you that Mr. Lawson is just a wealth of knowledge and I'm looking forward to working with him, as I stated. For those of you that didn't support me, I want to work with you to figure out how we can continue to move the city forward. We have a lot of work to do. There's a lot of people that want to build in this city. And I think we have to put the shingle out there that Chicago is open for business. And you have my commitment that we will work together to make sure that projects in everyone's ward is getting done expeditiously so we can make sure that we're addressing affordable housing, addressing market rate, and every other type of building that's necessary for the city. Again, thank you so much for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to working with all my colleagues. Thank you.

Very well, thank you. Alderman Mitchell, are there any other unfinished business? Chair recognizes Alderman Curtis.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. I too would like to thank my colleagues for having affecting me to move forward. Again, I didn't see this coming, but I'm looking forward to working with everyone here, and I will not let you down. Thank you, Mr. President and my colleagues.

Very well. Thank you very much. Alderman Mitchell, anything else?

Mr. President, except for the ordinance and the date and time of the next meeting, I am not aware of any more unfinished miscellaneous business.

Very well. Then on the date and time, Alderman Mitchell.

Hand it up. The ordinance to the clerk said in the date and time of the next meeting.

Madam Clerk, please read the ordinance.

Being ordained by the City Council of the City of Chicago, Section 1, the next regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Chicago shall be held on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, beginning at 10 a.m. in the Council Chambers on the second floor in City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois. Section 2, this ordinance shall take effect and be enforced from and after its passage. Gregory Mitchell, Alderman, 7th Ward.

Very well. Alderman Mitchell.

I move passage in the- Hearing no objections, so ordered. For the omnibus, Alderman Mitchell.

I move that matters in the omnibus be passed by the first most favorable roll call vote by the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. Alderman Mitchell on a motion to adjourn.

There being no further business before this body, I move that we adjourn.

Hearing no objections, so ordered. The meeting is adjourned.