City Council

Politics

Wednesday, March 24, 2021
10:00 a.m. CDT

Remote

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Jazmine Valadez

Demolition surcharge for Pilsen & the 606, Resolution on violence in India, Guaranteed income hearing, Air quality

View notes

Live reporting by Kelly Garcia

Demolition surcharge for Pilsen & the 606, Resolution on violence in India, Guaranteed income hearing, Air quality

Kelly Garcia @_KellyGarcia__

I'll be live-tweeting the Chicago City Council meeting starting at 10 a.m. CST for @CHIdocumenters. Follow this thread for live-updates.

You'll be able to find the link to view the meeting here: chicityclerk.com

09:17 AM Mar 24, 2021 CDT

Kelly Garcia @_KellyGarcia__ 2/60

Meeting information including the agenda can be found here: chicago.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.…

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Meeting is live. Watch here: chicityclerk.com/virtual-city-c…

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Starting with a few jokes today from the alders. "I promise to behave today," says Ald. Lopez lol

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Alright, the fun is over. Meeting is called to order by the Mayor.

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49 members present; there's a quorum. Just went through the pledge of allegiance and now invocation.

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Public comment is next. Speakers are limited to 3 minutes.

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The first couple speakers clash on a controversial non-binding resolution condemning religious violence in India. Ald. Hadden, the sponsor of the resolution, is invoking Rule 41 today to force a vote.

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Another speaker expresses support for civilian oversight of the police and notes that the CPAC and GAPA coalitions, previous sponsors of separate ordinances related to police oversight, have joined forces on the matter. The speaker urges City Council to push the ordinance forward

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Just heard from Kobi Guillory, speaking on behalf of CAARPR about the new Empowering Communities for Public Safety which is a joint effort around civilian oversight of the police by the former CPAC and GAPA sponsors.

Read more about the joint effort: chicago.suntimes.com/platform/amp/2…

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One of the speakers urged the council to vote against a mega development in the South Loop that they claim would place a tax burden on Chicagoans. They add that the president of the Landmark Development, Bob Dunne, hasn't worked to ensure an efficient transit hub as promised

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Here's a story about the mega development if you're interested in reading more: chicago.suntimes.com/business/2021/…

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The time alotted for public comment has ended; now going through honorary resolutions.

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The council is honoring Dorothy Gaters, head basketball coach at John Marshall HS for now 45 years.

"She's the greatest coach in Illinois history," says Ald. Scott. https://t.co/P9SN2NOynF

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Moving on to the next resolution honoring Lisa Butler, former commissioner of Dept. of Family and Support Services, who recently announced her retirement.

Ald. Osterman expresses his support and thanks her for all her work.
" https://t.co/VoWmFyiWgQ

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Just barely finishing up both honorary resolutions. Currently hearing from Lisa Butler who clarifies that she's resigning, not retiring from the department.

We'll be hearing from Coach Gaters next.

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Both resolutions passed. Now going through communications from the Clerk.

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Moving onto committee reports. First up is Committee on Finance.

A proposed amendment to the city code to modify charitable organizations eligible for contributions from the voluntary employee payroll deduction program passes unanimously.

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Next is a proposed amendment to the code to impose a building demolition tax program until April 2022 in the Pilsen & The 606 Trail neighborhoods.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa urges the council to pass the amendment which he says would address displacement due to lack of affordable housing

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Ald. Ramirez-Rosa adds that if a developer opts into the demolition surcharge ($15K), then that money will go towards the Chicago Community Land Trust which funds affordable housing.

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Ald. Lopez speaks in opposition to the amendment, saying that this impacts developers and the families that choose to stay in those communities. He adds that this would be "stealing their equity" because it robs them of their "generational wealth."

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Ald. Beale speaks against the ordinance because he claims it doesn't have legal ground.

Ald. La Spata says it does have legal ground and that a lot of work has been done around this ordinance for years.

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"We have lost density [in Pilsen]," says Ald. Sigcho-Lopez adding that developers are tearing down buildings and building mansions, displacing long-term residents. He adds that these developers aren't worried about paying the fee, they're figuring out how to circumvent it.

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Ald. Vasquez urges his colleagues to vote YES on the ordinance too.

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"I wish you could see the thousands of families in these neighborhoods that are being displaced," says Ald. Maldonado to the alders voting NO. "It's sad to watch this every year."

He adds that gentrification needs to be stopped around The 606 Trail.

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Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez also expresses support for the ordinance.

"This is a great start to finding collective solutions ... particularly around displacement," she says. "As a reminder, this is a pilot which means we can work on expanding it across the city."

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The ordinance for a demolition tax surcharge in the Pilsen/606 Trail neighborhoods passes 37-12.

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Next on the Finance Committee agenda is an ordinance approving the 2021 municipal depositories for the City of Chicago.

It passes 47-2. Ald. Thompson abstains. Ald. Osterman is a NO vote.

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17 ordinances totaling up to $17.6M in TIF funds for 17 different Chicago Park District projects passes unanimously. One of the projects includes a $10M payment in TIF funds for improvements to Riis Park, which is set to have a new CPS school in the area. All other matters pass.

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Now moving on to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations. All matters on the the agenda pass.

Next is Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology Development.

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Ald. Hadden speaks in support of a resolution to call a hearing on a pilot to implement a guaranteed income initiative and cash-based programs for working-class Chicagoans.

Ald. Ervin says it's a "slap in the face" that guaranteed income is being considered before reparations.

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Ald. Hadden clarifies that the pilot is not designated to any particular group and uplifts the need for reparations.

Ald. Lopez says that he agrees reparations for Black Chicagoans is important and that he would also like to see money in the hands of all residents in need.

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"It's not mutually exclusive," says Ald. King, expressing support for both guaranteed income and reparations. She references Dr. Martin Luther King who was a champion for basic income during the Poor People's Campaign.

"This would be like a stimulus check for Chicagoans."

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Ald. Cardenas and Vasquez echoed the same sentiments about supporting both guaranteed income and reparations.

Ald. Scott says he's in support of Ald. Ervin in that reparations needs to be prioritized before guaranteed income.

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"When I came into office 20 years ago, [former Alder] Dorothy Tillman had introduced efforts around reparations," says Ald. Emma Mitts, echoing Ald. Ervin. "These are things we have been deprived of [for generations]."

"Reparations should be front and center."

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Ald. Smith adds that a federal approach to guaranteed income is more reasonable.

"We have to be very careful about using money from the feds and spending it on [basic income]" referencing the economic crisis of 2008.

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Ald. Smith will be a NO vote on this matter.

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"If we can do this pilot [for guaranteed income], then we will be able to do reparations," says Ald. Burnett, echoing support for both issues. Ald. Villegas echoes support for the pilot, clarifying that this would be funded through federal dollars, not local dollars.

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The resolution for a hearing on a pilot program introducing guaranteed income for Chicagoans using federal dollars passes 30-18.

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All other matters on the Committee on Economic/Capital/Tech development pass.

Now hearing reports from the Housing Committee.

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All matters on the Housing Committee agenda pass. Up next is Committee on License and Consumer Protection.

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Ald. Reboyras asked to defer an item on the License/Consumer Protection agenda which would prevent booting on private property in the 1st Ward. Mayor grants deferral before Ald. La Spata raises his hand to address the concerns.

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Flying past Committee reports right now. Currently hearing from the Zoning Committee.

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Alders are debating the "Industrial Air Quality and Zoning" ordinance introduced by the Mayor. The ordinance would introduce regulations around new industrial development however, as noted by some progressive alders, it has not gotten the support of local environmental groups.

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From Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez: twitter.com/RossanaFor33/s…

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As a final word, Ald. Waguespack says that the amended ordinance that is being voted on includes room for community input in response to concerns that the ordinance does not meet the interest of the communities most harmed.

"I think this one of the most important steps."

Kelly Garcia @_KellyGarcia__ 47/60

The Mayor's Industrial Air Quality and Zoning Ordinance passes 38-12.

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That concludes committee reports. Up next is new business.

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One of the ordinances introduced today includes an ordinance sponsored by Ald. Vasquez to change the title of Chicago ward reps from 'aldermen' to 'alders'

Read more about it: chicago.suntimes.com/2021/3/24/2234…

Kelly Garcia @_KellyGarcia__ 50/60

Last item on the agenda today is a controversial resolution sponsored by Ald. Hadden to condemn the religious violence in India which has been the topic of discussion for many people during public comment. Hadden invoked Rule 41 to force a vote on the resolution today.

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Ald. Lopez is a NO vote on the resolution. He says he has received thousands of messages from people in opposition to this resolution.

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Ald. Cardenas will also be a NO vote. He says to take a stance on this issue will cause further divide between Hindus and Muslims. He says he has also been overwhelmed by calls from thousands of people to the point where they are unable to focus on ward services.

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Ald. Burnett will also be a NO vote referencing a conversation he had with some elected officials a few years back on a trip to India where they told him that the U.S. should stay out of their business.

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Ald. La Spata expresses support for the resolution and standing in solidarity with the global community. Ald. Rodriguez-Sanchez adds that "leadership is about taking positions."

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Ald. Sigcho-Lopez also expresses support for the resolution, adding that their duty as elected officials is to condemn attacks on civil and human rights wherever they may be.

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Ald. Rodriguez and Ald. Ramirez-Rosa both express support for the resolution using the same MLK quote: "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

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Ald. Lopez makes a motion to do a quorum call to make sure enough members are present despite the Mayor pointing out that 43 members are present and that a quorum call followed by a roll call vote is redundant.

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Sarcastically, the Mayor asks the Clerk if the 44 members meet quorum. "Yes it does," he says. "Quorum is 26."

The resolution condemning religious violence in India does not pass. 18-26.

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The Mayor anticipates the next City Council meeting in April to happen in-person though there will still be a virtual element to it.

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And with that, the City Council meeting has adjourned at 2:57 p.m.

Thank you for following along! As always continue following @CHIdocumenters for more local government coverage.

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Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

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