Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle gives her 2026 budget address on Oct. 9, 2025. [Office of the President]

Cook County is facing an estimated budget gap of $550.7 million heading into the 2027 fiscal year, according to a preliminary forecast released last week.

Ald. Anthony Beale (9) is pictured at a City Council meeting on Feb. 26, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted down a measure that would have banned so-called “sweepstakes machines,” some of which mimic video gambling terminals (VGTs), and did not take a vote on an ordinance that would establish a process allowing businesses seeking to install VGTs to obtain conditional approval for city licenses.

Mayor Brandon Johnson presides over a City Council on Dec. 16, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday approved the appointment of a new human rights commissioner, the purchase of a downtown bus depot and multiple measures to assist large developments bringing hundreds of new housing units.

Renderings show the proposed mixed-use development at 3301-3315 S. Justine St. in McKinley Park. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council zoning committee on Tuesday will consider a sweeping update of the city’s construction and building codes and myriad rezonings to allow a mixed-use development in McKinley Park, an apartment and townhome development in Avondale and two mixed-use buildings in West Town. 

The Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers. 

Finance Chair Pat Dowell (3) is pictured during a City Council meeting on June 12, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Monday approved several legal settlements, city financial assistance for school, park and housing projects and an amendment to Chicago’s new social media business tax.

Workforce Development Chair Mike Rodriguez (22) is pictured at a City Council meeting in March 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development is no longer set to consider an ordinance Monday that would repeal Chicago’s legalization of video gambling.

City Hall is pictured in this file photo. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s Committee on Finance on Monday will hear from the company that’s seeking to purchase the rights to the city’s parking meters from the firm that leased them nearly two decades ago.

Acting Human Relations Comm. Kenneth Gunn, left, testifies at a City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations confirmation hearing on June 11, 2026. [Livestream]

Alderpeople on Thursday advanced the appointment of a new commissioner to lead the Chicago Commission on Human Relations.

Acting Comm. Kenneth Gunn was overwhelmingly approved by the Committee on Health and Human Relations, sending his final confirmation to the City Council next week.

A bird's eye view of the downtown Greyhound bus terminal is pictured. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

Alderpeople on Wednesday advanced the proposed purchase of a downtown bus terminal from a private equity firm in order to prevent the potential disruption of intercity bus service.

Health and Human Relations Committee Chair Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) is pictured during a City Council meeting on Fe. 26, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s health and human relations committee on Thursday will consider Mayor Brandon Johnson’s appointment to succeed former Human Rights Comm. Nancy Andrade as the leader of the city’s civil rights agency.

The committee will meet at 12:30 p.m. in council chambers.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), the sponsor of the enhanced cannabis offense penalty ordinance, is pictured at a City Council meeting on April 15, 2026. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Public Safety on Tuesday passed a measure to enhance penalties on drug dealing near schools and in parks to crack down on problematic spots in communities citywide.

A bird's eye view of the downtown Greyhound bus terminal is pictured. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council’s housing committee on Wednesday will consider myriad city land sales, two designations that could pave the way for developments to secure tax breaks and the purchase of a bus terminal downtown.

The Committee on Housing and Real Estate will meet at 12:30 p.m.

Ald. Debra Silverstein (50), chair of the Committee on License and Consumer Protection, is pictured at a City Council meeting in October 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection on Tuesday approved an ordinance reducing the number of licenses and eliminating an allowed location available for alcohol sales along Chicago’s lakefront.