Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) speaks with Ald. Matt O'Shea (19) during a council meeting on Jan. 15, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday is set to consider a measure to reduce the default speed limit, a multimillion-dollar bond authorization and mayoral appointments to police oversight bodies.  

The council will meet at 10 a.m.

The ordinance (O2024-0010990) sponsored by Ald. Daniel La Spata (1) would reduce the default speed limit on city roads from 30 mph to 25 mph and was approved by the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety in the fall. However, a final vote on the measure was delayed at both the October and January council meetings. 

La Spata filed a procedural notice last week stating his intent to call for a vote on Wednesday. 

Related: Speed limit reduction ordinance approved by Pedestrian and Traffic Safety committee in divided vote   

Some opposition to the reduced speed limit has stemmed from concerns it will lead to increased revenue collection for the city from speed camera enforcement more than safer streets and the potential for existing racial disparities in speed enforcement to be exacerbated. 

While delaying the speed limit proposal in January, the council approved a resolution (SR2024-0010992), passed by the pedestrian and traffic safety committee as a companion piece to the speed limit legislation, that would establish a working group to assess traffic violation enforcement in the city and brainstorm more equitable ways to enforce violations, including fine and fee reform.  

Ald. Anthony Beale (9) also filed a notice stating his intent to call a vote on a resolution (R2024-0011013) that would abolish Rule 59 of the City Council Rules of Order. Under that rule, City Council and committee meetings may be conducted remotely and members may attend remotely — though only after a quorum of alderpeople physically present at a meeting vote to allow their colleagues’ remote participation. The resolution currently sits in the rules committee. 

Under the current rules, “we're having problems getting quorum,” Beale told The Daily Line. “Because people don't want to come to work. People are sitting at home doing nothing.” 

“[Alderpeople] get paid to come down here and do a job, and these people are still sitting at home taking advantage of this remote ordinance, and it's being abused,” he added.  

Beale said he’d be open to reintroducing the rule, which had been added at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in the future to allow remote attendance in “extreme” circumstances but “the abuse needs to stop” first. 

Ald. Andre Vasquez (40) filed a notice of his intent to call a vote on an ordinance (O2024-0008387) that would require the Committee on Education and Child Development to hold quarterly hearings on the operation and performance of Chicago Public Schools. The item currently sits in the education committee. 

Committee items for final approval 

Alderpeople will consider final approval of an ordinance (SO2025-0014841) authorizing the city to issue up to $830 million in general obligation bonds to finance myriad things included in the city’s 2024-2028 Capital Improvement Plan. The item was approved by the Committee on Finance last week. 

The council will also consider final approval of various allocations of tax increment financing (TIF) funds and other financial assistance to projects and proposed settlements that were approved by the finance committee. 

Related: Finance committee approves $830M bond issuance, delays vote on Dexter Reed settlement 

The council will also consider appointments to two of the city’s Police District Councils, which were approved by the Committee on Police and Fire Tuesday. 

The police and fire committee approved the appointment of Marquinn McDonald, the co-founder and president of WatchGuard Chicago, to the 2nd Police District Council and the appointment of Keola “Keo” Jean-Joseph, a linkage manager for Chestnut Health Systems' Lighthouse Institute, to the 24th Police District Council. 

The council will also consider approving an ordinance (O2025-0014824) to authorize the city’s fire commissioner to apply for and accept grants on behalf of the city for the procurement of equipment, supplies, materials or other personal property when it’s for the purpose of “furthering fire safety.” The ordinance includes empowering the fire commissioner to negotiate and enter into contracts allowing the fire department to accept eligible grants, subject to city law department approval. It was approved by the police and fire committee Tuesday. 

Alderpeople will also consider the sale of various city lots to support projects such as a community arts center and an industrial building and the acquisition of parcels for the Englewood Nature Trail project. The items were approved by the Committee on Housing and Real Estate last week. 

Related: Housing committee delays approval of Low-Income Housing Trust Fund board appointments over diversity concerns 

Finally, the council will consider final approval of an ordinance (O2024-0010137) approved by the Committee on Transportation and Public Way last week that would expand the definition of vehicles affected under a ban on parking vehicles in public for the sole purpose of displaying them for sale. 

Related: Transportation committee approves changes to ban on parking cars solely for sale purposes, delays vote on measure to require nominees to lead CTA to testify