Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle gives her 2027 budget address on Oct. 8, 2026. [Office of the President] 

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle on Thursday unveiled a $9.69 billion proposed budget for the 2027 fiscal year on Wednesday, reducing spending by about 4.2 percent from this year and employing a number of stopgap measures to close the largest budget deficit of the past 16 years.

The development team behind the proposed Amtrak Midwest Maintenance Facility on South Canal Street take questions at the Committee on Transportation and Public Way meeting on Oct. 7, 2026. [Livestream] 

Alderpeople at a City Council Committee on Transportation and Public Way hearing on Wednesday called for the release of documents related to the controversial plan by Amtrak to build a new rail maintenance facility through parts of Bridgeport, Chinatown and Armour Square.

Acting Department of Human Resources Comm. Tiheta Hinton appears before the Committee on Workforce Development on Oct. 7, 2026. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Workforce Development on Wednesday advanced the appointment of a new human resources commissioner, sending final confirmation to the City Council as soon as next week.

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 on Wednesday will hold a confirmation hearing and vote on the next head of the city’s human resources department.

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

The City Council Committee on Finance on Monday approved the second global police misconduct settlement reached by the law department in a little over a year and millions in tax increment financing (TIF) and bond assistance for school and economic development projects, although some city financial assistance advanced by the committee may not receive a final vote at City Council next week.

Mayoral candidate and attorney Bill Quinlan is pictured. [Campaign social media]

Bill Quinlan, a longtime Democratic Party attorney, has waded into the mayor’s race in dramatic fashion by taking aim at some of his opponents for running for two political offices at the same time. 

Ald. Matt Martin (47), the ethics committee chair, is pictured at a City Council meeting on April 15, 2026. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council ethics committee was denied the opportunity to question the leaders of World Business Chicago (WBC) about the public-private partnership organization’s recent videos that have been criticized as crossing the line into taxpayer-funded political advertising for Mayor Brandon Johnson.

The City Council meets on April 15, 2026. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Alderpeople on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a deal to transfer the rights to the city’s parking meters to a new firm after months of delays and negotiations that yielded some more favorable terms for the city under the concession agreement leasing the meters.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13) is pictured at a City Council meeting on Jan. 15, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Tuesday voted 32-15 to approve a higher threshold by which the City Council could approve the issuance of new debt and borrowing by the city. The mayor said he hasn’t made his mind up about whether to veto it.

The City Council meets on Dec. 16, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

After a delay last week, the City Council on Tuesday is set to consider the transfer of the rights to the city’s parking meters under a revised concession agreement. The council is under a Sept. 30 deadline to approve the deal. The council will meet at 10 a.m.

The City Council on Friday delayed a final vote on the proposed transfer of the rights to the city’s parking meters that’s accompanied by a renegotiated concession agreement with several sweeteners for the city as the members that pushed for the amended agreement said they are still working on whipping enough votes to pass the measure.

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

The City Council Committee on Finance on Thursday advanced a transfer of the rights to Chicago’s metered parking system under renegotiated terms that proponents pitched as a huge win for taxpayers.

While just two alderpeople voted no in committee, multiple council members voiced skepticism about some of the terms — primarily, the city’s ability to hold the new owners accountable if they fail to divest from a controversial company they’re invested in. Some asked for reassurance before a full City Council vote, which could come as soon as Friday.