Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29), chair of the police and fire committee, is pictured. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Police and Fire approved four appointments to the Chicago Police Board Tuesday. The committee had been slated to meet last week to vote on the appointees, but the meeting was rescheduled after a lack of a quorum.

Mayor Brandon Johnson delivers his 2025 budget address on Oct. 30, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Even before approving a budget that swapped a $300 million property tax hike proposal for a slew of fee, tax and fine hikes, along with spending reductions and efficiencies, Mayor Brandon Johnson has reiterated that progressive revenue sources are needed to keep Chicago financially stable to avoid squeezing working class residents.

A picture of the current state of the Lathrop Homes complex shown to finance committee members Jan. 13, 2025. [Finance Committee Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Monday approved multiple multimillion-dollar legal settlement proposals in police misconduct cases, the proposed expansion of a tax increment financing (TIF) district and fee waivers for a South Loop hotel renovation.

A rendering of the Bally's Chicago casino is pictured.

While revenue generated for the city government by the temporary Bally’s casino has been below expectations, city officials believe the permanent casino is still a good bet, the City Council Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity learned on Friday during its annual hearing on Chicago casino compliance reporting.

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

The City Council Committee on Finance on Monday will consider multiple multimillion-dollar legal settlement proposals in police misconduct cases and the proposed expansion of a tax increment financing (TIF) district. The finance committee meets at 10 a.m. in council chambers.

A rendering of the development proposed for 2222 S. Michigan Ave. is displayed during a zoning committee meeting Jan. 9, 2025. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on Thursday approved new land use allowances for the Elston Corridor, a rezoning for a Motor Row District property owned by a former Chicago Bears player that is planned to become a mixed-use development. The committee also approved multiple other zone change and variation requests to accommodate new developments. 

Renderings of Bally's Chicago casino project. [Photo credit: Bally's]

The City Council Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity on Friday will hold its annual hearing on Chicago casino compliance reporting.

Zoning Chair Walter Burnett, Jr. is pictured at a council meeting Oct. 9, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will meet Thursday and consider proposed changes to the powers of the city zoning administrator, new land use allowances for the Elston Corridor and multiple zone change and variation requests to accommodate new developments. The zoning committee will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13) speaks during a license committee meeting on Jan. 7, 2025. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection approved on Tuesday an ordinance (SO2024-0014443) from Alds. Marty Quinn (13) and Silvana Tabares (23) to ban the sale of intoxicating hemp-derived products, such as those containing Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and other cannabinoids that give the user a high, in the 13th and 23rd wards.

The measure also would prohibit the establishment of new smoke shops in those wards and ban the renewal of existing retail tobacco licenses there.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25), chair of the housing committee, is pictured at a council meeting Sept. 18, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate on Tuesday delayed a vote on proposed changes to the requirements for economic disclosure documents from people seeking city action but approved various ordinances related to the sale and purchase of land by the city.

Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29), chair of the police and fire committee, is pictured. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Police and Fire will vote on four appointments to the Chicago Police Board Wednesday. The committee will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers at City Hall.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25), chair of the housing committee, is pictured at a council meeting Sept. 18, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate’s first meeting of the new year on Tuesday will include proposed changes to the requirements for economic disclosure documents from people seeking city action and the sale and purchase of land by the city. The committee is slated to meet at noon in the council chambers.

Chicago Board of Education members listen as the members of the Acero charter schools community speak during public participation at a special meeting of the board at Colman School on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. [Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune via Getty Images]

The days before winter break provided no vacation from the conflict and drama engulfing Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

On the Friday before Christmas, the Chicago Board of Education voted to fire CPS CEO Pedro Martinez. But Martinez will stay on the job he’s held since 2021 until at least June. Martinez has taken the school board to court to try to reverse his firing. In addition, a judge granted a temporary restraining order on Christmas Eve that preserves Martinez’s powers as CEO — for now.

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

An amended version of a measure to improve the city’s budget process through the institution of mid-year reports, regular updates and data access was approved as part of the wider city budget last month. But several good government groups called it a watered-down version of what it could have been.

The responsible budgeting ordinance, passed as part of the city’s annual Management Ordinance (SO2024-0013673), institutes a number of changes aimed at improving budget process transparency and efficiency for members of the City Council. Changes include setting an earlier deadline for when budget recommendations must be presented to the council; giving more power to the Council Office of Financial Analysis (COFA); and making budget information more easily available to the public and alderpeople alike.

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

Following the narrow passage of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2025 budget in the middle of last month, a number of shake ups hit local government in the last two weeks of the calendar year, a year that included an increasingly independent City Council and multiple personnel-related scandals and controversies within the mayor’s office. 

Several high-profile city departures were announced, and new, appointed Chicago Board of Education members voted to fire embattled Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO Pedro Martinez just weeks before a new hybrid elected board is set to be sworn in, prompting legal action by Martinez. 

Related: Council approves revised $17.1B city budget, though opponents warn it delays necessary cuts, structural reforms