Mayor Brandon Johnson is pictured at a City Council meeting in April 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Chicago is facing a nearly billion-dollar budget gap for the upcoming fiscal year, a tough financial situation that will necessitate “collaborative solutions and strategic planning,” Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Thursday morning as the city unveiled its 2025 budget forecast.

NASCAR will return for a street race in the final year of its multi-year deal with the city, and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) announced the debut of a new system to crack down on gun crime.

Cook County on Wednesday announced the launch of the Water Affordability Program, an American Rescue Plan Act-funded endeavor to assist residents with past-due water bills and leak repair costs and to help municipalities make it easier for residents to afford their water bills.

The $11.5 million program is a partnership between Elevate Energy and the Cook County Bureau of Economic Development.

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), lead sponsor of the CCPSA referendum measure, is pictured at a council meeting in April 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Though the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA), Chicago’s civilian police oversight board, received its first batch of mayor-appointed commissioners in May, some Chicago alderpeople are already pushing to alter the structure of the board and expand its powers through a proposed ballot question. 

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) introduced an ordinance (O2024-0009670) in May that would place a referendum on the ballot to increase the headcount of the board and choose the majority of its commissioners via election. The referendum would also ask voters to approve delegating some new powers to the CCPSA. Numerous progressive alderpeople are signed on as co-sponsors.

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

The city of Chicago is looking for an organization to administer a program that will help local nonprofits impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic become more impactful and fiscally sustainable.

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle gives her 2024 budget address on Oct. 5, 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Cook County will hold the first of four community meetings this Wednesday to gauge feedback from residents on which American Rescue Plan Act-funded programs they would like to see continued past the expiration of federal funds in 2026. 

The first of these “Community Voices” events will be held from 6-7 p.m. at 69 W. Washington St. in Chicago on the 22nd floor in Rooms G and H.

Police Supt. Larry Snelling speaks at a DNC news conference on Aug. 23, 2024. [Livestream]

The city’s 26th political convention did not end up resembling the 1968 Democratic National Convention (DNC) as some had feared, but party divisions still became more apparent later in the week.

Democratic Mayors Michelle Wu, Kirk Watson and Lauren McLean speak on a panel about affordable housing on Aug. 22, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The Democratic Mayors Association hosted a panel discussion on the final morning of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago Thursday on addressing the affordable housing crisis. Mayors from three cities in vastly different parts of the U.S. spoke about the successes and challenges they’ve experienced trying to increase housing stock and make the process of building new residential development more efficient. 

From right, Mayor Brandon Johnson, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and New York Mayor Eric Adams speak with Politico journalist Suzanne Lynch on Aug. 21, 2024. [Michael McDevitt]

At a series of interviews on Wednesday, Mayor Brandon Johnson was asked about the failure of a ballot question meant to help alleviate homelessness and was asked about ongoing protests during the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

Craig Snyder, former U.S. Army Undersec. Patrick Murphy and Lauren Harper Pope speak about intraparty divisions for Democrats during a panel in the Loop on Aug. 21, 2024. [Michael McDevitt]

Though they remain some of the most fundamental policy debates in the party, divisions over abortion, the Middle East and climate action shouldn’t be allowed to drive a meaningful wedge between members of the Democrats’ “big tent” coalition, panelists said during a Wednesday morning conversation sponsored by the University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism’s Democratic National Convention roundtable series.

Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg speaks at a fundraiser for the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute and Fund on Tuesday. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, which works to elect leaders from the LGBTQ community up and down the ballot across the U.S., honored Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg at a fundraiser on Tuesday afternoon at theWit Chicago hotel in the Loop, during which LGBTQ lawmakers from Illinois and around the country called for electing Kamala Harris president to safeguard hard-fought protections.

During Day Two of the Democratic National Convention, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz gave an address to the Women’s Caucus meeting. And a coalition of progressive and left-wing groups is preparing to march again for Palestine on Thursday after drawing thousands Monday. 

Mayor Brandon Johnson greets other mayors at a U.S. Conference of Mayors news conference on Aug. 19, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

As Chicago took center stage on Monday with the beginning of the Democratic National Convention, Mayor Brandon Johnson traveled to multiple convention-related events around the city to use the opportunity to connect his own policy goals and successes with the Democrats’ broader vision for America.

Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks on the opening night of the DNC on Aug. 19, 2024. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

Mayor Brandon Johnson welcomed delegates to the opening night of the Democratic National Convention on Monday with a four-minute speech in which he celebrated Vice President Kamala Harris’ presidential nomination as an inspiration to his daughter and connected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’s experienced as a teacher to his own.

The stage for the 2024 Democratic National Convention at the United Center is pictured last week. [Courtesy of DNC Host Committee]

While the big speeches from presidents, party superstars and the Democrats’ current nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, will be the main attractions at this year’s Democratic National Convention (DNC), Chicago and Cook County’s local leaders will be featured at multiple events happening throughout the convention week that might fly under the radar. Here’s a roundup of some of what’s scheduled.