Ald. Pat Dowell (3), pictured in March 2023, chairs the finance committee. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance will hold a hearing Friday afternoon on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $1.25 billion bond proposal, giving alderpeople the first chance to ask the administration questions about the mayor’s plan to broadly invest in housing and economic development.

The mayor’s chief of staff announced he’s leaving the administration at the end of the month, and a county judge delivered a partial win for both the city and police union in a months-long court battle.

Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks to reporters during a news conference March 20, 2024. [Chicago Mayor's Office livestream]

Thousands of mailed ballots have yet to be counted, but results have not looked promising for the signature policy proposal for Mayor Brandon Johnson and progressive allies on the City Council — the Bring Chicago Home referendum.

Although the question survived a legal challenge from a coalition of real estate and business groups, about 53.6 percent of voters opposed the real estate transfer tax changes as of the latest results Wednesday, which would increase the tax on sales over $1 million and decrease the tax for sales under $1 million. Proceeds from the additional tax would be used to combat homelessness, and advocates estimated the changes could give the city $100 million annually for that cause. 

The City Council meets on Wednesday. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The City Council approved millions of dollars in police-related settlements and multiple mayoral appointments on Wednesday.

Among the items approved included a landmark $45 million settlement to the victim of a car crash related to a police pursuit, the appointment of a new transportation commissioner and an ordinance mandating City Council confirmation votes for public health commissioners.

Bring Chicago Home supporters gather outside the Illinois Appellate Court on March 1. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The future of a proposal to raise Chicago’s real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million, decrease it for sales under $1 million and use the new tax revenue to fund services and housing to reduce homelessness did not look promising Tuesday night as favorable votes for the ballot question known as Bring Chicago Home trailed opposition votes.

With 97 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday night, 53.8 percent of voters had voted against the ballot question.

Eileen O'Neill Burke and Clayton Harris III are competing for the Democratic nomination for Cook County State's Attorney. [Burke photo: Michael McDevitt, Harris photo from campaign social media]

The Democratic primary race for Cook County State’s Attorney remained too close to call Tuesday night, though Eileen O’Neill Burke led party-backed candidate Clayton Harris III with roughly 51 percent of the vote to Harris’ more than 48.9 percent as of 11 p.m.

If her lead continues as remaining mail-in votes in Chicago and the suburbs are counted, then O’Neill Burke will compete this fall to succeed outgoing State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, whose leadership O’Neill Burke has criticized.

The incumbent circuit court clerk lost her primary, and an incumbent Cook County commissioner is headed to the general election to defend her appointed seat. Finally, most of the Democrats’ water reclamation district board slate won its primary.

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

The City Council Committee on Finance on Monday approved multiple agreements to distribute tax-increment financing funds to various projects and a massive settlement stemming from a police pursuit that ended in a car crash.

The City Council is pictured in December 2023. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance will meet Monday and consider approving tens of millions of dollars to settle police-related lawsuits and the disbursement of tax-increment financing (TIF) funds for various citywide projects.

The finance committee is slated to meet in council chambers at City Hall at 10 a.m.

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

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle said Thursday that $70 million in funding that the county has pledged to help make up a gap in funding to care for new arrivals would come from the county’s newly created disaster fund. 

A resolution to authorize the spending (24-2103) was introduced during Thursday’s county board of commissioners meeting and referred to the Finance Committee.

Cook County Comm. Maggie Trevor (D-9) is pictured during County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's budget address in October. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved a measure outlawing the retail sale and commercial application of coal tar sealant on asphalt pavement, a move which advocates say will mitigate further introduction of toxic pollutants into the environment.

34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway is pictured during a City Council meeting in October 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s billion-dollar bond proposal is heading to the finance committee for a subject matter hearing.

Despite some debate and dissent, the City Council Committee on Committees and Rules voted 29-7 on Tuesday to re-refer the Housing and Economic Development Bond to the Committee on Finance. 

Among the no votes was Ald. Bill Conway (34), who tied his opposition to his frustration at the lack of movement on his legislation to mandate council consent over American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending.

The state Supreme Court squashed an effort by commercial groups to reverse an appellate court decision that kept the Bring Chicago Home referendum on the March ballot. And the mayor announced the latest phase of his administration’s community safety plan.

Cook County Comm. Maggie Trevor (D-9) is pictured during County Board President Toni Preckwinkle's budget address in October. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners will vote later this week on a measure to ban the retail sale and commercial application of coal tar sealant for paved roadways, parking lots, walkways and driveways after the proposal was given initial approval by the county’s environmental committee Tuesday. 

The ordinance (23-5769) regulating the use of coal tar sealant on paved asphalt surfaces was approved by the Cook County Environment and Sustainability Committee with a 5-0 vote. Comms. Scott Britton (D-14) and Kevin Morrison (D-15) were absent.

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

The City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations approved the appointment of a new Fleet and Facility Management commissioner, a measure to bring back a defunct reward program for reporting illegal dumping and an ordinance requiring that the City Council confirm public health commissioners. 

But the committee postponed a vote on an ordinance (O2023-0006443) to create a hiring preference for many city departments for residents that live in socio-economically disadvantaged areas. Ald. Jason Ervin (28), the budget committee chair and item’s sponsor, said a substitute needed to be accepted. The committee was recessed until March 20.