There’s more bad news for the city in its annual financial analysis released late Friday afternoon: Chicago will have to come up with at least $754 million more for next year’s budget, potentially hundreds of millions more if certain pension reforms aren’t enacted by Springfield. But incomplete data in the analysis may be covering much worse problems. The amounts break down as:

• $233M - operations deficit in Corporate Fund


• $100M - additional debt payment to end “scoop and toss”


• $93M - pension payments to labor, municipal, police and firefighter pensions


• $328M - additional payments to police and firefighter pensions

The total could go up another $221 million more if Senate Bill 777 is not enacted in Springfield, a change to Chicago’s police and firefighter pensions that pushes payments into the future–essentially switching from an 30-year to a 40-year mortgage.

The analysis, as has been done in the past, provides a tremendous amount of detail about the city’s Corporate Fund, where most the city's operations spending is done, but much less detail about the Property Tax Fund, where most of the city’s pension payments and debt service are carried.

In past years this was not a big deal, since property tax revenue was more than enough to cover pensions and debts. But since this year’s budget problems are centered on pensions and debt payment, more detail in this area would answer some big questions. For instance, comparing last year’s financial analysis to this year’s, there’s a $712 million difference between 2015’s projected and actual general obligation bond debt that’s largely paid by property taxes. In other words, this past year Chicago borrowed $712 million more than originally anticipated.

Why that money was borrowed and what it was used for is an important question, since it sheds light on how well the city has been managing its existing debt load–and how manageable that debt load can remain under existing revenue plans.

This may seem like green eyeshade kind of stuff, but the numbers–pushing into billions–are so big they have the potential to overwhelm every other aspect of the city’s budget and programs.

The Mayor’s Office did not respond to our weekend requests for explanation.

A wave of press conferences before the full Council meeting kept the 2nd floor lobby humming. A half dozen competing press conferences and demonstrations overlapped, and at one point a group opposing the Herbalife multi-level marketing company got into a chanting match with protesters urging improvements to shuttered Dyett High School.

CHA Residents Back “Keeping the Promise” Ordinance
Members of the Chicago Housing Initiative, a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) accountability group, gathered to back Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) “Keeping the Promise” ordinance, which co-sponsor Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) says “urges CHA to properly utilize its federal funding for those in need of housing and phase-in 3,000 additional vouchers/year over 3 years.” The ordinance would strengthen City Council oversight of the CHA by requiring that the department issue quarterly reports to the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Attending aldermen also included Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10), Toni Foulkes (17) Ricardo Munoz (22), Walter Burnett (27), James Cappleman (46) and Ameya Pawar (47). Press materials. Draft ordinance.

Stop and Frisk, Police Brutality Targeted by #ChiStops
Youth organizers with #ChiStops gathered with Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26), Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6), and a tardy Ald. Joe Moreno (1) to call for passage of the STOP Act ordinance. The ordinance aims to end stop and frisk in the city by requiring CPD to collect and share data for all stops it performs, including demographics, badge numbers, location, reason, and result of stop. Cops would also have to give a receipt for every stop, and make data collected publicly available on a quarterly basis. The ordinance has support from more than 30 community groups, including the ACLU of Illinois, Chicago Votes, and Black Youth Project 100. Press materials.

Dyett Defenders Block Elevators, Disrupt Other Press Events
Protesters gathered to support saving Bronzeville’s Walter H. Dyett school and turning it into Dyett Global Leadership and Green Technology High School. Their action caused the biggest stir Wednesday morning as protesters sat down with a sign reading “Save Dyett” and blocked the bay of elevators that open into the 2nd floor lobby, forcing some to climb over, and others to take the elevator up a floor and walk down the stairs just a few minutes before the Council meeting was scheduled to begin. The volume of their chanting overtook several press conferences scheduled in the lobby, some who refused to remove were arrested, and others were still in their spots more than an hour after conferences had wrapped. Press materials.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice Speak Out Against Deportation Threats
Perhaps the most sidelined presser of the day, Asian Americans Advancing Justice held a conference supporting an amendment to Chicago's Welcoming City ordinance preventing city employees, including police officers, from using coercion and threat of deportation against community members. Andy Kang, Legal Director of Advancing Justice, Chicago, tried his best to speak over Dyett protesters, and tell the story of Jessica Klyzek, an American citizen who was threatened with deportation in a police run-in last year. Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) introduced the amendment at Wednesday’s meeting. Press materials.

Protesters Demand A.G. Madigan Take On Pyramid Scheme
Latino protesters held the last presser of the day, competing with Dyett chants with their own against Herbalife, a global nutrition and weight loss company that relies on multi-level marketing. The group called for Attorney General Lisa Madigan to wrap up an investigation into the company, which they say is a get-rich-quick pyramid scheme that targets Latino consumers. Ald. George Cardenas (12), supports a resolution calling for an end to an investigation. Press materials.

While the Mayor's finance staff are set to begin a series of private budget briefings for aldermen this afternoon, the Council Progressive Caucus plans to advance its own budget ideas in a press conference this morning at 11:30 a.m. in City Hall Room 201A. The plan will raise, "millions of dollars in an equitable manner," said Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) on Chicago Tonight last night.

The City budget is typically introduced and voted on in September, so today's presser and budget briefing marks the beginning of a process overshadowed by Springfield's own stalled and broken budget process. Because Chicago's budget gap is so yawning, with a shortfall in the billions of dollars and much of the gap coming from unavoidable debt and pensions service, the city will ultimately have to turn to major new revenue sources, like a big property tax increase (think 25-40% increase), a financial services tax or creation of a services sales tax, all of which would require approval from the state legislature and Governor Bruce Rauner.

In addition, large fund transfers from state government, such as the municipal portion of state sales tax for the city and the state portion of CPS' budget are likely to remain in the air through August and into September. Since major portions of the city's and CPS' operating budgets will be unclear for some time–as well as Gov. Rauner's likelihood of approving major new taxes–the city will be forced to devise and maybe even vote on a budget that will become one more pawn in the Springfield budget fight. One scenario discussed is that Council votes on a budget with major portions unfunded by the state, and then fill them in later as part of the larger Statehouse budget scrum.

In short: The Cloud Tax introduced earlier this month is a harbinger of what's to come, as city budget leaders struggle to find as many home rule taxes and fees they can, so the city can reduce the amount of money–and political capital–needed from Springfield. Expect a lot of ideas to come over the transom this month.

Notwithstanding the flurry of dueling press conferences that clogged the second floor of City Hall, yesterday’s meeting dragged along in predictable fashion. Alderman dedicated over an hour to resolutions of praise and then quickly approved more than 300 pieces of legislation, most of which were routine (the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee had 216 routine traffic items alone).

Mayor Emanuel’s ordinance amending the ethics code was the one of the only contentious items of the day, as some alderman used it as a springboard to resurface old pleas to merge the Office of the Legislative Inspector General (OLIG) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OLIG is tasked with investigating aldermen, while the Inspector General polices the rest of city government.

The ordinance, which the City Council passed after about 20 minutes of discussion, tweaked several sections of the ethics code, including a provision requiring the OLIG submit evidence gathered during the course of an investigation to the Board of Ethics. When the item was discussed in committee Monday, Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin assured aldermen the changes were minor, as the underlying goal of the ordinance was to add clarity to the existing code.

But prior to the full City Council meeting, Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan sent a memo to aldermen warning them the change would “destroy the ability for citizens to make complaints without fear of retaliation and [would] have a chilling effect on potential witnesses.” This wasn’t the first time Khan accused the City of preventing him from doing his job. During last year’s budget hearings, he sued several prominent alderman claiming his annual appropriation of $354,000 makes it impossible for him to do his job.

So when Ald. Michelle Harris (8), Chairman of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Ethics, brought the item up for a vote, several aldermen asked to speak. Most demanded a formal hearing on an ordinance to eliminate Khan’s office and give Inspector General Ferguson the authority to police the City Council.

“I think it would behoove us to look at once and for all putting ourselves under the inspector general, Mr. Ferguson's office, and put an end to all the back and forth games that we have been playing for several years,” Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) demanded, after calling the ethics ordinance a game of musical chairs.

Ald. John Arena (45) said while he would support the ordinance because it “clarifies” the scope and duties among the Board of Ethics and the two inspector generals, something would have to be done to address the “triangle” of offices tasked with enforcing the ethics code.

Ald. James Cappleman (45), Ald. Michele Smith (43), Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa(35), Ald. Joe Moore (49), Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) made similar comments.

Despite the strong words, only two aldermen, Nick Sposato (38) and Anthony Napolitano (41) voted against the ordinance. Neither of them asked to speak before the council. The only other divided roll call vote was on Ald. Matt O’Shea’s (19) ordinance to end free trash pickup at large apartment buildings. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5), whose lakefront Hyde Park residents are a key constituency, was the lone no vote. As for abstentions, Ald. Ed Burke (14) invoked Rule 14 on the vote to approve Multi-Family Revenue Bonds for the St. Edmunds’ Oasis development project. BMO Harris, a client of Ald. Burke’s law firm, will issue the bonds. Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) also abstained from approving the University of Chicago’szoning request to build a new charter school in the Woodlawn Area. His wife works for the University.

New Revenue-Generating Ordinances: A Sign of What’s To Come?
If yesterday’s City Council meeting is any indication of what’s to come, the pre-budget season will likely include several proposals to add incremental fees, fines and taxes to add much needed revenue to the city's coffers.

With the full month of August off and the next full City Council meeting scheduled for the end of September, around the same time as Mayor Rahm Emanuel is poised to introduce his budget plan for the next fiscal year, city agencies and aldermen are rushing to find new sources of revenue.

The Mayor declined to comment on revenue generating ideas passed or proposed at Wednesday’s meeting, but at a post-Council press conference, he said he directed Alex Holt, head of the Office of Budget and Management, to schedule three separate meetings with aldermen to discuss ideas for cuts, reforms, efficiencies, and revenue. In the meantime, he says he doesn’t want to “prejudice anybody” who brings forward their own proposals. The mayor said Holt was also scheduled to meet with Inspector General Joe Ferguson Wednesday to discuss immediate reforms the city can make based on IG findings. Ferguson’s trash pickup enforcement report spurred Wednesday’s vote to end free trash pickup at apartment buildings with more than four units, a change expected to save the city $3.3 million.

Aldermen also approved ordinances requiring new permits for fire hydrant use and urban farms that want to sell their fertilizer off site, and an ordinance giving city inspectors the right to fine dry cleaners and auto shops up to $5,000 for improper use of a hazardous chemical, perchloroethylene, commonly found in industrial cleaners.

Additional revenue-generating ordinances like a new soda tax, fines for noisy neighbors and people who fly drones near Chicago airports, and a new permit for restaurants that want to set up additional seating on the street were formally introduced at yesterday's meeting.

Ald. George Cardenas (12) is reviving his plan to create a “Chicago Sweetened-Beverage Tax”, which would be a penny-per-ounce tax on sodas and other sugary drinks. Since the item was referred to the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, which Ald. Cardenas chairs, it shouldn’t have a hard time moving through committee.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) is behind an amendment to the Municipal Code that would fine those who play loud music, defined as “audible above conversational level within 100 ft.”, between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m . Starting at 8:00 p.m., the ordinance would fine $500 for violations. That fine would double at 10:00 p.m. and double again at midnight.

Northside aldermen Tom Tunney (44) and Michele Smith (43) introduced an ordinance to create a curbside cafe permit as part of a new pilot program that would run from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. The permit would cost $100 plus the anticipated lost parking meter revenue for all affected spaces.

Ald. Burke and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) co-sponsored an ordinance that would ban drones from flying within five miles of O’Hare and Midway Airport. The ordinance would require drone operators to carry insurance and register their drones with the City’s Department of Aviation. These unmanned aircrafts would also be prohibited within a quarter mile of a school, hospital, or place of worship. Violators would face fines ranging from $500 to $5,000 per occurrence and could face up to 180 days in jail.

Mayoral Appointments to Buildings, Human Services, Police Board Approved

In addition to the items already mentioned, aldermen also approved:

• Official landmark designation for the Fulton-Randolph Market


• A ban on smartphone cases that look like guns


• Relaxed zoning restrictions for amusement arcades. These internet gaming establishments were previously restricted to areas zoned for taverns and strip malls.


• Appointments and changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board. The ordinance changes City Treasurer Kurt Summers’ status from a nonvoting advisory member to a voting member, as he was appointed Board Chairman. The Board will vote on a new Executive Director at their August 7th meeting. Mayor Emanuel has asked that they choose Leslie Darling, the First Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City’s Law Department. The other approved members of the board are listed here.


• Ben Winick as the Financial Analyst for the City’s new Independent Budget Office, and Ald. Ed Burke as Vice Chair of the City Council Committee overseeing the new office. Burke replaces Carole Brown, the city’s new Chief Financial Officer.


• Lisa Morrison Butler as the new Commissioner for the Department of Family and Supportive Services


• Lori Lightfoot as the new President of the Chicago Police Board


• Judy Frydland as the new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings

Mayoral Introduces TOD, Privatization Ordinances
Below are brief summaries of the ordinances with links to the legislation and corresponding press release. We will provide more details as the items move through committee.

Amendments to Transit Oriented Developments [O2015-5334]
The ordinance creates incentives for developers to build closer to CTA and Metra Stations by expanding the size of Transit Oriented Development Zones, removing all on-site parking requirements, and adding new affordable housing requirements by increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to 3.75 in business and commercial zoned districts (B-3;C-3) if half of the development is dedicated to affordable housing. The FAR increase would only apply to planned developments. The ordinance also adds specific distance requirements for these developments. For example, for a proposal to qualify as a TOD in a downtown zoned district (D-3), it would have to be located within a quarter mile of a CTA or METRA rail station entrance. Press Release.

Restrictions on Privatizing City Assets O2015-5434
The ordinance co-sponsored by Mayor Emanuel and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6) puts additional hurdles in place to make sure any future privatization deal is in the city’s best interest. There aren’t any plans currently in place to lease city assets, but if the ordinance is approved, the City’s Chief Financial Officer would have to find an independent advisor to prepare a report assessing the proposed sale. That report would evaluate: (1) if selling the asset is in the best interest of the City; (2) is the contractor buying the asset was “fair and transparent; (3) if the sale price is fair. The advisor would have 90 days to complete the report before the proposed sale could go to the City Council. Once the item is introduced, the CFO would have 23 days to issue a report detailing the scope of the deal to the Council Committee, and the Chairman would have to schedule a public hearing seven days before advancing it to the full City Council. The contractor purchasing the asset would have to pay for the additional oversight provisions outlined in the ordinance. Press Release

Discussion of the ordinance took up the bulk of Mayor Emanuel’s post-Council press conference Wednesday. The Mayor said he’s following through from a campaign pledge he made to create a process to study privatization matters, using Midway privatization consideration as inspiration. He penned an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune in September 2013 about the process:

“...first, a group of outside experts should be impaneled at the start of the process to monitor each step; second, there must be a minimum 30-day review by the City Council before the project is voted upon; third, there should be a clear set of standards so the public can judge a potential partnership when it is presented; fourth, the funds should be invested in infrastructure rather than used as a plug for short-term budget holes; fifth, a true public-private partnership requires that taxpayers maintain control of the asset and share in management decisions and financial profit.”

When asked in yesterday's press conference whether he had an “epiphany” about Ald. Sawyer’s ordinance, first introduced three years ago, the mayor laughed and circled back around to the Midway Airport process. “It pretty much follows the process I put in place as associated with Midway when the city was analyzing and studying whether there should be privatization. I put in place because of all the things that were done in and around the parking meters.”

Ordinance Defining Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Surplus [O2015-5328]
This ordinance would turn an Executive Order Mayor Emanuel issued in 2013 into law. It would require that each of the city’s 147 TIFs declare surplus funds, so that money can be dispersed to Chicago Public Schools, the City, Cook County, and other local taxing bodies. For a TIF to qualify, it must be more than three years old, have a minimum balance of $1 million, not for a single redevelopment project.

Ordinance Giving the Police Superintendent Subpoena Power [O2015-5856]
The ordinance Mayor Emanuel introduced on behalf of the Police Department gives the police superintendent and any member of his command staff the authority to issue subpoenas to “compel attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of information relevant to investigations” conducted by the department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs. The person receiving the subpoena would have seven days to comply or provide written notice objecting to the contents of the subpoena. Anyone who refuses to comply or interferes with an investigation could be fined up to $5,000 and could face up to six months in jail.

Additional Police for Public Housing Buildings [O2015-5964]
The ordinance updates an intergovernmental agreement between the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Housing Authority to allow for additional police patrol watches at “mutually determined” high-crime CHA developments. As part of this CHA Policing Strategy, CPD would be required to “regularly and routinely coordinate, cooperate and share relevant data” with various law enforcement task forces, including the FBI and DEA. The agreement also asks that CPD regularly provide CHA with detailed reports of arrests and policy activity.

Committee on Aviation Creates New O’Hare Parking Programs

The Committee on Aviation met briefly to approve an updated concession agreement with Simply Wheelz, LLC and to defer Mayor Emanuel’s ordinance requiring concession agreements between parking providers at O’Hare Airport and the Aviation Commissioner. That ordinance would have also created a premium parking service program.

 

Committee on License and Consumer Protection Approves New Booting Rules

A quick Committee on License and Consumer Protection meeting yesterday concluded with what aldermen described as “weirdness”: an ordinance regarding car booting, which is usually submitted by the  local alderman, had the City Clerk listed as the sponsor.

The Committee approved all items on the agenda, including a direct introduction from Mayor Emanuel amending the Municipal Code regarding crane operator licensing, extending the effective date from September 1, 2015 to March 1, 2016. Matthew Beaudet with the City Building Department said changing the effective date will not conflict with upcoming updated OSHA licensing requirements. Chairman Emma Mitts (37) asked one item (O2015-4660), an ordinance allowing packaged goods on a portion of W. Division, be deferred.

The only bit of weirdness came with the last few agenda items permitting wards to allow “booting” of cars on private property by private firms. Ald. Brian Hopkins asked if the 2nd Ward could be included, and provided brief testimony about small businesses who said shoppers were parking in their spots, but shopping elsewhere. The committee approved his request.

An identical ordinance from the 31st Ward was next, but neither Ald. Milly Santiago nor the listed sponsor, City Clerk Susanna Mendoza, were present. A representative from Santiago’s office told the committee Ald. Santiago had no objection to the private booting, and that the businesses had simply been remapped into the 31st Ward. Ald. Tom Tunney said Santiago should have introduced the ordinance. “It’s a little weird,” he said. Chairman Mitts agreed, but both voted to approve the ordinance.

Recently hired City employees who don’t live in Chicago would have 90 days to move within city limits or apply for a waiver with the Department of Human Resources, under an ordinance the Committee on Workforce Development approved. The waiver would only be granted in cases of extraordinary circumstances like fleeing from an abusive partner, losing your house in a fire or other “natural calamity.”

The HR department was already granting 2 or 3 waivers a year, but recently learned there isn’t a law on the books that made it okay, says Human Resources Commissioner Soo Choo.

Choo’s office wasn’t aware of the oversight until a recent Inspector General investigation involving a residency issue found that there isn’t a provision allowing “wiggle room” for special circumstances. The IG’s office helped draft the legislation, Choo added.

City employees requesting waivers would have to file a written request to the Commissioner of Human Resources, who would have final say on the matter. The documents are public, but the “extraordinary circumstance” would remain confidential.

Several proposed large-scale development projects like the Nobu Hotel for West Randolph Street, a residential complex off the Brown Line’s Southport stop, and the new development next to the Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park await approval from the City Council today. Three Mayoral appointments and one City Council appointment, Ben Winick as the Financial Analyst for the City’s new independent budget office, will also get called for a vote. Here are some highlights:

The following mayoral appointments passed in committee and will be reported out for a full vote:

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  Lisa Morrison Butler as the Commissioner of the Department of Family and Supportive Services [A2015-47] Butler currently serves as Executive Director for City Year Chicago, an organization that works with CPS to help at-risk students graduate from high school. Mayor Emanuel announced Butler’s appointment at the beginning of the month, saying she will “help quarterback some of the most critical items on my second term agenda,” from progress on the Mayor’s universal pre-K program to an expansion of youth violence prevention programs.

  
  


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  Lori Lightfoot as President of the Chicago Police Board [A2015-48]. Lightfoot is a former federal prosecutor She also worked for the City as head of the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards (OPS), where she investigated cases of police misconduct. After two years as Chief Administrator for OPS, Lightfoot worked in the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC), and eventually migrated over to the Office of Procurement Services. Following her tenure with the City, Lightfoot went back to private practice and has since worked with the law firm Mayer Brown. The Police Board is an independent body that decides disciplinary action against police accused of misconduct. Lightfoot told the committee she’ll do what she can to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency.

  
  


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  Judy Frydland as Commissioner of the Department of Buildings [A2015-46]  Frydland currently serves as the Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Chicago Department of Law’s Building & License Enforcement Division. During her tenure with the law department, Frydland was involved in high profile cases like the E2 nightclub disaster in 2003 and the 2003 Lincoln Park porch collapse. Frydland will be responsible for enforcing the building code and modernizing the department, but didn’t provide any details on her priorities during the committee hearing.

  
  

The following ordinances passed in committee (keep scrolling for items approved in committee Tuesday):

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  The Pullman National Monument Advisory Commission [O2015-4653]: the seven member body would include a chairman and six members appointed by the mayor “with input from Pullman community leaders, business owners, and residents,” according to the ordinance. The board would be responsible for coordinating projects to promote tourism and raise community awareness, maintaining the area, and reporting new developments with the City Council and Mayor’s Office. The board could also solicit and accept public and private contributions, but would have to coordinate spending with the National Park Service.

  
  


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  Amendments to the Ethics Code for “Financial Statements of Interest”[O2015-4685] It moves the maximum requirement for ownership in stock of a publicly traded company from $15,000 to one half of 1% of that company’s outstanding shares, and refines the reverse revolving door provision that applies to incoming city officials or employees by permanently prohibiting them from participating in a city matter if they worked personally and substantially on that matter for their immediate pre-city employer or client. They would be prohibited for 2 years from working on any other matter that involves their pre-city employer or client unless they’ve severed monetary ties.

  
  


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  An ordinance adding federal & state Perchloroethylene regulations to the Municipal Code [O2015-4652] The ordinance aligns Chicago code with state and federal standards, so Chicago public health inspectors would have the authority to ticket dry cleaning facilities and auto repair shops that improperly dispose of perchloroethylene (“PERC”), a hazardous chemical found in polishes and cleaner. The state currently regulates the use and disposal of the chemical. Violators would be fined between $1,000 to $5,000.

  
  

No Meetings In August
Following tradition, Council will not meet in August and there are no scheduled committee meetings next month, according to our sources. Some sort of emergency could change that, but vacation plans have been made so we do not expect it to change.

Finance to Vote on Infrastructure Trust Changes
The Committee on Finance scheduled an extra meeting at 9:15 a.m. this morning before the 10:00 a.m. full Council meeting to vote on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’sproposed amendments to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board. On Monday Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke allowed discussion on the two ordinances appointing new leadership to the Trust and expanding the board by two members, but deferred consideration for today because he wanted more time to review the Mayor’s proposed changes. (Agenda)

Ald. Moreno Holds Stop And Frisk Press Conference
Ald. Joe Moreno (1) plans to hold a press conference ahead of the full City Council meeting to address issues he has with the police department’s “stop and frisk” policy. Moreno will introduce an ordinance based on an American Civil Liberties Union report, asking that Chicago police officers record all stops–not just those that result in an arrest. The ordinance would also mandate a training program to teach officers how stops should be conducted.

OLIG Rejects Ethics Amendment Up for Vote
Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan blasted amendments to the ethics code the Committee on Committees, Rules, and Ethics approved Monday, saying the changes “will destroy the ability for citizens to make complaints without fear of retaliation and will have a chilling effect on potential witnesses.” He is especially concerned with the provision requiring his office submit all evidence gathered in the course of an investigation to the Board of Ethics, who he says in turn will provide that information to the subject of the investigation. “The evidence turned over would include complainants’ names, addresses, testimony, and other investigative materials. This is flat out wrong and dangerous,” Khan says in a press release.

Steve Berlin, Executive Director of the Board of Ethics, described those changes as a “snag list” that will make the ethics rules run smoother. We wrote about his testimony in Monday’s newsletter, or you can read the full ordinance.

Nearly 800 residential buildings would cease to benefit from free garbage collection if the City Council approves an ordinance the Budget Committee approved yesterday. The ordinance Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) sponsored would give these building owners 90 days to arrange their own garbage service.

“These 794 buildings are cheating the system, cheating the taxpayers and there are more out there,” Ald. O’Shea told the committee Tuesday. He says ending the loophole would free up much-needed cash and resources for other city services.

The measure is in response to a 2014 Inspector General report that found the Department of Streets and Sanitation was wasting $3.3 million collecting trash from buildings that were no longer exempt under the city’s grandfather clause. It allowed continued garbage services for buildings that had been receiving the service since July 19, 2000. Buildings that changed ownership should have been removed from the exemption list, but DSS hadn’t updated that list since 2007, the IG report concluded. Last March, the IG’s Office issued a follow up report claiming DSS failed to implement any changes.

Testifying before the Budget Committee, Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams provided an updated inventory of that list. Of the 2,500 properties that received the exemption 15-years ago, 1800 remain on the list and 794 buildings no longer qualify for free trash pickup but still benefited from the service, Williams said. While the department is making an effort to crack down on the list, he says it is “very difficult to track down land trusts or corporations” which own most of these buildings, but he’s aiming to have a complete inventory by November.

The item passed without dissent, but not everyone on the committee was thrilled with the ordinance. Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) said it’s unfair that all Chicagoans pay taxes that help pay for garbage collection, but only certain home and building owners benefit from the city service. “So what we have now is a situation where one homeowner gets free pick up provided by the city, and literally the next door neighbor has to pay an additional fee to contract with a private waste hauler,” Ald. Hopkins said, arguing it would incentivize people to dump their trash in other people’s garbage cans. “Just imagine what it would do to the alleys.”

Ald. James Cappleman (46) was also hesitant to vote in support, because like Hopkins, most of the buildings in his ward are multiple dwelling buildings. He suggested a garbage collection and fee system based on the amount of garbage buildings produce instead of the current system based on building size. Ald. Cappleman said this would incentivise more buildings to recycle.

In addition to Ald. O’Shea’s ordinance, the Committee also approved the following items:

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  An ordinance amending the Voluntary Water Meter Installation Pilot Program, more commonly known as the Meter Save Program. Building owners would have to install and pay for water meters at the time their building is connected to the city’s water system. The ordinance also removes the pay rate system currently in place for using water from a fire hydrant. Anyone who wants to use water from a fire hydrant would have to apply for a permit. Construction crews and street sweepers that use fire hydrants would pay the Department of Finance a flat rate of $83.78 a day. The ordinance also clarifies what sewer repairs the city is on the hook for, and what building owners would have to pay.

  
  


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  An additional $77,000 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to the City’s Department of Public Health for the Morbidity and Risk Behavior Surveillance Program. The ordinance also authorizes the Health Commissioner to enter into an agreement with the National Opinion Research Center and Planned Parenthood of Illinois to provide grant money for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evaluation Program.

  
  


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  An amendment to the XLI Community Development Block Grant Ordinance. The item the Office of Budget and Management directly introduced in committee would reallocate funds in two city departments. The Department of Family and Supportive services would like to reallocate $75,000 of funding originally awarded to the Samaritan Community Center and Wellspring Center for Hope, neither of which are open, to Family Rescue for its Domestic Violence Services Program. The Department of Planning and Development wants to put an additional $904,981 towards its Developer Services Program. Those funds were made available after “unexpected repayments of rehabilitation loans,” according to the ordinance.

  
  

Four council committees meet this morning:

Aviation: There are two ordinances on the Aviation agenda related to car use at O’Hare Airport. The first ordinance introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel would create a new premium parking service program that lets travelers reserve a parking spot for an additional $10 a day fee added to the normal parking price. Users would also get amenities like a car wash or detail. All parking providers within airport boundaries would have to enter into concession agreements with the Commissioner of Aviation. Parking companies would have to pay a fee that is 10% of revenue. Companies that fail to file a concession agreement will be fined up to $2,000 a day.

The other agenda item is an updated concession agreement with Simply Wheelz, LLC, the company that operates Advantage Rent-A-Car. Simply Wheelz filed for bankruptcy in 2013 and was recently acquired by a private equity firm based in Toronto, The Catalyst Group. The ordinance updates the concession agreement to include the rental car company’s new owner.

Budget: There are three items on the agenda, including an ordinance requiring owners of buildings with four or more residential units to pay for trash collection. The ordinance is a response to a March report from Inspector General Joe Ferguson that says the city is spending millions providing free trash collection to hundreds of these buildings. The ordinance has 29 co-sponsors.

An amendment to the Metersave Program also spawned from an IG’s investigation that found buildings were benefiting from free water because meters had not yet been installed. The ordinance mimics the IG guidelines, requiring all new buildings to install meters as soon as the building is connected to the city’s sewer system. A clarification in the ordinance says the Commissioner of Water Management would oversee the program.

The committee is also slated to vote on an approval of an additional $77,000 grant from the federal government to the Department of Public Health for the Morbidity and Risk Behavior Surveillance Program.

License & Consumer Protection: Among several routine items, the Committee will discuss an ordinance amending the cutoff date of the crane operator’s license examination from September 1, 2015 to March 1, 2016. The ordinance was posted online Monday and will be directly introduced into committee today.

Workforce Development: The only item on the agenda is an ordinance updating the Municipal Code that requires all officers and employees of the city be Chicago residents. Anyone currently employed who fails to comply will be terminated, but the ordinance adds an exception for new employees, who would be given 90 days to establish residency, and employees who cannot move in that time frame due to “extraordinary circumstances.” In order to be exempt from the requirement, the employee would have to file for a waiver with the Commissioner of Human Resources.

The Committee on Housing and Real Estate quickly worked through a nine item agenda at Monday’s meeting, approving eight ordinances in roughly half an hour. The only testimony against any agenda item was from Council fixture George Blakemore, who insisted the city was getting “hoodwinked” by selling a downtown parcel currently being used for a parking lot. Ald. Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10) recommended the committee hold a decision on the $20,000 sale of a lot in the South Chicago Redevelopment Area to The Lights of Honor International, a non-profit.

Members present: Chairman Joe Moore (49), Pat Dowell (3), Gregory Mitchell (7), Raymond Lopez (15), David Moore (17), Michael Scott Jr. (20), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Ariel Reboyras (30), James Cappleman (46)

Start Time: 9:36 a.m.

Steven Stults with the Department of Fleet and Facility Management, Efrain Hernandez-Diaz with the Department of Planning and Development, and City Law Department Senior Counsel Rose Kelly all testified before the committee. The following items were approved and move to Wednesday’s full City Council meeting:

Board of Education Sales: Three agenda items were approved involving sales by the Chicago Board of Education totaling $782,000. The largest is the $635,000 sale of a 5,200 sq.ft. parking lot from the Board to Park One/Dearborn Parking. Blakemore, the only person to testify against, told the committee the downtown property is worth much more than the sale price, but Stults says the offer was the highest bid. The Committee also approved the sale of an old two story red brick school building at 115 W. 108th St. in the 34th Ward to Holy Ghost Cathedral for $3,000. The building is in poor condition, but Stults says Holy Ghost plans to turn it into a community center. And the $144,000 sale of an empty lot at 5221-5229 S. Prairie Ave. to Washington Park Development Group, LLC also passed committee. Ald. Pat Dowell (3) spoke in favor of the sale, and says there is a proposed market rate affordable housing development in the works.

Redevelopment Area Sales: Negotiated sales of two city-owned sites in redevelopment areas cleared committee, totaling $105,000:

• The $5,000 sale of a vacant lot in the Chicago/Central Park Redevelopment Project area to The Anawim, a Roman Catholic non-profit that addresses extreme poverty. Efrain Hernandez-Diaz says Anawim will landscape the space.

• The $100,000 sale of a lot in the Division/Homan Redevelopment Project Area to Richard and Susan Karwowski, who plan to landscape the open space adjacent to their home.

Municipal Code Amendment: The committee approved an amendment to the City’s Municipal Code to give the Commissioner of Planning and Development explicit authority to implement rules concerning the preservation of single room occupancy (SRO) housing. Rose Kelly with the City Law Department said there was an oversight in the original ordinance.

Testimony on tweaks to ethics rules took up most of the roughly ten minute Committee on Committees, Rules, and Ethics Monday. Steve Berlin, Executive Director of the Board of Ethics, described the changes as a “snag list of repairs that a buyer can expect from a developer after moving into new construction,” saying the goal of the changes is to make the ordinance work more smoothly and correct minor errors and oversights. Jeffrey Levine, Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel, sat with Berlin during his testimony but was not called on for questioning by aldermen.

Members Present: Chairman Michelle Harris (8), Michael Scott Jr. (20), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Michele Smith (43), James Cappleman (46), Joe Moore (49)
Start Time: 10:06 a.m.

Read the full ordinance for the entire list of changes to current law. The ordinance's changes are, Berlin’s words:

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  Expands role of departmental and aldermanic ethics officers

  
  


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  Clarifies that neither city property nor city-owned property can be used for unauthorized purposes -- this includes property that the city doesn’t own but might be leasing for official city business

  
  


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  Moves the threshold for ownership in stock of a publicly traded company from $15,000 to one half of 1% of that company’s outstanding shares

  
  


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  Clarifies that people who disclose they have committed a past or ongoing ethics violation in the course of seeking advice from the Board of Ethics may report themselves voluntarily, but if they don’t, the board is legally obligated to report them within 14 days of their disclosure.

  
  


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  Refines the reverse revolving door provision that applies to incoming city officials or employees, permanently prohibiting them from participating in a city matter if they worked personally and substantially on that matter for their immediate pre-city employer or client. They would be prohibited for 2 years from working on any other matter that involves their pre-city employer or client unless they’ve severed monetary ties.

  
  


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  Subjects late filing and late training lobbyists to the same standard that applies to all city employees or officials. If an annual ethics form is filed late or training is completed late, the names of lobbyists would be made public.

  
  


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  Strengthens gift restrictions by requiring advance Board of Ethics approval for any city employee or official who wishes to accept reasonable hosting for meetings, public events or ceremonies related to official city business.

  
  


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  Enables the Board of Ethics to seek further clarification of issues raised in an investigative report.

  
  


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  Legalizes a Board of Ethics regulation allowing city prosecutors to exercise discretion not to file charges and instead go straight to a hearing on the merits of an ethics trial, if, in a prosecutor’s judgment, the evidence doesn’t support charges.

  
  


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  Clarifies that appeals from any final decision by the Board of Ethics would be subject to judicial review by the Cook County Circuit Court under applicable state law.

  
  

Almost half of yesterday's nearly four hour Finance Committee meeting was spent discussing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board, followed by a heated debate on Ald. Will Burns’ (4) resolution requesting the state block film director Spike Lee’s application for a film production tax credit for his movie Chiraq. Chairman Ed Burke allowed discussion on Mayor Emanuel’s proposed appointments to the CIT board, but rescheduled the vote for Wednesday morning. He said the appointees to the board won't be asked to testify at Wednesday's meeting, since they had an opportunity to speak yesterday.

Chairman Burke also dedicated some time to discuss two pet issues: unprocessed rape test kits, and a ban on the sale and ownership of cell phone cases that look like guns. Both were approved in committee.

Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) ordinance adding new fees for companies that hold permits to operate trash cans on public streets was deferred because Ald. Moreno was absent by the time it was brought up for discussion. Chairman Burke also wanted to more time to discuss an ordinance Ald. Tom Tunney (44) and Mayor Emanuel introduced concerning municipal depositories.

At the tail end of the meeting, the committee approved in bulk and without discussion various appointments and reappointments to nine Special Service Areas (SSAs), and an ordinance giving City Treasurer Kurt Summers authority to oversee the Public Building Commission’s investment portfolio. The PBC oversees the construction, rehab, financing and land acquisition for new and existing City owned property. The committee also approved additional funding to the Small Business Improvement Fund Program to help pay for development projects in nine Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts.

Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Joe Moreno (1), Pat Dowell (3), Will Burns (4), Leslie Hairston (5), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), Michelle Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Marty Quinn (13), Matt O’Shea (19), Michael Zalewski (23), Danny Solis (25), Roberto Maldonado (26), Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Emma Mitts (37), Nick Sposato (38), Ald. Marge Laurino (39), Brendan Reilly (42), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Joe Moore (49), Debra Silverstein (50).

Others Present: Ald. Raymond Lopez (15), Ald. David Moore (17), Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24), Ald. Milly Santiago (31), Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), State Sen. Jackie Collins, FOP President Dean Angelo.

Ordinance Amending Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans last week to revamp and restructure the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board by replacing all but one board member, Chicago Federation of Labor President Jorge Ramirez. The board would expand from five to seven members. Leslie Darling, First Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City’s Law Department, would oversee the revamped Trust as its Executive Director. Hers is the only appointment that doesn’t require City Council approval. Bios for the appointees are in the Mayor’s press release announcement.

While the committee will need more time to review the changes to the CIT Board before it could vote on the matter, Burke says he would allow discussion, since the mayoral appointees were already present at the meeting and he didn’t want to “impose on their time.” But instead of using the time to discuss individual appointments, aldermen were more concerned about the lack of transparency in how the board conducts business.

Newly-elected South Side Ald. David Moore (17) started that line of questioning, asking City Treasurer Kurt Summers, who Mayor Emanuel appointed the new board chair, how he thinks the CIT can help blighted communities. While infrastructure is much-needed throughout the city, Summers says a need “exists in a most compelling fashion” in the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Addressing Moore’s concerns about transparency, Summers said South Carolina’s program might serve as a model for benchmarking and public accountability.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44) then asked Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), another appointee to the board, how the CIT plans to keep the City Council informed with new projects. Chairman Burke referred the question to the city’s new Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown. The board is required to publish annual reports, Brown said. All CIT projects require City Council approval and she would be “happy” to a answer any questions at any time. “Yes, but we approve a lot of things,” Ald. Tunney responded.

Ald. Anthony Beale (9) agreed with Ald. Tunney, suggesting the board’s first order of business should be a public report listing money spent, the types of public-private partnerships created, goals moving forward, and a ward-by-ward breakdown of investments.

Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6) noted that after several meetings with CIT board members, he noticed a fundraising issue and was told that staff members haven’t been paid. Brown conceded that the the organization has had challenges finding viable projects and investors, but wasn’t aware of the payroll issue.

When Mayor Emanuel first unveiled plans to create the Chicago Infrastructure Trust in 2012, he highlighted it as a way to leverage private dollars to fund “transformative” public infrastructure projects with minimal cost to the taxpayer. But CIT only has one completed project, Retrofit One, a plan to reduce building energy consumption by 20 percent. CIT’s other project to bring 4G mobile data to CTA’s underground subways is still in the works and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Ald. Tunney noted that after looking at the resumes of the appointees he saw a lot of great finance experience but few with real estate backgrounds.

Chiraq Tax Credit Hearing

Ald. Will Burns found little support among his peers and local community leaders in his effort to block film director Spike Lee’s application for a state film production tax credit for his movie Chiraq.

Ald. Burns introduced the symbolic resolution in May, shortly after Lee announced plans to film a movie about the prevalence of gun violence on the South Side of Chicago. Prior to the public debate, Burns told the committee he wanted to “signal his displeasure” with the movie’s title because the term “Chiraq” was created by “gang bangers” and it would be inappropriate to “validate and support them.” Given the state’s current financial woes, he said it would also be wrong to give Lee a $3 million dollar tax credit for a movie putting Chicago in such poor light.

But many who signed up to testify said the debate should be about solutions preventing the prevalence of gun violence, not a movie title. As a life-long resident of Auburn Gresham, and a co-sponsor of the legislation that created the tax credit in 2008, State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) said she has yet to see any economic development in the community and thought it ironic Ald. Burns was concerned Lee’s movie would stifle growth and tourism on the South Side, saying the whole point of the tax break is to incentivize local hiring and training in film production. Since production started on Chiraq, Lee has recruited and employed nearly 3,000 movie extras, 100 crew members and 20 interns from local neighborhoods, Collins said. “We need better statistics, not semantics.”

Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27) noted that as the former Chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Special Events and Cultural Affairs and the Choose Chicago Board, he understands Ald. Burns’ concerns but believes the state should give Lee a break. “I think [Lee] is on a mission and something thought-provoking is going to come out of this,” Burnett said. Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) echoed Burnett, calling it a “slippery slope” if the Council got involved in regulating movie titles. The TV show Boss, which Ald. Reilly said was “not a flattering political account” of Chicago, still netted the city $3.7 million dollars in film production tax breaks.

No one gave a more infuriated and impassioned speech on the issue than Fr. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church. “I’m almost insulted by the fact that we are discussing this…I think this is an orchestrated distraction,” Fr. Pleger said when called to testify. “Yes, Chicago should be worried,” he told Ald. Burns. “We should be worried about the image problem. We should not be worried about the title, because if the title was changed to Disneyland, we still have the same image that is portrayed on the media every day, because it is the reality of what is going on everyday. This is about lives, not a damn movie,” said the priest.

Request for Public Hearing on Untested Rape Kits Approved

The Committee approved Chairman Burke’s request to invite representatives from the Chicago Police Department and hold a public hearing on the backlog of untested rape kits in Chicago.

Burke and Budget Chairman Carrie Austin (34) testified they became aware of the issue after reading a recent USA Today article detailing a backlog of 70,000 untested rape kits across a thousand law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Burke also highlighted a U.S. Department of Justice report that found more than 400,000 rape kits are sitting in storage rooms awaiting forensic testing.

When Burke brought the item up for discussion, he said he was unsatisfied with CPD’s response to his inquiry about the city’s backlog. CPD would only reveal the number of rape kits it submits to the state for forensic testing, but could not accurately detail how many kits go untested, Burke testified. Chicago doesn’t have its own forensic lab and is required under the state’s Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act to submit rape kits to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic testing. Since 2008, CPD collected and submitted more than 7,784 rape kits to the state lab for forensic testing, according to Burke. In 2014, CPD submitted 957 rape kits to the state, but only received results from 271 kits that same year. “This leaves a considerable gap,” Ald. Burke said, adding that the numbers get “more confusing” because returned kits were from previous years.

Sharmili Majmudar, the Executive Director of the local non-profit Rape Victims Advocates, testified that every year, roughly 600 children, women and men report being sexually assaulted in Chicago, and 80% of those alleged victims undergo a medical examination. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) asked Majmudar what an appropriate wait time should be. Majmudar said Chicago should emulate New York’s processing timeline of six weeks to three months.

We saw in the Council cloakroom, and a CBS 2 producer reported, that the police commander responsible for the rape test kits waited the entire hearing to testify. He was never called.

Proposed Ban on Gun Replicas Approved

Aldermen advanced Chairman Burke’s ordinance banning the sale and purchase of cell phone cases modeled after handguns. Burke says he introduced the ordinance after learning how easy it is for someone order an iPhone case online that looks almost identical to a 9 millimeter handgun, “What’s even more disturbing is these smartphone cases are marketed as cool, trendy and stylish.”

President of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Dean Angelo’s testimony included the recitation of an online product review describing the cell phone case as a “fun novelty” while also warning the consumer to “be careful where you answer your phone.” Ald. Burke concluded the presentation by having one of his staffers model one of the cases by putting it in his back pocket and waistband. “See what this looks like,” Ald. Burke told the committee, “What would the cop do if he saw this?”

SSA Appointments Approved

The Committee approved commissioners to a series of Special Service Areas, specially drawn districts in commercial areas that levy a fraction of a percent of property taxes and then use those funds for beautification and promotion of the district’s businesses. SSAs are typically administered by neighborhood chambers of commerce and directed by commissioners appointed by the Mayor. The nominees approved by the committee yesterday were:

Central Lakeview Commission - Area #17 - Link

• David L. Gassman - Realtor and one-time owner of Spin nightclub.


• Jeanne R. Saliture - Central Lake View Neighbors officer, retired flight attendant.

Clark Street-Lincoln Park Commission - Area #23 - Link

• Raeonin W. Lisenby - Manager of tween fashion store, “Frankie’s On The Park”

Clark Street Commission - Area #24 - Link

• Joseph A. Prino - General Manager at Mayne Stage.

Lincoln Avenue Commission - Area #35 - Link

• Kenneth Dotson - Angel investor in tech companies.


• Brent P. Holten - Owner, i.d. gym.


• Neer S. Patel - Import/Export company owner.


• Jeannine M. Campbell

Old Town Commission - Area #48 - Link

• Timothy K. Egan - CEO of Roseland Hospital. 2011 candidate for 43rd Ward Alderman.


• Don B. Klugman - President of media, inc.


• Dean G. Lubbat - Chef/owner of Dinotto Ristorante.


• Mark K. Proesel - Attorney


• David L. Stone

A short agenda for Monday’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting includes two big sales from the Chicago Board of Education, an amendment to the Municipal Code regarding rule-making to preserve single room occupancy housing, and other routine sales and lease agreements.

Board of Education Sales: Three agenda items involve sales by the Chicago Board of Education totaling $782,000. The largest is the $635,000 sale of a 5,200 sq.ft. parking lot from the Board to Park One/Dearborn Parking. The  Board says the lot is no longer needed for school purposes. The property can’t be used for K-12 public, charter, or tuition fee school purposes for 40 years from the date of the deed. The Board is also looking to sell an older, two story red brick school building at 115 W. 108th St. in the 34th ward to Holy Ghost Cathedral for $3,000. There aren’t current plans to redevelop, and the building is in poor condition. And an empty lot at 5221-5229 S. Prairie Ave. is going for $144,000 to Washington Park Development Group, LLC, who currently has no plans to redevelop.

Redevelopment Area Sales: Negotiated sales of three city-owned sites in redevelopment areas are slated for sale, totaling $125,000:

• The $5,000 sale of a vacant lot in the Chicago/Central Park Redevelopment Project area to The Anawim, a homeless shelter.


• The $20,000 sale of a lot in the South Chicago Redevelopment Area to The Lights of Honor International, a non-profit.


• The $100,000 sale of a lot in the Division/Homan Redevelopment Project Area to Richard and Susan Karwowski, who plan to landscape the open space.

Municipal Code Amendment: Ald. Walter Burnett (27) introduced an ordinance to amend the City’s Municipal Code to give the Commissioner of Planning and Development explicit authority to implement rules concerning the preservation of single room occupancy (SRO) housing.

The Committee on Finance is scheduled to discuss and vote on new appointments and changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board, a financing agreement for the St. Edmund’s affordable housing project in the Washington Park community, additional funding for small business improvement grants, and $800,000 in legal settlements.

Finance Chairman Ed Burke (14) is also expected to formally introduce his ordinance to ban the sale or possession of cell phone cases that look like guns. He announced the ordinance last week in a press release, calling the replicas a threat to public safety. If approved by committee, it’ll get voted on two days later by the full City Council. Ald. Will Burns' (4) resolution requesting the state deny Spike Lee’sapplication to get a tax break for his film Chiraq, and Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) ordinance adding new fees for trash collection are also on the regular agenda.

Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board: This ordinance will be directly introduced into committee, and if approved will be voted on by the full City Council Wednesday. The speedy timetable is likely due to the fact that the Board’s next meeting is on August 7th. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced his plan to put Leslie Darling, with the City’s Law Department, and City Treasurer Kurt Summers at the helm of the Board, where they will invest in city infrastructure projects with a mixture of private and public funding. He also wants to expand the number of commissioners on the board from five to seven. Mayor Emanuel first introduced the Chicago Infrastructure Trust in 2012 as an “innovative way to leverage private investment for transformative infrastructure projects and guide the city’s renewal”, but it has since seen a slow rollout.

Bonds for St. Edmund’s Oasis Apartment Project: The City wants to execute a $5.5 million loan agreement with and issue up to $12 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds on behalf of St. Edmund’s LLC, the developer behind a plan to build 58 affordable housing units in Washington Park. Nineteen units will be set aside for public housing. Cities approve these federal bonds to help finance the construction of multi-family housing projects catered to low-income families or elderly residents. The Chicago Housing Authority will provide the funds for the $5.5 million loan. The City owned the property valued at $630,000, and sold it to the developer for $14 in 2014. The $20.4 million project will consist of 1-4 bedroom units in 4 town homes and includes a community garden and play lot.

Legal Settlements: There are three legal settlements pending committee approval. The largest proposed settlement ($360,000) concerns several police officers who were allegedly involved in shooting and injuring two minors. The mother, Catherine Waller, filed the suit on behalf of her two sons. The second case, filed by Brenda Dawson in 2008 on behalf of her deceased husband James Yearwood, is a medical malpractice suit involving St. Bernard Hospital.

Ald. Moreno’s Trash Fee Ordinance: Any business that holds a permit to place a trash can in the public way would get fined if the trash is overflowing to the point that it’s falling onto the street, according to the ordinance. Violators would be fined up to $250 per trash can per day. The ordinance also adds language excluding trash bins paid for with Special Service Area tax revenue. Last year, Ald. Moreno introduced an ordinance amending the municipal code so that SSAs wouldn’t have to pay a fee for certain items installed in the public way, i.e. trash cans, but it never left committee.