The Chicago Police Board named three finalists for the job of police superintendent, and City Council's Latino Caucus called the short list an "insult." Eleven Aldermen voted against the Mayor's plan to increase the smoking age to 21, in addition to setting price floors and raising taxes on cigars, cigarillos, dip, and loose tobacco. But a ban on dip at Cubs and Sox games got unanimous support. We also talk bonds and discuss the winners and losers of this week's primary.

In order to “improve efficiency,” the Department of Planning and Development is slightly changing the way it conducts monthly Plan Commission meetings.

From now on, the department’s project managers will be taking over the responsibility of presenting plan development applications to commissioners, instead of developers, their attorneys or architects, which was how meetings were conducted in the past.  

Newly-appointed DPD Commissioner David Reifman will also change the mayor-appointed land use board’s start time to 10:00 a.m., instead of in the afternoon. Officials with DPD say developers and their attorneys will still be allowed to speak and answer questions from commissioners, but project managers, who are tasked with writing official staff reports for each project, will take over a majority of the PowerPoint presentations.

And the changes made a noticeable difference. Yesterday’s meeting, which had eight zoning applications up for consideration, wrapped in about four hours, adjourning around 2:00 p.m. Last month’s meeting barely met its adjournment deadline, and that was only after Chairman Martin Cabrera’s repeated requests that developers keep their presentations concise.

At past meetings, DPD project managers introduced each application, detailing the zoning change requested and skeletal information of the project. The development team, usually the zoning attorney followed by the architect or lead developer, would then expound on the finer details. More often than not, this method led to drawn-out, marathon-long meetings.

Meeting Highlights 

Only one application on yesterday's agenda, LG Development’s proposed nine-story plus penthouse condo building, garnered significant opposition from the public, with more than a dozen residents, mostly from a neighboring condo building, voicing their opposition. The proposed development would be built on a surface parking lot at 111 South Peoria Street, across from Mary Bartelme Park.

Some opponents argued that the West Loop is getting too dense, and the local transportation infrastructure has not kept up with the building boom (“If I wanted tall, I would have moved to Streeterville,” one complained). Others warned of “dramatic safety concerns” of having such a large residential building, with people coming and going so close to a park where children play. Lighting issues and vehicle traffic worries were frequently brought up, too.

This group was especially organized, with handouts, zoning maps, and presentation boards supplementing testimony. Attorney Ron Cope and city planner Les Pollack were among them.

Even local Ald. Walter Burnett (27) warned fellow commissioners that the project was so controversial in his community, that it was “used against him” during his re-election campaign last year.

Despite the overwhelming opposition from the community, the application still passed unanimously. Speaking to Aldertrack after the meeting, one opponent, Richard Dees, a an attorney from McDermott Will & Emery, said that they may sue the city, alleging the zoning change is inconsistent with previous DPD master zoning plans for the neighborhood. “That is how fed up West Loop residents are,” Dees explained in an email. “The politicians have been picking neighborhoods off separately. We need to stop every upzoning in the West Loop until there is a plan to take care of the people already living there, and that means uniting to oppose every upzoning, no matter how attractive the project appears.”

The remaining seven applications went through mostly without a hitch, and commissioners were noticeably less vocal about affordable housing issues than in past meetings.

Only one development team caught flak for taking advantage of a “loophole” in the city’s old affordable housing requirements: SMATT, LLC, the applicant behind a 513 ft residential high-rise with 500 units planned for 1320 South Michigan Avenue in city’s South Loop.

Ald. Burnett accused developer John Murphy and his zoning attorney Jack George of taking advantage of a “loophole” in the zoning code, because they won’t be adding on-site affordable housing or making an in lieu cash payment into the city’s affordable housing trust fund to make up for those lost units.

Instead, they’re taking advantage of an affordable housing bonus, agreeing to make a $1.96 million payment into the affordable housing trust fund in exchange for the ability to increase building density (Under the new rules, a developer would have to pay per affordable unit not included on site, in addition to the bonus, should they select it.)

When Burnett asked them to explain why they chose not to include the units, Murphy said there’s still an opportunity for it. “I have had discussions with the alderman to integrate affordable housing on site. That has not been determined yet, because it’s something that more recently came up,” he explained.  

“You making a lot of money, man. You got a lot of stuff over there,” Burnett later responded, after it was revealed that the building’s largest apartments, which would be about 1,100-square-feet, are expected to go on the market for about $4,000 a month (about $2.95-per-square-foot), and that 45% of the parking spaces will be leased out to the general public.

Union Concerns Raised at Planned McCormick Place Hotel (3rd Ward)

Draper & Kramer, the development team behind a proposed 22-story hotel and residential high-rise for the corner of Wabash Avenue and Cermak Road got some heat when it was revealed that the hotel wouldn’t employ unionized workers.

According to Larry Devito with Draper & Kramer, the hotel is committed to hiring locally and hosting job fairs, but employees won't be unionized. When Chairman Cabrera asked if “any effort was made to add unionized labor,” Devito’s partner, David Augusta, jumped in to explain that “select service hotels” or limited-service hotels, rarely employ union workers because it doesn’t make sense “economically and from a management standpoint.”   

Local Ald. Pat Dowell (3) later testified that she did “establish conversations” between the development team and Unite Here Local One.

The 144 room, ten-story hotel, which will be near the Cermak stop on the CTA’s Green Line, will employ 35 people when it’s built. The residential building, which will be 22-stories, will be located directly behind the hotel, with a setback along South Wabash Avenue. The development team plans to make ten of the 275 units affordable; those units will be distributed throughout the building. And of the total units, 37% will be efficency, 49% one-bedroom, and 14% two-bedrooms. Draper & Kramer will also take advantage of the adopt a landmark bonus, which lets them increase building density by paying about  $750,000 for building restorations at two landmarked neighborhood churches (Quinn Chapel AME and Second Presbyterian Church).

• Progressive Caucus Financial Transparency Resolution - The Progressive Caucus plans to work “closely” with the Mayor’s office to draft a Financial Transparency and Accountability Ordinance “designed to create oversight and transparency for untested financial arrangements like the so-called ‘toxic’ interest rate swap deals that have plagued the City in recent years,” a press release says. The goal is to impose more “rigorous” review for the city’s big financial transactions. A water revenue bond deal Progressive aldermen pushed against months ago for containing 'toxic swaps' passed City Council Wednesday.

• Commercial zoning for medical marijuana - Ald. Ed Burke (14) has submitted another ordinance loosening regulations for medical marijuana in the city. The zoning change would allow for medical marijuana dispensaries to set up shop in commercial districts if they receive a special use permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals. He and Ald. Willie Cochran (20) have previously teamed up to do away with 24-hour security requirements at dispensaries.

• More Bed and Breakfast Modifications - The ordinance from Ald. Brian Hopkins(2), Ald. Proco Joe Moreno (1), Ald. Pat Dowell (3), Ald. Michele Smith (43), and Ald. Tom Tunney (44) would bar anyone who knowingly operated without a license within two years of the application from getting a Bed and Breakfast License. It’s the latest in a series of vacation rental and B&B ordinances introduced aimed at the shifting landscape of home and apartment rentals in Chicago, just before Ald. Will Burns (4) announced he’d be leaving City Hall to go work for Airbnb. Sources expect some kind of hearing on home sharing licensing and regulations in April or May.

• Student Loan Debt Hearing - Ald. Marge Laurino (39) and Ald. Ed Burke (14) teamed up to introduce a resolution calling for hearings on the “student loan debt crisis.” CFO Carole Brown, officials from the private sector, City Colleges, CPS, and other local colleges will be called to testify. The preamble says Illinois ranks 16th in the country for highest debt burden, and debt has doubled for students at Eastern Illinois, Illinois State, Northern Illinois, Southern Illinois at carbondale and Western Illinois Universities.

• Mondelez Hearing - Mirroring similar legislation introduced by Cook County Commissioner Jesus ‘Chuy’ Garcia, Ald. Burke and Ald. Derrick Curtis (18) have introduced items examining Modelez, the parent company that owns the Nabisco plant on the city’s Southwest side slated to send 600 jobs to a new plant in Mexico. Burke’s resolution calls on Department of Planning and Development Commissioner David Reifman to detail how the department tracks redevelopment agreements and job retention for companies that benefit from deals with the city. Curtis’ resolution urges Mondelez to expand its operations.  

• Health In All Policies Resolution: Previewed by Chicago Department of Public Health at Board of Health meetings this winter, this resolution introduced by the Mayor Wednesday calls for applying “a Health in All Policies approach to the City's decision making,” essentially applying a health filter to all “policy development and implementation, budgeting, and delivery of services” decisions. The resolution calls appointment of a task force to examine health policies in housing, transportation, food access, environmental protection, safety and violence prevention.

• Lease Agreements for Cook County Mental Health Services - The city plans to lease office space at two of its clinics as part of the new behavioral health initiativeCook County Health and Hospitals Systems officials announced last month. One clinical office space, located on the first floor of the West Town Neighborhood Health Center at 2418 West Division Street, will be used by the Cook County Department of Corrections for mental health services to ex-offenders. The other, the new triage center for behavioral issues for arrestees, will take up 10,784 square feet of clinical office space, subject to expansion include the entire building, at the Roseland Public Health Center at 200 East 115th Street.

• Seven CPS Land Moves (O2016-2526, O2016-2507, O2016-2505, O2016-2504, O2016-2483, O2016-2472, O2016-2461) and two TIF Assistance Ordinances (O2016-2455, O2016-2434) were also introduced. The city will accept three CPS properties for "public purpose," and the Park District will accept one for "open space, recreational and park purposes." The TIF assistance includes no more than $760,000 for school improvements to Amundsen High School and no more than $287,000 for Hope College Preparatory School.

• Street Designation for Nancy Maldonado - Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) submitted an ordinance calling for the stretch of Division between 2400-2850 as Nancy Y. Franco-Maldonado Way, in honor of his late wife who passed away around the Christmas holiday.

• Repeal of the ban of flower peddling - Just in time for spring, Ald. Ed Burke’s (14) ordinance strikes out the language that prohibits the sale of flowers, plants, or bouquets. The sale is currently only allowed inside “duly licensed” restaurants and taverns.

On Wednesday, we incorrectly tweeted that aldermen approved the $29 million dollar sale of City Colleges’ former Malcolm X campus site. But the story behind what actually happened is more interesting.

Aldertrack has learned that the land sale never made it to the floor, because two freshman aldermen–Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) and Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36)–threatened to use parliamentary procedure to block the item from a vote, because they want to hold City Colleges’ feet to the fire over minority hiring.

At Monday’s Housing Committee meeting, the project received unanimous approval by voice vote, and Committee Chairman Joe Moore announced before adjourning that, “All eight of these [agenda] items will be reported out at the City Council meeting on Wednesday."

But it stopped there. “I believe it was some type of issue related to the City Colleges, and I don’t know the full track of it,” Bob Fuller, a legislative aide for the committee told Aldertrack. Rather than have the matter deferred and published, Ald. Moore opted to hold the issue in committee until Ald. Lopez and Villegas received the information they requested, Fuller said.

Ald. Villegas confirmed with Aldertrack that he and Ald. Lopez previously requested data on Latino hiring and contracts at City Colleges’, but haven’t been satisfied with, among other issues, “the lack of a plan for diversity and parity.”

“The only reason why there’s been growth at City Colleges is because of the Latino community. 28% of Malcolm X students are Latino, enough to designate it as a Hispanic institution now,” he said.

Villegas has introduced a resolution Wednesday urging City Colleges to “hire Hispanic professors and staff, reflective of the student population.” City Clerk Susana Mendoza is listed as the sole co-sponsor. He asked the issue be referred to the Committee on Workforce Development and Audit because the Education Committee, which normally hears City Colleges-related issues, is still without a chair. After City Colleges “stalled and delayed” giving statistics to Villegas, the resolution says, “City Colleges produced data that seems suspicious to Alderman Villegas and the Latino Caucus of the Chicago City Council.”

Villegas says citywide, the message he’s receiving is “Latinos need not apply.”

Ald. Walter Burnett (27), whose ward includes the Malcolm X site, told Aldertrack he doesn’t understand why they’re using the land sale as “leverage,” because City Colleges no longer owns the property, the city does, and argued they’re just preventing the city from making money and hurting the Blackhawks and Rush.

The Rush portion of the 11-acre site is slated to sell for $17.5 million, of which $1.8 million will pay for education, scholarships, research, and health and wellness programs for the community. The negotiated sale price for the Blackhawks portion is $11.7 million. $3 million is dedicated to community hockey training programs, fitness and nutritional programs and group events.

A representative for the Blackhawks said, “This is a procedural matter between the city and City Colleges, not the Chicago Blackhawks. We are moving forward with our timeline in accordance with our processes.” The Mayor’s office told Aldertrack they expect the sale to pass City Council next month.

Chicago City Council’s Latino Caucus will hold a conference at 10:00 a.m. at City Hall to demand Mayor Emanuel appoint current Interim Police Superintendent John Escalanteas permanent superintendent. The press conference is in response to yesterday’s Police Board announcement that three finalists had been chosen to submit to the mayor for consideration: Dr. Cedric L. Alexander, Anne E. Kirkpatrick, and Eugene Williams. Williams and Alexander are both African American, and Kirkpatrick is White; the Police Board posted each nominee’s resume and essay responses on its website.

It is possible Emanuel could send Lightfoot and fellow members back to the drawing board. In 2007, Mayor Richard M. Daley rejected Police Board’s first round of nominations to replace Phil Cline. Eight months later, Daley appointed Jody Weis to take over.  

Lori Lightfoot, head of the Police Board and the Police Accountability Task Force (PATF), told reporters she would not discuss applicants who didn’t make the cut, but said the city should be “grateful for Escalante’s service.” The release of the finalists’ names was delayed by two weeks. So are the recommendations from PATF. Lightfoot says those should be coming around April 15.

The city officially opened up the bidding process for developers interested in transforming the Old Main Post Office Complex. Yesterday morning, the Department of Planning and Development issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the massive historic building’s planned redevelopment in the city’s West Loop. A pre-submittal conference is scheduled for April 14. Bidding closes June 10.  

The move comes a week after the city’s Community Development Commission, a mayor-appointed panel, gave preliminary approval for the city to acquire the property from its current owners through eminent domain. 

RFP respondents may choose to redevelop the site in accordance with the existing planned development parameters for the site (PD# 1065), or they can select to amend the PD, which “allows for a wide variety of commercial and residential uses,” the Mayor’s Office said in a release.

Once a developer is chosen, they will have to commit to purchase the property at full market value and pay “all related acquisition costs.”

The U.S. Post Office sold the historic building in 2009 to International Property Developers North America, Inc. (IPD) for $25 million dollars. In 2013, the same developer bought the neighboring annex property for an additional $14 million.

IPD had planned a $3.5 billion mixed-use development to be completed in phases, including three towers and 16-million-square-feet of residential, retail, entertainment and office spaces. In July 2013, the City Council approved an amendment to the planned development for an additional 2,100 residential units in the old post office building. Plans for a hotel and commercial retail space on adjacent land were also approved.

The first phase of the project was scheduled to get underway in early 2015, but according to DPD, no significant redevelopment work has been completed to date.

Opponents of a proposed nine-story condo development planned for a surface parking lot directly across the street from Mary Bartelme Park in the city’s West Loop neighborhood plan to hold a press conference at City Hall ahead of today’s Plan Commission vote on the future of the site.

LG Development is seeking to establish a planned development to build the residential high rise, which would include 95 units, a mix of one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, ranging from 900-square-feet to 2,850-square-feet.   

After several back and forth meetings with the community and local Ald. Walter Burnett (27), the developer filed the zoning application with the city in September 2015, just before Chicago’s beefed up Affordable Housing Requirements took effect.

But the project has remained on the backburner, and some in the community, including one local neighborhood group, is strongly opposed. There’s even a website dedicated to the opposition.  One local resident, who spoke on background, said they’d rather construct a community center on the lot. Local residents have set up a fundraising campaign to get the money to buy the property from the Cacciatore family, the legal title holder.

The project has also gone through numerous revisions. In August 2014, when the project was first presented to the community, LG had planned a 13- story, 173-foot building with 469 single room occupancy units, a roof deck, and 328 parking spaces, according to this letter from the West Loop Community Organization (WLCO). A month later, LG offered an amended plan that cut the building height to 133 feet, reduced the number of units to 210, and downsized parking to 141 spaces. Still unsatisfied with the changes, LG submitted a third proposal in May 2015, that kept the height at 133-feet, but changed the unit breakdown and increased the square-footage of the units.

The Plan Commission will vote today on the fifth version of the original plan. The West Loop Community Organization is still opposed, even after the developer agreed to decrease the number of balconies facing Peoria street, add more glass and stainless steel to balconies, and enhance the main entry of the building. Their objection, according to the letter, is due to the fact that “the developer has not submitted updated renderings as agreed on September 1, 2015.”

LG Development’s application is the last item on the agenda, according to the latest version of the plan commission agenda. Two days ago, it was the fourth item.

Meanwhile, plans for three other residential high-rise towers, two hotels, and a redevelopment plan for Irving Park’s Six-Corners shopping center also await Plan Commission approval today.

• Proposed Hotel Near Fulton Market (27th Ward): Jeffrey Shapack, manager of 200 Green Developer, LLC, filed an application with the city to build an 11-story-story plus penthouse hotel with ground floor retail, restaurant and accessory parking on the corner of Green and Lake Streets. The site Shapack wants to develop at 820-850 W. Lake Street is a block north of the Soho House Hotel that he helped develop in partnership with Chicago-based A.J. Capital Partners. According to the Chicago Architecture Blog, the hotel would include between 167 and 171 guest rooms, a fitness center, and a rooftop pool overlooking the city’s downtown.

• Proposed Hotel-Residential Building for McCormick Place (3rd Ward). Developer Draper & Kramer wants to build a 22-story hotel and residential high-rise with 275 units on the corner of Wabash Avenue and Cermak Road. According to the renderings in the application the developer submitted in September 2015, the hotel and residential tower would be connected on the bottom nine floors, with a service elevator separating the residential side from the hotel. Floors 10 through 21 will be only residential. Other amenities would include a hotel roof deck and and residential sky deck. This is one of three hotels planned for McCormick Place.

• Proposed 38-Story Residential High-Rise for West Loop (42nd Ward) Gray Cardiff, from California-based Gray Cardiff & Co., wants to build a 38-story residential high-rise building with 373 dwelling units, 145 parking spaces (41% of dwelling units), and 77 bike spaces at the site of an old train car storage field located between Union Avenue and Green Street.  According to the application he filed with the city in January, Cardiff plans to take advantage of the city’s affordable housing bonus, which allows for a greater floor-area-ratio by paying into the city’s affordable housing trust fund. The building would be located near the K2 Apartments and its newly-opened half-acre dog park, the biggest in the city, according to DNAinfo. Ald. Brendan Reilly and the Neighbors of the West Loop (NOWL) held a community meeting on this project in November. According to the slideshow presentation he provided to residents, a typical residential floor plan would include 13 units per floor: three studios, seven one-bedroom apartments, and two two-bedroom apartments.

• The National Museum of Mexican Art (25th Ward) is seeking to amend an existing planned development (No. 639) to construct a surface parking lot for 50 cars. According to the application the museum filed with the city, in January, the lot will also serve as an outdoor exhibit space.

• Sinai Health System (28th Ward) is seeking to amend the boundary of their existing planned development (No. 49) to include two additional city-owned parcels of property (1341 and 1345 S. Fairfield Avenue) they’re in the midst of purchasing. The Mount Sinai Hospital campus is located in North Lawndale on the city’s West Side and is undergoing a $100 million investment: the Sinai Tomorrow Project. The hospital intends to use the subject property for the health care related uses that were previously approved with the original PD: hospital, day care, government-operated health center, and wireless communications facilities. The amended PD adds new uses, including retail. The property is two blocks from the hospital campus, in a predominantly residential area.

• Irving Park Six-Corners Development (45th Ward): CSD Six Corners, LLC, an entity with close to twenty stakeholders listed on the economic disclosure statement, filed a planned development application to build a retail center for the site of the former Bank of America building in Irving Park’s Six-Corners. The four-story “vertical retail center,” will have stores on the first and second floor, and parking on the third and fourth. The applicants include Bixby Bridge Fund II, LLC, managed by David Colburn, and Blackfriars Corporation, owned by Keith Colburn, Richard Colburn, and Carol Grigor. Collins Family Limited Partnership is also listed as a stakeholder. The center will contain about 196,000-square-feet of retail and 473 parking spaces.

11 No Votes on Mayor’s Tobacco Plan, First Vote of the Day 

Ald. Ed Burke (14) made an unusual move by suspending the rules early in the meeting, introducing a substitute ordinance, holding no debate, and calling for a vote on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s tobacco reforms. The substitute ordinance is the third iteration of the Mayor’s tobacco package. It still increases the city’s smoking age to 21, sets new tax rates on tobacco products, eliminates the use of coupons for those products, and strengthens enforcements on the illegal sale of tobacco. But the tax rates for some products were brought down slightly from the original introduction. The threat of jail time for people caught selling loose cigarettes is gone, and retailers with existing stock won’t have to charge higher rates yet.

When Burke asked the Council to consider the amendment, he said changes had been made to the tax rates on other tobacco products (OTP), existing inventories will be exempt from the new tax rates, and employees over the age of 18 can sell tobacco (even if they can’t buy it). Price floors will be slightly lower on some products. There were also various changes to provisions on factory packaging.

Burke called for a roll call vote, after a brief consultation at the podium, the Mayor skipped debate, going straight to the vote. The measure passed 35-11.

The ordinance slightly amends the set minimum price floors for various tobacco products:

• $11.50 for a pack of cigarettes, or a pack of little cigars

• $1.36 per large cigar (down from $1.70)

• $4.56 per ounce of pipe tobacco

• $11.29 per ounce for a pouch of roll-your-own tobacco (down from $11.50)

• $4.94 per ounce of smokeless (chewing) tobacco (up from $4).

The ordinance sets fixed tax rates for these products: 20 cents per cigar, $1.80 per ounce of chewing and loose tobacco, and 60 cents per ounce for pipe tobacco. “To accommodate small businesses that do not cater to youth, the revised ordinance will exempt new taxation on existing inventory, applying the floor only to new inventory,” the Mayor’s Office noted in this press release.

Enforcement penalties remain mostly unchanged. Those caught selling individual cigarettes, colloquially known as “loosies,” will get slapped with a $1,000-to- $5,000 fine for the first offense, and upwards of a $10,000 fine for each subsequent offense. An earlier substitute draft included penalties of up to six months in jail for being caught selling loose cigarettes.

Retailers will also be added to the list of those who could be punished if one of their employees or “other agent of the retail tobacco licensee” is found selling loosies or violates the new regulations, noting, “such licensee shall be punishable in the same manner as if said act had been performed by the licensee personally.”

Licensees who violate the new price floors, coupon prohibition, or package size violations could face fines up to $2,000 for the first offense, up to $3,500 for a second offense within a five year period, and up to $7,500 for the third offense occurred within the same time frame. If a retailer commits two or more violations within a 48-month period, the city can revoke its license.

Under the new tobacco regulations passed, the Commissioner of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection will also be required to provide annual reports detailing enforcement of the new rules to the Council’s License and Consumer Protection Committee on June 1st.

Most of the revenue generated from the tax will still support a universal, one-week orientation program for incoming high school freshman at Chicago Public Schools. The program will, “help them form good study habits, learn the ropes at their new school and get to know their teachers and peers,” the press release from the Mayor’s Office notes. Revenue from the new taxes will also help fund a “more intensive, mandatory two-week summer program” that will provide “remedial academic support and social emotional learning” for 8th graders at risk of dropping out of school.

No votes: Leslie Hairston (5), Sue Sadlowski-Garza (10), David Moore (17), Matt O’Shea (19), Howard Brookins, Jr. (21), Mike Zalewski (23), Jason Ervin (28), Chris Taliaferro (29), Nick Sposato (38), Anthony Napolitano (41), and Tom Tunney (44).

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42), a vocal opponent of the ordinance, was absent. He was one of five aldermen to use parliamentary procedure to block a vote on it at the last City Council meeting.

The Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA), which led the charge against passage of the ordinance alongside Ald. Ervin and other border ward aldermen, maintained it had a compelling case to sue the city for overreaching its taxing authority. “I think that we will look into all of our options at this point,” Tanya Triche, general counsel for IRMA, told reporters after the vote. “The city has always taken the position that the state law didn’t grant the authority to have [an OTP tax]. They have recently taken a different read, but that law hasn’t actually changed.”  

$200M in Water Revenue Bonds Passes with Little Fanfare

After chipping away parts of Mayor Emanuel’s multi-billion dollar borrowing plan earlier this year, aldermen approved the last in a series of bond offerings the administration has said it needs to convert its remaining variable rate debt into a fixed rate.

Without any debate or discussion, or even much notice, Ald. Burke, Chairman of the council’s Finance Committee, asked aldermen to approve an ordinance that would authorize the city to issue $200 million in water revenue-backed bonds.

The bond offering, originally introduced in December as part of a roughly $3.7 billion dollar borrowing plan for this year, was tabled at the January City Council meeting, following vocal objections from aldermen who said the city shouldn’t borrow money to pay banks hundreds of millions of dollars in termination fees.

The revenue from the bond proceeds would pay the cost of restructuring outstanding debt from water bonds issued in 2000 and 2004 by converting those bonds to a fixed rate. The borrowed money will also pay for the cost of terminating the swaps, and the cost of borrowing the money. According to comments Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown made to aldermen in committee, the water bonds are the last remaining variable rate debt the city needs to convert to a fixed rate in order to complete a financial plan Mayor Emanuel announced in May at the Civic Federation. That announcement came shortly after the city’s credit rating was downgraded to junk status. So far, the city has paid out more than $250 million in termination fees to realize that plan, Brown said.

Authorization for the other bond offerings were passed by Council at that January meeting, but none received unanimous support, even after the administration agreed to halve its planned offering of $1.25 billion in general obligation bonds, and added a provision requiring regular briefings from Brown and City Comptroller Dan Widawsky on how the money is spent. The administration has yet to come to the council to get the remainder of the bond offering deal through.

But since that agreement to hold off on the borrowing plan, the water bonds were never brought up again in the Finance Committee, which is likely the reason it went through without a hiccup. Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson and Burke abstained from voting on the deal under provisions of Rule 14.

Meanwhile, at yesterday’s City Council meeting,  Council’s Progressive Caucus introduced a resolution calling for more oversight and transparency in how the city makes “untested financial arrangements” like this bond offering. The resolution calls on the City Council to draft a “Financial Transparency and Accountability Ordinance” that would impose “rigorous review standards for extraordinary financial transactions.”

Other Highlights from Yesterday’s Council Meeting

• Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) and John Arena (45) voted against a massive redevelopment plan to transform the city’s Lathrop Homes, one of the oldest public housing communities, into a mixed-use residential community with more than 1,200 units, which will be a mix of public housing, market rate, and affordable.

• Another D&P: Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) and Ald. Michele Smith (43) used parliamentary procedure to block a vote on an ordinance that would authorize the demolition of a historic landmark building at 1938 W. Augusta Blvd., located in the city’s East Village District. In a 6-2 vote at their meeting in November, the Commission on Chicago Landmarks gave preliminary approval of the demolition.

• Ald. David Moore (17) voted against a zoning change that would allow Noble Network of Charter Schools to build a new high school in the city’s Brighton Park neighborhood. Zoning Chairman Danny Solis (25) said he was “voting no on charter school expansion in the 14th Ward.” Noble plans to build the new school on a vacant lot at the corner of 47th Street and California Avenue. The site was once home to the an RC Cola bottling plant, which was demolished in 2013. The school would accommodate 1,000 high school students and would cost about $20-30 million to build.

• Moreno Talks Committeeman Race: With one precinct yet to be counted, Ald. Joe Moreno (1) had a slight 211 vote lead over challenger, Maria Teresa Gonzalez, for the 1st Ward Democratic Committeeman race Wednesday morning, and said he remained “very confident” the votes are in his favor. “It’s never been easy going up Joe Berrios, ever. And eight mailers against you, and all that kind of stuff. I’m just glad I have a good organization,” Ald. Moreno told Aldertrack. He later declared victory on his Facebook page.

• Cardenas talks of “tough” election: Ald. George Cardenas (12) was unsuccessful in his effort to unseat State Sen. Tony Munoz for 12th Ward Democratic Committeeman. “We have a strong base, but the fact is that these one-time voters came out because [the Munoz campaign was] pulling them from different directions [in order] to keep the seat,” Cardenas told Aldertrack. Losing by more than 400 votes, Cardenas chalked up the loss to the flood of negative mailers State Sen. Munoz sent out against him, and suggested foul play may have occurred. “There was a lot of stuff that was done. Machines were broken, tapes were not given out, my people were shut out.” Cardenas did, however, get one win last night: the candidate he backed in the 2nd State House District, Theresa Mah, defeated incumbent State Rep. Alex Acevedo. “Theresa won. We had to split the resources. It was tough on both ends,” Cardenas explained. “So I don’t mind the fact that I didn’t win this time. We’re going to keep at it. I think we have a good message of machine politics of the past, and I think that we won from that standpoint of having the seat that had been under HDO’s [Hispanic Democratic Organization] control for 20 years to a progressive.” As for his relationship with State Sen. Munoz, Ald. Cardenas told Aldertrack “we were never actually friends..[Munoz’s organization] helped my campaign initially...there’s politics in everything...I think we disagree on a lot of things.”

• Ken Dunkin’s Future in Politics: Commenting on State Rep. Ken Dunkin’sdefeat to Juliana Stratton, Ald. Walter Burnett (27) suggested that Governor Bruce Rauner might find a place for him in his administration. “Maybe the Governor will give him a job in the state, who knows. The Governor’s folks gave him a lot of money, so I would assume that they are concerned about him.”

According to a copy of a City Inspector General report expected to be released today and of which Aldertrack obtained an advanced draft, lobbyists might soon have to re-up their registration online and face harsher fines for late registration if Inspector General Joe Ferguson’s latest recommendations are heeded by the Board of Ethics (BOE). The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audited how well the BOE conducted lobbyist registration, and suggested the board take “small steps to make major gains” in lobbyist disclosure, which is key to enforcing campaign finance restrictions and revolving door rules for former city officials and employees.

Download copy of report obtained by Aldertrack.

The seven members of the Board are unpaid mayoral-appointees who serve four year terms and render advisory opinions on ethics rulings. The Board’s budget of $845,937 pays for eight full time staff who, among other duties, oversee the hundreds (anywhere from 525 to nearly 700 over the past ten years) of lobbyists registered in Chicago.

But the IG audit, which looked into annual registrations and quarterly reports filed in 2013 and 2014, notes that staff–which processes registrations, provides ethics training and takes care of administrative duties–doesn’t launch its own investigations into whether all lobbyists are properly registered, or if registration is accurate. “Instead, BOE relied on public complaints to alert it to any lobbyists who did not comply with the Ethics Ordinance,” the report says. “BOE did not attempt to confirm the veracity of lobbyist disclosures or to ensure that everyone required to register as a lobbyist in fact did so.“ BOE told the OIG they didn’t have the legal authority to do so without a complaint.

There were 45 lobbyists who failed to meet the board’s January 20 deadline for annual registration in 2014, but just two were penalized - a loss of $197,000 in potential fines. Those fines could cover nearly a quarter of the Board’s budget, the IG report argues, “Overall in 2014, BOE fined a total of ten late-registering lobbyists... a total of $58,000.” The OIG didn’t calculate how much the BOE was missing out on for late filings of quarterly reports.

Waiving or reducing fines are at the discretion of the Board’s Executive Director, Steve Berlin. Fines for late registration are $1,000 a day until the filing is fixed. Berlin can impose an accumulated fine seven days after a lobbyist is told he or she is in violation, and that lobbyist can contest or explain the late filing.

In response to the OIG’s report, BOE said it would pursue an electronic-only filing system, doing away with hard-copy registration that sometimes led to process gaps and clerical errors, which it conceded, might “cause consternation or frustration” for some lobbyists. But said the report’s quality assurance recommendations “are not required, unless empirical research is performed into whether additional lobbyist or lobbyist-client/employer information that might be gathered from amending the Governmental Ethics Ordinance as described in the Report would provide significant added value,” and that BOE “levies the full amount of fines allowable.” Most recent fines levied can be found here.

The Board says its monitoring of lobbyists’ filings is ‘sufficient’, pointing to its open data portal and its designation from the Sunlight Foundation as having some of the country’s “strongest lobbying disclosure practices.” BOE still plans to do its due diligence and research suggestions to determine whether it should propose amendments to the City Council.

This report, coincidentally, came to Aldertrack on the same day the most recent amended Ethics Ordinance came into effect. Council approved the changes in July, and Mayor Emanuel signed it on September 30, 2015. Berlin told aldermen the changes (Legislative Reference Bureau Summary), which included tweaks to financial disclosure of stock ownership, submission of reports to the now-defunct Legislative Inspector General, and prohibitions on city employees from participating in decision-making that could benefit a former employee, were minor and added clarity to the existing code.

Last night’s 33rd Ward contest for Democratic Committeeman ended up with two precincts still uncounted and an undetermined number of vote-by-mail ballots uncounted. According to his daughter, 33rd Ward Ald. Deb Mell, Committeeman Mell has not conceded to challenger Aaron Goldstein and is awaiting final results. Unofficial results this morning showed a Goldstein with a 143 vote lead.

While no aldermanic positions were decided last night, many aldermen’s political ambitions were affected by last night’s primary election results. Here’s a quick rundown of who should be happy or glum at today’s Council meeting.

Outright Winners

Proco “Joe” Moreno (1) – After a nail biter of a night, Moreno ended up with a 211 vote lead (out of 12,475 cast) and one precinct left to report over challenger Maria Theresa Gonzalez. Math suggests there aren’t enough absentee ballots and remaining votes for Gonzalez to win. Gonzalez’ campaign was heavily supported by Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios, who has been feuding with Moreno.

Susan Sadlowski-Garza (10) – She consolidated control over her ward by winning Democratic Committeeman over Fred Carrizales 74-25%.

Mike Zalewski (23) – An easy win for Democratic Committeeman against Charles Hughes, 74-26%.

Ariel Reboyras (30) – Rumor was that he was “concerned” about his race for Democratic Committeeman against Noe Favela. He shouldn’t have been since he won 70.5-29.5%.

Patrick O’Connor (40) – He beat back Dianne Daleiden for Democratic Committeeman 54-45%. This is a narrower margin than when she challenged him for Alderman last Spring.

Returns On Investment

Pat Dowell (6) – She also went in big against State Rep. Ken Dunkin, but also backed Sonya Harper in the 6th State Rep. race. Harper won a 4-way race with 32%.

Brendan Reilly (43) – He went in big against State Rep. Ken Dunkin, who lost last night. But he also backed Jay Travis for State Rep. against incumbent Christian Mitchell. Travis hasn’t conceded yet, but the unofficial returns are against her.

Losses On Investment

Raymond Lopez (15) – Last night was bad for him, as he managed Ald. George Cardenas’ losing campaign for 12th Ward Dem. Committeeman and his candidate for 6th District State Rep., Genita Robinson, lost to Sonya Harper.

Matt O’Shea (19) – He went in big for Anita Alvarez for State’s Attorney. That didn’t turn out so good.

Deb Mell (33) – Hard to call it an “investment” since it’s her dad, but perhaps the night’s biggest story is that incumbent Dem. Committeeman, Dick Mell is down by 143 votes in last night’s unofficial results to challenger Aaron Goldstein, who ironically was Mell’s son-in-law Rod Blagojevich’s attorney. Keep in mind, that Deb Mell was down by 8 votes in last Spring’s aldermanic election, and ultimately gained enough absentee votes to win 50%+1. This isn’t over yet.

Marge Laurino (39) – Her former staffer and campaign treasurer, Patrick Malloy, lost for Dem. Committeeman to Robert Murphy by almost 10 points. Murphy lost to Laurino for Alderman last Spring, and is rumored to be aiming for her seat in 2019.

Anthony Napolitano (41) – His backed candidate for Dem. Committeeman, Andrew Devito, was trounced by Tim Heneghan by 26 points in a three-way race. Devito and Napolitano were slammed as “Republicans” in mailers sent to the ward.

Outright Losers

Michelle Harris (8) – Her anemic campaign for Cook County Clerk of Courts against Dorothy Brown never really took off. Although she lost, returning to Council as Rules Committee Chair isn’t much of a come down.

George Cardenas (12) – In a fight for dominance over the Southwest Side, Cardenas lost his challenge to former ally and friend, State Sen. Tony Muñoz for Dem. Committeeman 53-47%. Cardenas has been gradually building influence, including becoming Chair of the Council Latino Caucus, as a run up to the coming top Latino contest: Cong. Luis Gutierrez’ seat after he retires. His loss last night dings him for that effort.

Toni Foulkes (16) – After scrapping to be appointed to the vacant Ward Committeeman seat left by JoAnn Thompson’s passing, Foulkes ended up losing to her closest aldermanic competitor, Stephanie Coleman, who lost to her last spring. Coleman is also the daughter of former 16th Ward Alderman, Shirley Coleman.

Howard Brookins, Jr. (21) – He failed to win even 20% of the vote against incumbent Cong. Bobby Rush yesterday, suggesting that even if Rush were to retire, Brookins’ would barely have a leg up to succeed him.

 

Other Dem. Committeeman Changes

Tim Egan (2) – He ran an uncontested campaign to succeed Bob Fioretti.

Kevin Bailey (20) – Won an uncontested campaign to succeed Ald. Willie Cochran. Bailey forced Cochran into a runoff campaign for alderman last Spring.

Michael Rodriguez (22) – An ally and former staffer for Ald. Rick Muñoz, this seat was handed off to him.

Lucy Moog (43) – Wife of tech venture capitalist Matt Moog, and close friend of the Emanuel family, Moog was handed off the seat by Ald. Michele Smith.

The Council gallery was full but generally calm for a three hour Zoning Committee meeting that included passage of new zoning plans for the Lathrop Homes housing project and the old Edgewater Hospital. Held to the near end of the agenda, the Lathrop Homes plan was opposed by about a dozen residents and academics, but then quickly passed unanimously. The Edgewater Hospital plan was passed unanimously after brief testimony from the developer.

Members Present: Chairman Danny Solis (25), Vice Chair James Cappleman (46), Joe Moreno (1), David Moore (17), Walter Burnett (27), Margaret Laurino (39), Tom Tunney (44).

Non-Members: Brian Hopkins (2), Milly Santiago (31), Scott Waguespack (32), John Arena (45).

Unlike the February 18 Plan Commission hearing on Lathrop Homes’ Planned Development, which drew three hours of divided testimony on the master plan, today’s hearing drew limited opposition. The Plan For Transformation project for a 30-acre Chicago Housing Authority development at the intersections of Diversey, Damen and Clybourn streets calls for for 1,208 units. Of those units, 92 will be located within a senior home and all of those units will be Section 8 Housing, making the total percentage of affordable units at the Lathrop site about 60%.

The remaining the 1,116 units will be distributed as follows: 400 public housing units (36%), 494 market rate units (44%), and 222 affordable units (20%) for families with an annual median income (AMI) of about $40,000 for a family of four.

The project, represented by Rich Klawiter from DLA Piper, also includes three sets of 15,000 square foot retail spaces and a 13-story residential building.

The plan presented yesterday only contains details for the development north of DIversey Avenue, the Phase 1 part of the development, about a third of the total units to be developed.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), who represents a small corner of the project site, spoke first against the project, saying that despite a decade of negotiation over CHA’s plans, “In my estimation we ended up in a place where we did not think would happen. It’s difficult for me to show support for this convoluted product.”

Waguespack’s testimony rolled off a litany of concerns, including a lack of a LEED certification plan, which was part of the original project RFP, more retail than originally proposed, no city plan for local schools to manage the growing population, too much density for an already dense area, no city plans for increased public transit and lack of clear plans for the area south of Diversey.

Over the following 45 minutes, current tenants, neighbors and academics who have studied the plan opposed approval of the project on similar grounds as Waguespack.

Ward Miller, Executive Director of Presentation Chicago continued his support of Phase 1 of the project, but called on the Committee, “to address only issues pertaining the northern half of the development, and to postpone any decisions related to the south half of the development until that is approved by Plan Commission,” because, “the south half of Lathrop has not been fully planned.”

Wrapping up the testimony, Ald. Joe Moreno (1), who represents a majority of the project’s residents, spoke strongly in favor of the project, “For too long CHA has been… talking about redeveloping for 15 years at least,” he said. In his opinion, the development team of Heartland Housing, Bickerdike Redevelopment and Related Midwest have been flexible. The agreed to shorten the proposed tower, add on affordable housing units and reduce the planned retail space.

“Walking away and kicking the can down the road, as Ald. Waguespack would like to do, is just not fair to the residents,” Moreno said. “The vision against this is basically stall, stall, delay, delay.”

“I ask this committee to accept this challenge and accept this zoning change today so we can move forward with affordable and public housing on the North Side where it’s desperately needed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman,” Moreno shouted as he slammed the microphone down to applause.

Soon after, the committee passed the ordinance unanimously.

Edgewater Hospital

The Former Edgewater Medical Center building at 5700 N. Ashland Ave. is coming to the end of a decade-long process as the committee unanimously approved plans presented by MCZ Development to convert the old hospital–closed in 2006–into 141 apartments, and to build a new park to the west of the building.

Represented by Nick Ftikas of the Law Offices of Sam Banks, the project includes 78 parking spaces, a mix of 141 studios, 1 and 2 bedroom rental apartments, and on-site affordable housing. The Chicago Park District will also clear and take possession of a 44,200 square foot park to the west of the building.

Like the Lathrop Homes project, Edgewater had already been approved by the Plan Commission, and thus did not attract as much testimony as during the PD process. With only only one concerned citizen speaking on a lack of parking in the development, the project was passed unanimously after four minutes of discussion.

It was a banner day for Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27) at the Committee on Housing and Real Estate yesterday, as his colleagues unanimously approved the sale of 11 city-owned acres for a massive redevelopment for the Chicago Blackhawks and Rush University Medical Center. The redevelopment of the former site of the City Colleges’ Malcolm X campus was announced by the Mayor’s office in July.

“This is an ideal situation for everyone that’s involved. I think this is great that the city is making money off both of these properties but we’re also getting things that will benefit the public,” Burnett said.  

Attendance: Chairman Joe Moore (49), Gregory Mitchell (7), Raymond Lopez (15), David Moore (17), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ariel Reboyras (30)

The Rush portion of the 11-acre site will sell for $17.5 million, of which $1.8 million will pay for education, scholarships, research, and health and wellness programs for the community. The negotiated sale price for the Blackhawks portion is $8.7 million. $3 million will be spent on community hockey training programs, fitness and nutritional programs and group events.

Officials with the Department of Planning and Development said the arrangement benefitted the city, too. DPD’s Chris Jang said the Malcolm X building, which was built in 1969, was deemed too expensive to mothball or rehab by the Public Building Commission and Fleet and Facilities Management. Malcolm X students moved to a brand new building north of the site in January. It would have cost $1.2 million to mothball and $500,000 to maintain annually.

The city will pay for demolition and environmental remediation, a $10 million appropriation approved in December. At the time, Mary Benome with DPD testified the demolition cost was factored into the sale price.

Burnett said he hoped Malcolm X students would be able to stay in the dormitory building planned for the site.  

The committee approved all other items, including easements for Sinai Hospital and a few ANLAP and negotiated sales, and heard the Department of Planning and Development’s quarterly report on the five year housing plan.

Some quick facts from DPD’s presentation:

• Through the last quarter of 2015, the city surpassed its planned spending goals for housing (133%, or $254 million) and its new units goal (103% or 1,312). But it fell short about 17% for of ownership investment goals (82% or $33 million) and improvement/preservation investments (84% or $14.5 million).

• Four new affordable housing projects were put in motion in 2015: Clybourn and Division Apartments, near the old site of Cabrini Green; Fannie Emanuel Apartments, the renovation of an old senior building in West Garfield Park; Midway Pointe Senior Residences, a $64 million development for independent seniors in Garfield Ridge; and Nelson Mandela Apartments, a Bickerdike Redevelopment project on scattered sites in Humboldt Park. The total development cost for all four is about $150 million, paid in part from from TIFs, the Low Income Housing Trust Fund, loans from DPD, and bonding authority.

• Lawrence Grisham, Managing Deputy Commissioner in Housing Bureau at DPD who normally presents the quarterly report, told aldermen this would be his last presentation before the committee, saying he’s leaving Chicago and his position has not yet been filled. He thanked committee members, who complimented him as a “pleasure to work with,” a “wealth of knowledge,” and full of “humor and grace.” Grisham pointed out Tracy Sanchez, the Department’s new Deputy Commissioner of the Multifamily Division, and Billy McGhee, new Deputy Commissioner for Construction and Compliance.

Progressive Caucus aldermen fell short of committee consideration of a substitute ordinance requiring licensing for Lyft and Uber drivers, after some somewhat tense wrangling between License Committee Chair Emma Mitts, Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Commissioner Maria Guerra Lapacek, Ald. John Arena(45) and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32).

After the vote, aldermen and cab drivers commiserated in the hallway outside Room 201A about the close vote that could have been pushed over if a couple more cab-friendly aldermen were present. “Where the hell were they?” someone said from the crowd.

Five aldermen–Waguespack, Arena, Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24), Ald. Chris Taliaferro(29), and Ald. David Moore (17)–voted in favor of hearing the Progressive Caucus substitute ordinance. But six voted against.

After the vote was cast, the Progressive Caucus issued a press release saying “Several other members of the committee were absent and did not cast votes.” Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6), a Progressive Caucus member who was touted as a co-sponsor, was not in attendance, and Ald. James Cappleman (46), who expressed sympathy for cab drivers and a desire to regulate TNPs, missed the vote while he was temporarily chairing the concurrent Zoning Committee hearing.

Attendance: Chairman Emma Mitts (37), Gregory Mitchell (7), Marty Quinn (13), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Michele Smith (43), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), James Cappleman (46)

Absent: Roderick Sawyer (6), Michelle Harris (8), Matt O'Shea (19), Willie B. Cochran (20), Roberto Maldonado (26), Debra Silverstein (50)

Others Present: Anthony Beale (9)

While he missed the vote, Ald. Cappleman delivered the day’s only applause line. He said the ordinance put forward by Business Affairs and Consumer Protection–which reduced fines and streamlined licensing for taxi drivers–didn’t go far enough to address the “elephant in the room”: transportation network providers (TNPs). Members of Cab Drivers United spent hours at committee meetings last week warning aldermen their industry was on the verge of collapse.

“I sincerely believe that the cab industry is in serious jeopardy because of TNPs... all over this country. Part of what I want to do is to work with [cab drivers] and the Mayor’s Office to start putting some tighter regulations on TNPs,” Cappleman said to claps from cab drivers in the seats, “I believe this [BACP ordinance] is a step forward, but it’s not the final step.”

The substitute ordinance from the Progressive Caucus was a direct introduction to the committee, something Chairman Mitts took offense to, telling Ald. Arena she refused to hear it, and it was “disrespectful.” She said she wanted the chance to read it. Committee members and some in the audience requested a roll call. Mitts eventually conceded and called the roll herself, starting with her own name, “Alderman Mitts. NO.”

Mitts and Arena had a similar face-off at a License Committee meeting discussing the same issues last week. Commissioner Lapacek and Ald. Arena disagreed again about Arena’s requests for information from BACP and the Department of Aviation.

Lapacek made it clear she was opposed to Arena’s introduction from the outset. “TNP Licensing is not agreed upon, I do not support licensing TNP drivers.”

Lapacek also squared off with Ald. Anthony Beale (9). He is not a member of the License committee, but he has advocated for more regulatory parity between cabbies and TNP drivers, especially during the budget negotiations in the fall. Last week, Beale won committee approval for a $0.50 surcharge to passengers on cab fares paid with plastic.

Beale asked Lapacek how much TNPs owe in outstanding debt to the city. Lapacek told Beale $15 million.

“My, my, my, $15 million.” Beale said. “So why are we continuing to let these guys drive and pick up people and make money off the city of Chicago and taxpayers, when they themselves owe the City of Chicago $15 million roughly?”

Lapacek said that debt is within the 90 day grace period for collection, which the Department of Finance is in process of doing. Beale countered that the city has been soft on TNPs while bringing down the hammer on cabbies. He said licensing individual drivers might be a better way for the city to get their money.

Per a release from the Progressive Caucus, the substitute ordinance would do just that. It would “require that all rideshare drivers of Class A or B transportation network providers obtain restricted chauffeurs’ licenses. Obtaining that license will require drivers to meet a number of qualifications that will better ensure the safety of passengers, including more stringent background checks and fingerprinting. It would also bar any driver who has been convicted of drug sales or possession, driving under the influence, and criminal sexual abuse within five years.”

But Lapacek said licensing individual drivers has been done in other cities, and would not resolve issues aldermen raised. Ultimately, the committee sided with her, voting to approve what BACP characterized as streamlining changes to licensing rules that were held in committee last week. It will be reported out at tomorrow’s City Council meeting.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44), who voted against hearing the Progressive Caucus’ introduction, said the conversation about TNP regulation was not over, and that Ald. Arena should submit the TNP licensing ordinance to the full City Council on Wednesday.

This report includes a review of rumor, innuendo, background conversations and everything from our notebook that we can’t source directly. Take it all with a giant grain of salt and make sure you vote today. Since most boundaries are too crazy to explain, we won’t describe the district boundaries. But you can download the last Illinois Racing Form for free today if you want to take a look.

As our team has talked to local campaigns and their supporters, there’s a number of observations we’ve had and heard repeatedly:

1. Bernie Sanders has a growing popularity among minority communities in Chicago.

2. A sizable number of moderates seem likely to pull Republican ballots to vote against Donald Trump.

3. The fact that early voting numbers broke the 2008 record is meaningful, but nobody really knows how much.

4. People are losing confidence in the predictive value of polling, especially in minority communities.

Cook County State’s Attorney

While we’ve heard a great deal of confidence coming from the Kim Foxx campaign, namely that they expect big support from African-American voters, it would seem too early to count Anita Alvarez out. State’s Attorney is a relatively low voter information race: Most people lack a clear idea of what State’s Attorney does for them. Public polls have never shown Alvarez at a clear deficit and there are a large number of conservative Democratic voters in the suburbs. This race is very much up in the air.

Clerk of Circuit Court

On the opposite end of the spectrum, most of what we’ve heard from organizers on the South and West Sides is, “Where’s Michelle Harris?” Her campaign has been light, while Dorothy Brown’s name recognition is high and many Black South Side voters know her as someone who employs people they know. Jacob Meister’s campaign has had little penetration beyond the Lakefront and progressives.

2nd State Rep: Mah-Acevedo

Theresa Mah has run a well-organized campaign with significant endorsements. But we’ve seen plenty of non-Organization candidates go down in this neck of the woods. Alex Acevedo is supported by his father, outgoing State Rep. Eddie Acevedo, as well as other local Committeemen.

5th State Rep: Dunkin-Stratton

As of yesterday, over $5.4 million has been committed to this gonzo election that will likely attract about 14,000 voters. With so much money and so many resources, it’s impossible for anyone who is not counting pluses to have a real idea of the outcome. Polling such an over-sampled universe is likely to return bad results. However, Juliana Stratton has had a clear, positive message from the beginning: Elect someone who represents you; while Ken Dunkin has relied on an increasingly negative campaign. Hard to be sure, but it would seem under these circumstances, Stratton’s message clarity gives her an edge.

15th State Rep: D’Amico-Charlier

Jac Charlier has been campaigning one way or another for almost two years. He and his supporters are motivated to take down John D’Amico and the 39th Ward Organization. But their circle may not be enough, as John D’Amico has been taking the race seriously, flooding the area with mailers and outspending Charlier 6.5 to 1.

22nd House: Madigan-Gonzales

While Jason Gonzales has had plenty of resources, free press and what seems to be a well-organized campaign, the fact that 500 people early voted in one day in the 13th Ward seems to suggest Team Mike Madigan is running points up the board.

26th State Rep: Mitchell-Travis

This is the third time Christian Mitchell has been targeted by the Chicago Teacher’s Union, and the second time Jay Travis has challenged him. This time around though, Mitchell has less support from some area aldermen. But his name recognition and the general argument from CTU–that he has supported some pro-charter school measures–doesn’t seem to the strong enough to oust an incumbent.

40th State Rep: Patel-Andrade

We’ve been told alternating stories about Harish Patel: either he isn’t knocking doors enough or he’s got a giant crew knocking every door in sight. But we’ve always heard one story about Jaime Andrade: He’s a shoe leather fiend with a close relationship with everyone in the 33rd Ward Organization. Andrade has also been been outspending Patel 3 to 1.

2nd State Senate: Alfaro-Aquino

This is Omar Aquino’s second run at office within a year. He narrowly lost the 36th Ward Aldermanic race to Gilbert Villegas last April.  Aquino is heavily backed by the Chicago Teachers Union and Cook County Democratic Chairman Joe Berrios. Angelica Alfarohas gotten big support from charter school proponents, turning this into a (relatively) expensive primary with over $800,000 spent. We expect another close election.

5th State Senate: Van Pelt-Fioretti

Fresh off an (unsuccessful) mayoral campaign, Bob Fioretti has strong name recognition and has been running radio ads featuring the endorsement of Rev. Jesse Jackson. But Fioretti has had trouble explaining how incumbent Patricia Van Pelt has really wronged voters. Van Pelt is also backed by a strong group of West Side aldermen and their organizations. She will be hard to beat.

12th Ward Democratic Committeeman: Muñoz-Cardenas

If you’ve been reading Aldertrack, you know that this race between incumbent and State Senator Tony Muñoz and Ald. George Cardenas has been a grudge match. One-time friends and allies, their ire for one another has taken Greek tragedy proportions. They both know the turf, and know how to campaign well. How this one turns out is a total guess for anyone.