Members of the City Council will meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]  

The City Council’s penultimate regularly scheduled meeting before the Feb. 28 election includes a relatively light agenda as aldermen are set to consider a proposal that would crack down on housing and employment discrimination against people who receive abortion care and gender-affirming care. 

Aldermen will meet in person in council chambers at 10 a.m. Wednesday. 

43rd Ward Director of Zoning and Urban Development Taylor Nesse, top right, speaks during the City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards meeting on Jan. 17, 2023. [City of Chicago Livestream] 

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on Tuesday approved a zone change to allow a proposed cannabis business in Lincoln Park to move forward with plans. 

Approval did not come, however, before one alderman expressed skepticism about the status of some cannabis businesses as minority-owned while stopping short of accusing the applicants. 

Some district council candidates and their attorney Ed Mullen (left) and the objectors’ attorney Pericles Abbasi during Friday’s Electoral Board meeting. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Three groups of candidates who filed as slates to run for the city’s new police district councils in the Feb. 28 election will appear on the ballot next month despite facing objections to their petitions, the Chicago Electoral Board ruled Friday.  

The Chicago Electoral Board during a meeting Friday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]  

At least 10 candidates who are running for a seat on the City Council this year will not face a challenger in the Feb. 28 election.  

The Chicago Electoral Board met  for its longest meeting this election cycle Friday to make decisions on dozens of objections to candidates’ petitions for the February election.  

Lincoln Park may move a step closer to getting its first dispensary following a key committee vote this Tuesday. 

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards will consider the proposal during its 10 a.m. meeting in City Council chambers.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot addresses members of the media Thursday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

The city’s Board of Ethics this month plans to discuss Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s reelection campaign’s sending of emails to CPS teachers and City Colleges of Chicago faculty requesting they promote to their students volunteer opportunities with Lightfoot’s reelection campaign.  

Chicago Public Schools’ inspector general is also investigating the matter, Crain’s reported Thursday. 

Members of the finance committee Thursday. [City of Chicago livestream] 

A $5 million city grant program funded with tax-increment financing dollars to help restore a downtown corridor moved one step closer to final approval Thursday during a key City Council committee meeting.  

Members of the finance committee will meet Thursday at City Hall. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Thursday will get a first look at a portion of Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to revitalize downtown’s LaSalle Street corridor that would offer a total of up to $5 million in city grants to businesses seeking to reactivate the corridor.

Aldermen meet in City Council chambers Tuesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line] 

Members of two separate City Council committees on Tuesday approved measures that if approved by the full council next week would grant an estimated $4.5 million tax abatement to Flood Brothers Disposal for a new facility in the 14th Ward and allow the sale of one city-owned parcel in the 3rd Ward.  

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez (33) speaks during a committee meeting Monday. [City of Chicago livestream]  

The City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations on Monday approved a measure (O2022-3993) meant to prohibit housing and employment discrimination or retaliation against people who have had abortions, received reproductive healthcare or gender-affirming care.  

Additionally during the Monday meeting, the committee approved a resolution (R2022-1417) supporting Iranian citizens' human rights movement and the encouragement of United Nations Human Rights Council intervention regarding human rights suppression and a resolution (R2022-332) calling for recognizing Roberto Clemente’s place of death in Loiza, Puerto Rico on the National Register of Historic Places. 

The City Council’s Housing Committee on Tuesday will consider the sale of a city-owned parcel and a lease agreement in the 41st Ward. Members of the Economic Development Committee are set to vote on a proposed property tax incentive for a business in the 14th Ward.

The Chicago Electoral Board during a meeting Friday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]  

The 2023 Chicago mayoral ballot is officially nine candidates long after a final decision Friday that candidate Frederick Collins, a Chicago Police officer, will not be listed on the ballot. 

Separately on Friday, Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26) filed paperwork with the Chicago Board of Elections withdrawing himself from the Feb. 28 election meaning he will be retiring after 14 years on the City Council.  

Chicago Chief Sustainability Officer Angela Tovar speaks to aldermen during a Jan. 6, 2023 meeting of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy. [City of Chicago livestream]

The City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy on Friday appointed six people to the Urban Forestry Advisory Board 18 months after the creation of the board. 

The committee unanimously voted to appoint Jessica Vogt (A2022-165), James Semelka (A2022-164), Cindy Schwab (A2022-163), Daniella Pereira (A2022-162), Nuri Madina (A2022-161) and Rolando Favela (A2022-160). Each was given the opportunity to briefly speak about their background and goals for their time on the board.

Aldermen on Friday will consider appointments to the Urban Forestry Advisory Board. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]  

The City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy is set to meet at noon Friday to consider six appointments to the Urban Forestry Advisory Board created in 2021.

Garcia, Johnson, Vallas leading race for Chicago Mayor

The Chicago Index, a collaboration between The Daily Line and Crain’s Chicago Business, conducted its second administration of the 2023 Race for Mayor survey from November 29 through December 14, 2022. A total of 1,757 Chicago residents were surveyed from a variety of sources, including subscribers to The Chicago Index’s panel, members of The Daily Line Chicago, subscribers to Crain’s Chicago Business,and via digital engagement on social media platforms

Results were weighted on age, region, housing tenure, race, ethnicity, and gender, so the sample was consistent with the demographics of Chicago. The margin of error was +/- 3%.

The survey shows Mayor Lori Lightfoot trailing challengers Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Brandon Johnson, and Paul Vallas. Garcia and Johnson are tied for first place, each receiving 25% of the vote, while Vallas and Lightfoot received 15% and 11%, respectively. All other candidates received 5% or less of the vote.