Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), middle, speaks with Ald. Bill Conway (34), left, at a City Council meeting on Feb. 19, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A majority of the City Council signed on to a substitute annual revenue ordinance introduced at Wednesday’s council meeting that swaps out some of the mayor’s solutions to a nearly $1.2 billion budget gap, including a new corporate head tax, and adds in its place higher garbage collection fees and liquor sales taxes, higher taxes and fees on short-term vacation rentals and the legalization of video gambling systems within city limits.

Public Safety Chair Brian Hopkins (2) is pictured at a City Council meeting in April 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A Streeterville alderman on Wednesday introduced a new version of a curfew ordinance to reduce the instances of violent “teen takeovers” downtown and in other parts of the city.

Mayor Brandon Johnson presides over a City Council meeting on Dec. 16, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday approved millions in financial assistance for parks and schools projects and legal settlements, a measure to expand the area in which coach houses and conversion units are allowed and a restructuring of the city’s longtime independent agency that helps ensure permanent affordable homeownership. 

But the council delayed action on an ordinance regulating the hemp business.

Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a news conference on April 1, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Mayor Brandon Johnson unveiled a revised version of his corporate head tax proposal Tuesday that targets fewer and larger businesses and brings in less revenue but maintains most of the intended investments in community safety programs that target root causes of violence and crime and fund mental health services for first responders.  

The new version of the controversial proposal was released as the mayor and City Council try to break a stalemate and pass a city budget by Dec. 30 to avert a government shutdown. But opponents of the head tax were not swayed and vowed to push ahead with an alternative budget proposal, saying they were confident they still had a coalition of at least 26 people that would support a plan from them.

Renderings show a planned $100 million transit-oriented mixed-use development at 214 N. Morgan St. near the Morgan CTA Green Line station. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on Tuesday approved a measure to allow attic and basement conversion units and coach houses in numerous single-family zoning districts across the city, a new college basketball practice facility and multiple mixed-use developments.

Mayor Brandon Johnson presides over a City Council meeting on Dec. 16, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday could take action on a proposed ban on the sale of hemp-derived products, such as topical creams, gummies, beverages and snacks, at most city retailers and could approve millions in city financial assistance for improvements at parks and schools and the expansion of a city Enterprise Zone. The council will meet at 10 a.m.

Mayor Brandon Johnson holds a news conference at City Hall on Dec. 8, 2025. [Livestream]

Following a meeting this past weekend between alderpeople pushing a number of alternative strategies to balance the city’s 2026 budget and Mayor Brandon Johnson’s finance leadership, the mayor said Monday morning he had sent a letter to the full City Council to update them on budget negotiations and discussed his desire to avoid a government shutdown by failing to pass a budget by the end of the year.

A rendering of the proposed DePaul University basketball practice facility in Lincoln Park. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council zoning committee on Tuesday will consider a measure to allow attic and basement conversion units and coach houses in numerous single-family zoning districts across the city and multiple projects to bring scores of new housing units.

The Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards is set to meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers. 

Finance Chair Pat Dowell (3) is pictured during a City Council meeting on June 12, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Thursday approved two legal settlements, including a more than $15 million wrongful conviction settlement, but deferred action on the creation of a class settlement. The committee also approved multiple tax increment financing (TIF) fund allocations for parks and schools projects.

Housing Chair Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) is pictured at a City Council meeting on June 12, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate last Wednesday approved a restructuring measure to bring the Chicago Housing Trust under formal city control and approved a land deal for a memorial to police torture victims.

Ald. Nicole Lee (11) speaks at a special City Council meeting on Feb. 26, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

A group of Chicago alderpeople are hoping to meet soon with the mayor’s finance team to deliberate the details of the council members’ alternative budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year that swaps out many of the mayor’s controversial solutions to a $1.189 billion gap, such as a corporate head tax, reduced advanced pension payment and hundreds of millions of dollars in new borrowing for firefighter backpay. 

The mayor and his budget team have not embraced the solutions, however, signaling the stalemate could continue.

The Committee on License and Consumer Protection meets on Dec. 3, 2025. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection on Wednesday advanced a citywide ban on the sale of products containing hemp-derived cannabinoids, restricting the sale of the products — some of which mimic the effects of cannabis — to licensed cannabis retailers only. 

The license committee voted 10-6 to pass the legislation (O2025-0021018) over the objections of representatives from the hemp industry and the mayor’s administration.

A vehicle parked in a Chicago bike lane. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety on Wednesday introduced a new version of a proposal to run a temporary program to let members of the public report vehicles blocking sidewalk, bus and bicycle access, allowing city parking enforcement aides to respond in real time to issue warnings or citations.

The areas proposed to be added to Chicago Enterprise Zone 2 are shown in orange with black slanted lines during a presentation to the finance committee on Dec. 2, 2025. [Livestream]

The City Council finance committee on Tuesday held a public hearing on the proposed expansion of one of the city’s Enterprise Zones ahead of a scheduled vote later this week.

The Committee on Finance will consider a proposed expansion (O2025-0021111) of Enterprise Zone 2 at its meeting Thursday, which begins at 10 a.m.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13) is pictured during a City Council meeting on January 15, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection on Wednesday will consider a measure that would ban the sale of hemp-derived intoxicants citywide except by licensed cannabis retailers, a proposal the mayor’s administration opposes.

The license and consumer protection committee, which is scheduled to meet at 1 p.m. in Room 201A at City Hall, will also consider an ordinance to allow Wrigley Field a one-time exception to a city ordinance to reschedule a Chicago Cubs game from afternoon to night next summer.