Chicago News
-
OCT 06, 2017
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle introduced a $5.36 billion budget Thursday that depends on a sweetened beverage tax that’s threatened with repeal. Credit: Mike Fourcher
Seeking to set the terms of negotiation before next week’s vote to repeal the county’s beverage tax, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle introduced a proposed $5.36 billion budget for fiscal year 2018. The keystone of the budget, an estimated $200 million in revenue from the sweetened beverage tax that took effect only a month ago, seemed likely to be repealed in vote scheduled for next week as the Board’s Finance Committee Chair, and Preckwinkle’s most stalwart ally, Comm. John Daley (D-11), announced plans Thursday afternoon to support the repeal of the tax. -
Council's Rules Committee, considered a committee of all 50 aldermen, gathers for Ethics Board appointment, while Finance Committee wrestles with idea of new finance authority. Credit: Claudia Morell
The Chicago Board of Ethics has a new member–David Daskal, a former member of Mayor Richard M. Daley’s administration and, more recently, the tech industry. His appointment advanced out of the Council’s Rules Committee in a matter of minutes without any questions. -
OCT 05, 2017
UNLOCKEDConfusion over the Emanuel administration’s plan to create a separate agency to borrow on the city’s behalf forced the Council’s Finance Committee to recess the meeting to Friday morning, after having only approved three of the 16 items on the agenda.
Though several attempts were made to table the ordinance to create a new corporate authority, it eventually passed by voice vote two hours into the meeting. Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) and Ald. John Arena (45) were the sole no votes. -
City Council’s Budget Committee meets this morning for only one routine agenda item, the acceptance of a grant for emergency heating repairs. The Rules Committee meeting shortly after is similarly routine, aside from one new appointment to the city’s Board of Ethics.
-
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle is set to release her fiscal year 2018 budget Thursday during an 11:00 a.m. address. The release comes less than a week before commissioners are expected to vote on a repeal of the sweetened beverage tax, whose revenues Preckwinkle counted on to balance this and the following year’s budget.
-
OCT 05, 2017
The City Council’s Finance Committee is scheduled to vote on an ordinance establishing a separate corporation to issue debt on behalf of the city at lower interest rates, as well as authorization for the first round of borrowing: $3 billion in bonds backed by sales tax revenue.
The ordinance creates an entity insulated from the city to borrow on its behalf. The obligation and the associated fees of paying off the borrowing are not secured by the City’s full faith and credit, as has been the case with past debt issuances.
-
Criminal justice stakeholders in Cook County gather after a press conference announcing receipt of a $1.85 million grant to reduce jail populations and track the county's bond reform process. Credit: A.D. Quig
On Wednesday, the Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation awarded a $1.85 million grant to criminal justice stakeholders in Cook County to reduce the jail population, divert certain nonviolent offenders away from the criminal justice system, and track efforts to remind defendants about their dates in court.
-
Karen Sheley, Director of Police Practices for the ACLU of Illinois, details lawsuit against city of Chicago. Credit: Claudia Morell
The local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in federal court Wednesday to demand court intervention in the Chicago Police Department’s ongoing efforts to overhaul its use of force policies and training.
-
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has selected Cook County Circuit Court Judge Patricia Banks to serve as the new chief administrator for the city agency in charge of handling cases of police misconduct. On Monday, Civilian Office of Police Accountability Administrator Sharon Fairley officially formed a campaign committee for Illinois Attorney General, leaving a leadership vacuum at the agency less than a month after its official launch.
-
Chicago Inspector General Joe Ferguson presents findings from an OIG audit of the Chicago Police Department's overtime practices on October 3, 2017. Supt. Eddie Johnson stands behind. Credit: A.D. Quig
Just weeks before Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is set to make his 2017 budget request to aldermen, Inspector General Joe Ferguson released an audit blasting the department’s overtime practices.
-
OCT 04, 2017
Ald. Anthony Beale (9) has updated his plan to require fingerprinting of Uber and Lyft drivers and impose caps on surge pricing ahead of Wednesday’s meeting of the City Council’s Transportation Committee, which he chairs. The new ordinance is scheduled for a direct and introduction and vote.
-
OCT 04, 2017
-
Ald. Michelle Harris (top row, fourth from left) and Human Rights Commissioner Mona Noriega stand on the Council chambers’ steps after the Workforce Committee passed the so-called “Hands Off, Pants On” ordinance on Oct. 2, 2017. Credit: A.D. Quig
Hotel workers clad in red UNITE HERE shirts broke into applause Monday morning after quick passage of an ordinance mandating hotels outfit their employees with panic buttons they can push in case of sexual harassment or assault from guests. Hotels must also create an anti-sexual harassment policy and post it publicly. The Chicago Federation of Labor (CFL), UNITE HERE Local 1 and lead sponsor Ald. Michelle Harris (8) celebrated the move as a union-business victory to protect workers who are largely women of color and immigrants.
