Wednesday could be a long day for County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and commissioners. Dozens are expected to testify in person on the day’s most controversial business–the introduction of the beverage tax repeal. Commissioners also have 151 pages of settlements and court cases to approve, millions in contracts to refer to committee, and President Preckwinkle is also headline speaker at a City Club of Chicago breakfast at 7:30 a.m.

County drama Tuesday morning swirled around the expected introduction of a beverage tax repeal ordinance Wednesday: whether the ordinance would be referred to committee or whether repeal proponents would go for a vote on the floor; whether hundreds would come to testify before the board, which Democrats might flip their vote in support of a repeal, and how another vote on the tax might play in the 2018 elections.

Interest groups fighting the sweetened beverage tax held a rally Tuesday morning outside the Thompson Building, with more than 200 waving signs and calling for a full repeal at Wednesday’s Board meeting. Commissioners Richard Boykin (D-1), Pete Silvestri (R-9), John Fritchey (D-12), Tim Schneider (R-15), Jeff Tobolski (D-16), and Sean Morrison (R-17) were all in attendance. Comm. Bridget Gainer (D-10) was expected to join, but did not.

Comm. Richard Boykin (D-1) and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle held a pair of battling press conferences Tuesday, each emphasizing their message on the sugar sweetened beverage tax: The tax is irresponsible vs. it’s needed and promotes health.

Two widely supported resolutions demanding swift action against the Trump Administration’s plan to dissolve current protections for some undocumented residents will be considered by the City Council’s Human Relations Committee.

Last Tuesday, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced his intention to retire an executive order President Barack Obama signed in 2012 that granted temporary relief to undocumented minors living in the U.S.

Autonomous vehicles, the future of transportation, and how legislators should respond to the rapidly shifting transportation landscape was the subject of a Daily Line panel discussion Tuesday night at Hotel Monaco. You can hear the full conversation on this Friday’s episode of The Aldercast.

After the morning’s consent calendar consideration, a group of commissioners backing a beverage tax repeal–Sean Morrison (R-17), Richard Boykin (D-1), John Fritchey (D-12) and Jeffrey Tobolski (D-16)–will join “hundreds of Cook County residents, consumers, retailers, restaurants, employees and business owners” at a pro-repeal rally in the Thompson Center plaza at 10:30 a.m.

The City Council’s Zoning Committee approved a controversial downzone of a four-story building in Wicker Park that once housed the Double Door nightclub despite accusations from the property owner and his attorney that the move was “vindictive” and “personal.”

The Chicago Board of Ethics announced settlements Friday with Ald. Howard Brookins (21) and the former Commissioner of the Department of Family and Support Services, Evelyn Diaz. Brookins agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for failing to keep accurate employee timesheets–including for his Chief of Staff at the time, who was later convicted and imprisoned for bribery. The board fined Diaz $1,500 for negotiating for her current position as President of Heartland Alliance while still at DFSS, which had ongoing contracts with the non-profit.

78 agenda items are up in City Council’s Zoning committee Monday. If that wasn’t enough to exhaust land users, the committee is scheduled to meet again on Thursday. Aldermen are expected to consider a new apartment building near O'Hare Airport that local alderman Anthony Napolitano (41) is opposed to, two new libraries in the 50th and 45th Wards, and the rezone of a building that's set off a lawsuit against Ald. Proco Joe Moreno (1) and the city. 

Last winter, it seemed for a time that maybe Chicago Public Schools wouldn’t start on time. The school district projected an operating deficit of hundreds of millions of dollars, state payments were half a year behind and the Illinois legislature seemed unlikely to kick forward the millions of dollars CPS needed to stay open. But this week CPS leadership took a victory lap, as classes started on time and the school district touted rising graduation rates and improving test scores.

Wednesday’s City Council meeting was either a paradigm of consensual legislating or yet another episode of aldermanic logrolling, depending on your perspective. But either way, with little debate and a series of unanimous or near-unanimous votes, Chicago City Council approved a sweeping wage floor and labor peace agreement for 8,000 airport workers, one of the city’s largest police settlements, a new electrical construction code, and resolutions supporting abortion rights in Illinois and so-called DREAMer immigrants.

Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF), designed to spur economic development in commercial corridors on the city’s South and West Sides, will get an influx of $3.5 million pending full City Council approval. Aldermen on City Council’s Budget Committee voted to increase the NOF’s funding limit to $6.5 million.

City Treasurer Kurt Summers faced tough questions from aldermen Tuesday about the fate of $57 million in unexpected investment returns he touted this spring.

Ald. Rick Muñoz (22), who called for $25 million of that money to be spent on anti-violence programs across the city this past summer, accused Summers of lying about what funds were available and demanded to know where the money ultimately went.

City Council will meet twice this month. Wednesday’s meeting will have a light docket of the usual city business, including a new airport contractor licensing agreement that includes a labor peace agreement and $13.45 wage floor for workers, a ban on late night sales of 40-ounce malt liquor and new rules to more tightly control stolen cell phone fencing. Llater this month, Council is expected to schedule a second meeting to begin annual budget hearings.

License Committee Meeting

The Chicago Cubs, pushing to remain at the top of their division through the end of the season, will come back from a Pittsburgh Pirates night game to meet the 2nd place Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. So they can get some rest and keep their 3.5 game edge, the Cubs have asked to change their previously scheduled 1:20 p.m. afternoon game to a 7:05 p.m. game. With that in mind, License Committee Chair Emma Mitts (37) will convene her committee before the full City Council meeting at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday to pass a change in the Cubs scheduling agreement allowing an additional night game for the season.

Following is a rundown of the significant items expected to be voted on in Wednesday’s meeting.

Money For Neighborhood Opportunity Fund

Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund (NOF), designed to spur economic development in commercial corridors on the city’s South and West Sides, will get an influx of $3.5 million pending full City Council approval. Aldermen on City Council’s Budget Committee voted to increase the NOF’s funding limit to $6.5 million on Tuesday via O2017-5506.

“Technical Changes” To Catalyst Fund

Described as a “fund of funds” dedicated to attracting other investors who will hopefully provide three or four times as much money as the city, Treasurer Kurt Summers introduced a group of what he called “technical changes” to the Chicago Community Catalyst Fund in O2017-5550. The goal of the fund is to bring gap funding to businesses in struggling communities on the South and West Sides.

Chicago Development Fund Governing Board Expansion

The Chicago Development Fund, which has both a governing and an Advisory Board, will be expanded from seven to nine members, adding the chair of the Advisory Board and a member of the Department of Planning and Development appointed by the commissioner. The change found in O2017-5507 aims to help the board could hit quorum.

New Airports Licensing Agreement

Over 8,000 workers for airline support services companies at O’Hare and Midway Airports would receive a wage hike and new training as part of a new, proposed license agreement with the City of Chicago. The 30-page agreement covered in O2017-5553 would force companies that provide food, cleaning, security, baggage handling and myriad services for airlines to accept a labor peace agreement and wage hikes.

40 oz. And Tall Boy Ban

Package stores would be banned from selling beer containers smaller than 41 oz. and wine or liquor containers smaller than 25 oz. after midnight as the result of a new ordinance sponsored by Ald. Brian Hopkins (2). Ordinance S2016-7589 targets sales of “forties” and “tall boys”, a favorite of revelers with little pocket change looking to keep the party going.

Secondary Cell Phone Market Rules

Directly introduced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, SO2017-5552 would regulate secondary cell phone markets. The issue gained the Mayor’s interest after his son, Zach, was robbed of his cell phone near his Ravenswood home in December 2014. The ordinance directs pawn shops and phone resellers to check the national Stolen Phone Database at stolenphonechecker.org and prohibits resellers to purchase phones with serial numbers that match the database.

Dealer Key Lock Boxes

Introduced by Alds. Pat O’Connor (40) and Harry Osterman (48), SO2017-3222 would require all dealerships, showrooms and rental lots to store car keys and dealer plates in lockboxes to deter theft. The measure was held in committee on July 18 because businesses operating around airports wanted a carveout. Meant to address carjackings at dealerships and rental lots in Chicago, the ordinance especially impacts rental car companies around O’Hare and Midway airports which can have over 2,000 cars out at any given time.

Settlements

Jose Lopez v. Chicago Police Officers & City of Chicago – $9.5 million – Chicago paramedics were attempting to assist Jose Lopez in June 2011, who had complained of chest pains. Lopez, was refusing treatment when Officer Stevan Vidljinovic claimed Lopez took a swing at him. Vidljinovic then tased Lopez, which caused him to fall and hit his head. Lopez’ attorney says he now cannot talk and can only move a little. The case went to trial but before the jury determined damages the city settled.

Alexander et al v. Zinchuck et al – $395,000 – This settlement is the result of a suit by a group of 2008 election night revelers who say they were pepper sprayed and beaten by Chicago Police on the West Side while they were celebrating Barack Obama’s presidential victory.

Appointments

A2017-74 – Juan M. Calderon to Board of Health

A2017-77 – Alexandra Holt to Metra Board

A2017-78 – Philip K. Fuentes and Sarah Pang Board of Directors of Regional Transportation Authority

A2017-79 – Thomas J. Kotel to Board of Directors of Regional Transportation Authority

A2017-80 – Alexander Theoharis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-81 – Ceasar J. Melidis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-82 – Anastasia Makridakis to SSA16, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-83 – A.Thomas Paspalas, Greektown/Halsted Commission

A2017-84 – Mark Zipperer to SSA18, North Halsted Commission

A2017-85 – Randy L. Shingledecker to SSA18, North Halsted Commission

A2017-86 – Amy L. Novotny to SSA27, West Lakeview Commission

A2017-87 – Kathryn Romanowski to SSA54, Sheridan Road Commission

A2017-88 – Stephanie D. Fishel to SSA60, Albany Park Commission

A2017-89 – Alfred M. Klairmont and Robert J. Smith III to SSA62, Sauganash Commission