Mayor Brandon Johnson speaks at a press conference at City Hall on Jan. 15, 2025. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday voted to freeze the city’s tipped wage escalator, reversing an ordinance put in place almost three years ago, but Mayor Brandon Johnson has vowed to veto it.

Lyons Township Assessor Pat Hynes and County Board President Toni Preckwinkle won the Democratic nominations Tuesday in their respective primary races. 

Just one of two top incumbents prevailed in competitive Cook County Democratic Party primary elections Tuesday night. Board President Toni Preckwinkle secured a fifth term as county executive, but Assessor Fritz Kaegi failed to secure a third term, falling behind a challenger who had the backing of the county party.

Cook County Comms. Bridget Gainer (D-10) and Frank Aguilar (D-16) both lost their bids for reelection Tuesday against primary challengers. [Provided]

With four open races and the defeat of two incumbents Tuesday, the 17-member Cook County Board of Commissioners will have at least six new members next term, according to unofficial election results from the Cook County Clerk's Office and Chicago Board of Elections. 

Ald. Samantha Nugent (39), president pro tempore of the City Council, is pictured at a council meeting on Nov. 15, 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council on Wednesday will consider two major mayoral appointments, millions of dollars of city financial assistance for various park, school and housing projects, a measure creating a group to study a citywide proactive apartment inspection policy, changes to the city’s animal cruelty code and a massive legal settlement to the family of a woman killed by suspects fleeing police. 

Alderpeople will also take up a measure to allow one of the city’s police oversight agencies to investigate allegations of Chicago police collaborating with federal immigration authorities, which was deferred last month, and a group of council members will attempt to pass a measure freezing the tipped wage escalator. The council will meet at 10 a.m.

From left, Board of Ethics appointees Esther Nieves and Bob Glaves face the Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight on March 16, 2026. [Livestream]

Two appointments to the seven-member Board of Ethics were approved by the City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight Monday but not without a plea from the committee chair for the mayor’s office to address persistent lengthy vacancies on the board.

A rendering shows the first phase of the Morgan Park Commons project. [Chicago Department of Planning and Development]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Friday approved a $27 million settlement to the family of a woman killed as the result of a high-speed police chase, multiple allocations of tax increment financing (TIF) funds for parks and school projects and new financial assistance for several housing developments.

Acting COPA Chief Administrator LaKenya White has been nominated to lead the agency on a permanent basis. [City of Chicago]

The City Council Committee on Police and Fire on Friday advanced the nomination of the person proposed to lead the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) on a permanent basis, just over a year after the last leader departed. 

Her appointment will go before the full council this Wednesday.

Ald. Nick Sposato (38), chair of the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation, is pictured during a City Council meeting on October 11, 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation on Friday approved multiple expenditures of Open Space Impact Fee funding to various sports fields and outdoor recreation projects at local schools.

Sam Barth, left, supervising attorney at the Law Center for Better Housing, speaks to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate on March 12, 2026. [Livestream]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate on Thursday approved a measure to explore launching a city program to proactively inspect rental housing, an appointment to the Low-Income Housing Trust board and a lease renewal for city office space.

Chicago City Hall is pictured. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Finance on Friday will consider multiple new allocations of tax increment financing (TIF) dollars and a large legal settlement resulting from a police chase. The finance committee will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers.

Housing Chair Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25) is pictured during a City Council meeting on Sept. 18, 2024. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate on Thursday will consider a measure that would explore launching a city program to conduct health and safety inspections of rental housing, an appointment to the Low-Income Housing Trust board and a lease renewal for city office space. 

It will also consider multiple market-rate sales of city land to accommodate several small apartment buildings. The housing committee will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers.

Acting COPA Chief Administrator LaKenya White has been nominated to lead the agency on a permanent basis. [City of Chicago]

The civilian police oversight board’s nominee to lead the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) will face a key confirmation vote by the City Council Committee on Police and Fire on Friday.

The committee will meet at 1 p.m. in Room 201A at City Hall. 

Ald. Nick Sposato (38), chair of the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation, is pictured during a City Council meeting on October 11, 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation on Friday will consider multiple expenditures of Open Space Impact Fee funding to various sports fields and outdoor recreation projects at local schools. The committee is set to meet at 10:30 a.m. in Room 201A at City Hall.

Acting Chicago Animal Care and Control Executive Director Susan Cappello speaks at a city animal shelter press conference next to Mayor Brandon Johnson on Feb. 25, 2026. [Livestream]

Alderpeople on the City Council Committee on Health and Human Relations on Tuesday advanced the appointment of the mayor’s nomination to lead Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) even as multiple animal care and rescue organizations criticized conditions at the city shelter during the appointee’s tenure as the interim leader.  

But some other animal adoption and care organizations defended acting CACC Executive Director Susan Cappello, who has been with the animal control agency for over two decades and has served as the interim leader of CACC for over three years. Cappello was formally nominated by the mayor last month. 

Chicago Animal Care and Control Executive Director Susan Cappello speaks at a city animal shelter press conference next to Mayor Brandon Johnson on Feb. 25, 2026. [Livestream]

Alderpeople on the city’s health and human relations committee Tuesday will consider whether to advance the mayor’s nomination to lead Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC), who has drawn some criticism over her management of the animal control agency on an interim basis. 

The committee will also consider multiple mayoral appointments to the Chicago Advisory Council on Equity, the Chicago Advisory Council on LGBTQ+ Issues and the Chicago Advisory Council on Veterans. 

The Committee on Health and Human Relations will meet at 10 a.m. in council chambers.