Chicago Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin listens to comments from Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30), top right, during a City Council budget committee hearing Friday. [City Council Livestream]

Aldermen breezed through a Friday morning budget hearing on the Chicago Board of Ethics ahead of a lengthy hearing on the Chicago Police Department budget.

During the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting, aldermen praised the board for its work and asked only questions about improving and ensuring completion of online ethics training courses by city officials, aldermen and lobbyists and ensuring compliance with ethical practices and requirements.

Chicago’s Corporation Counsel Celia Meza (second from left) speaks during the law department’s 2021 budget hearing. (City of Chicago livestream)

Departmental budget hearings are set to wrap up Monday with leaders from the Chicago Public Library, Department of Law and Department of Transportation set to detail their proposed spending plans during a 9 a.m. meeting of the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Oversight.

Chief Fire Department Comm. Annette Nance-Holt (third from left) answers questions during a budget hearing Thursday. [City of Chicago livestream]

The Chicago Fire Department is preparing to hold its first firefighter exam in nearly 10 years, and fire department Comm. Annette Nance-Holt told aldermen that ensuring diversity in the testing class will allow the department to grow more diverse in years to come.

Tim Jeffries speaks during a finance committee meeting Thursday. [City of Chicago livestream]

With no discussion and quick votes, aldermen during a Thursday committee approved extensions of six tax-increment financing (TIF) districts throughout the city. Aldermen also approved the early termination of four TIF districts.

Cook County Human Resources Bureau Chief Velisha Haddox, left, speaks about Deloitte’s work recruiting new county employees during a board of commissioners meeting Thursday. [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

Cook County commissioners on Thursday approved a nearly $1 million contract extension with a firm that’s assisting the county in recruiting employees to address numerous vacancies across departments. But the approval didn’t come without some county lawmakers questioning the effectiveness of the firm’s work so far, resulting in several detractors during the vote.

Cook County Comm. Donna Miller (D-6) speaks about a proposal to reduce property taxes for supermarkets which open in underserved areas during a board meeting Sept. 22, 2022. [Cook County Board of Commissioners Livestream]

The Cook County Board of Commissioners approved the creation of a new property tax incentive class during their regular meeting Thursday. The new classification provides for reduced tax rates for supermarkets that open or are located in food deserts.

Chicago Police Department Supt. David Brown answers questions during the 2021 budget hearing. [City of Chicago livestream]

The city’s Board of Ethics and the Chicago Police Department will defend their 2023 budget proposals during a meeting of the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations set to begin at 9 a.m. Friday.

Office of Public Safety Administration Executive Director Anastasia Walker speaks during a budget hearing Wednesday. [City of Chicago livestream]

Next year’s budget for the city’s Office of Public Safety Administration is proposed to grow by $13.5 million and aldermen on Wednesday pressed the executive director on camera and gunshot technology and whether the office is actually saving the city the money it is supposed to.

BACP Comm. Ken Meyer speaks during a budget hearing Wednesday. [City of Chicago livestream]

The leader of Chicago’s Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection explained the proposed expansion of the department’s Office of Labor Standards and fielded questions from aldermen on ride share cost regulation during a budget hearing Wednesday.

Cook County Comm. Donna Miller, top right, speaks during a county Business and Economic Development Committee meeting Wednesday. [Cook County Government Livestream]

The Cook County Business and Economic Development Committee approved an ordinance amendment during its Wednesday meeting creating a new property tax incentive for supermarkets located in food deserts.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas speaks at a press conference in this file photo.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office unveiled the results of a study Wednesday that revealed hedge funds, private equity firms and similar entities have taken advantage of a state property tax law loophole to profit off administrative mistakes largely at the expense of communities of color.

Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36) held a news conference on Wednesday heralding his proposal to bring back the Chicago Office of Veterans Affairs under the Mayor's Office. The City Council Committee on Finance is scheduled to meet on Thursday to consider various proposals related to the Department of Housing, the Department of Planning and Development and various settlements.

Chicago Fire Department Comm. Annette Nance-Holt answered questions during a more than three-hour budget hearing in 2021. [City of Chicago livestream]

Leaders of the Chicago Fire Department, Commission on Human Relations and Office of Emergency Management and Communications on Thursday will appear before aldermen to defend their 2023 budget proposals during a 9 a.m. meeting of the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

Chicago Inspector General Deborah Witzburg answers questions during a budget hearing Tuesday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

While next year’s budget for Chicago’s Office of Inspector General is proposed to drop by 13 percent compared to 2022, the office plans to add 10 positions and restructure its division of employees working on information technology and analytics.

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Comm. Erin Harkey went before the City Council Committee on Budget on Government Operations Tuesday. [City Council Livestream]

Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Comm. Erin Harkey discussed ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic for the city’s arts and events scene and answered aldermen’s questions about improving operations at the neighborhood level during a hearing before the City Council Committee on Budget and Government Operations Tuesday.