Ald. Maria Hadden (49) talked to Ald. Mike Rodriguez (22) during Tuesday's City Council Meeting. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Alderpeople approved the Bring Chicago Home proposal to ask voters if they want to hike the real estate transfer tax and use the revenue to curb homelessness and delayed a vote on the proposal to expand paid leave for Chicago workers.

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas presents during a county budget hearing in October. [Livestream]

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas’ office is laying the blame for higher property tax bills this year at the feet of school districts, which have been large beneficiaries of a recent provision in state law, among other factors. 

The median residential tax bill in the north and northwest suburbs increased 15.7 percent in Tax Year 2022, which represents the largest percentage increase in at least 30 years, an analysis by the treasurer’s office found. The office said the cause of the higher tax bills were increased levies and a shift of the tax burden from commercial to residential property owners as a result of reassessments in the northern suburbs last year. 

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) walks on council floor during a meeting. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s floor leader and zoning committee chair Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) threatened to hold up zoning decisions in the wards of alderpeople who attended a meeting last week where alderpeople were supposed to vote on a proposal that would ask Chicago voters in the spring whether the city should remain a sanctuary city, alderpeople said on Monday. 

In a Monday statement announcing his resignation from his position as floor leader and zoning committee chair, Ramirez-Rosa apologized to Ald. Emma Mitts (37) “for the disrespectful interaction outside of Council Chambers.” Ramirez-Rosa also apologized to Ald. Nicole Lee (11), Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29) and Ald. Felix Cardona (31), who he said he heard "felt disrespected and harmed by my actions.”

Bring Chicago Home advocates held a rally at City Hall in July. [Michael McDevitt/The Daily Line]

Nearly one year after former Mayor Lori Lightfoot and her allies blocked a hearing on the proposal to ask voters if they want to raise the real estate transfer tax on the sale of properties over $1 million and use the new revenue to curb homelessness, the City Council will vote on the proposal during its meeting Tuesday. 

In addition to the so-called Bring Chicago Home resolution on Tuesday’s agenda, alderpeople are also scheduled to vote on an ordinance that was delayed last week that would allow the city to purchase a vacant Jewel store near the intersection of Halsted and 115th streets to use as shelter for migrants.

Members of the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy hear from Peoples Gas President Torrence Hinton (bottom right) Monday. [Livestream]

Representatives from Peoples Gas Company and labor groups associated with the utility company defended a $402 million rate increase request as necessary for modernizing pipeline infrastructure to ensure the safety of the gas delivery system during a hearing before the City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy Monday. 

During the same subject matter hearing, watchdog groups argued that Peoples Gas was not responsibly managing its pipeline modernization program, criticizing the program for its cost estimates shifting from $2 billion to $11 billion while not demonstrating expected safety improvements. 

The budget committee met Monday. [City of Chicago livestream]

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed 2024 budget had virtually no trouble passing out of key City Council committees Monday, teeing up a final vote on the spending plan this month.

Chicago’s proposed budget is made up of several separate ordinances detailing how the city will bring in revenue via tools like fines and fees and how it will spend the money it has. Members of two City Council committees are set to take initial votes on the various budget ordinances Monday.

Ald. Bill Conway (34) speaks with Ald. Pat Dowell (3) during a City Council meeting in May 2023. [Don Vincent/The Daily Line]

The City Council Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy will meet Monday for a subject matter hearing on the effect a proposed rate hike from Peoples Gas Company would have on city residents.

The environment committee, which kicks off its meeting at 10 a.m. in Room 201A at City Hall, will also consider two ordinances. The first concerns the removal of the Carnotite Moratorium Area from city code, and the second ordinance would formalize a system for complaints about private hauling firms that handle recyclable materials or other waste that is not handled by the city.

Ald. Samantha Nugent (39) oversees the City Council meeting Thursday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

A special City Council meeting Thursday where alderpeople were scheduled to consider whether the city should ask voters if Chicago should remain a sanctuary city descended into chaos after the start of the meeting was delayed as proponents worked to ensure enough alderpeople were present to meet quorum.

Supporters of the expanded paid leave measure held a news conference Thursday. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

The Workforce Development Committee on Thursday voted 13-2 to send a proposal to expand paid leave for Chicago workers to the City Council for a final vote next week.

The City Council’s economic development committee on Thursday held public hearings on four measures for special service areas. And the council’s health and human relations committee will consider myriad appointments and reappointments to multiple advisory councils on Friday.

The City Council was scheduled on Wednesday to vote on proposals to raise the real estate transfer tax for properties over $1 million to help curb homelessness and to buy a vacant Jewel grocery store on the South Side to house migrants. Alderpeople were also scheduled to vote on a proposed referendum question on flood mitigation and referral of another referendum question about Chicago’s status as a sanctuary city to the proper committee.  

But votes on all four of the proposals were delayed. 

Alderpersons and advocates held a news conference in July to introduce an ordinance that would expand paid leave. [Erin Hegarty/The Daily Line]

Alderpeople on Thursday will return to discuss and vote on a proposal to expand paid leave for Chicago workers. The proposal that members of the City Council vote on Thursday is expected to be a tweaked version of what was scheduled to be considered earlier this week.

Cook County Health Chief Quality Officer Erik Mikaitis [Cook County Health]

Cook County Health Chief Quality Officer Erik Mikaitis will become the health and hospital system’s interim chief executive officer next month when CEO Israel Rocha exits the organization, the Cook County Health (CCH) Board of Directors decided Tuesday.

The City Council will convene for a special meeting called by five alderpeople Thursday to consider referendum questions proposed for the March ballot. And a council committee is set to vote on the renewal, expansion and creation of four special service areas throughout the city.