Members of the City Council’s newly-formed LGBT Caucus say they will be a united front to preserve city services important to the LGBT community when the City starts planning next year’s budget.

The five openly gay members of the City Council officially announced the group’s formation after yesterday’s City Council meeting. They’re in the process of filing articles of incorporation with the state and say they hope to bring additional members into the fold.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44), the first openly gay aldermen elected to the City Council, first floated the idea of a new LGBT caucus after two more openly gay members, Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) and Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) were elected to the City Council.

The group, which also includes Ald. Deb Mell (33) and Ald. James Cappleman (46), plans to ask for more funding for HIV prevention and housing for homeless LGBT youth. The group also wants to work with local area police commanders and Superintendent Garry McCarthy to address policing issues.

“LGBT issues are no longer a North Side issue,” Ald. Lopez said. Ald. Tunney had also joked that until now, LGBT-related issues ended up on his desk because his peers would tell constituents, “[if] it’s a gay issue, go talk to Tunney.”

Ald. Tunney will serve as caucus chairman, with Ald. Mell and Ald. Lopez serving under him as vice chair and secretary, respectively. Ald. Cappleman does not have a leadership role.

While the Caucus plans to hold another press event ahead of the annual Pride Parade, Ald. Tunney took advantage of the presser to address concerns he has about policing and crowd control. The annual celebration in Lakeview has grown ten-fold over the last decade, says Tunney, and he worries that the police department’s resources are already stretched thin. Parade organizers are planning to hire 90 off-duty cops to supplement the police presence next Saturday. There will also be extra open container checkpoints, and Ald. Tunney has asked Boystown bars to voluntarily close two hours early.

The City Council approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to issue up to $1.1 billion dollars in general obligation bonds, after the city’s new Chief Financial Officer warned aldermen that it was the only way the city could avoid going into default.

During Monday's Finance Committee meeting, the City’s CFO, Carole Brown, spent more than two hours assuring aldermen that the new borrowing plan was just one of several steps the Mayor plans to make to address the city’s debt problems and junk credit rating. She said the money would help pay off lawsuits and debts dating back to Mayor Richard M. Daley's administration. And while several aldermen raised concerns that they didn’t understand the language of the agreement or what was specifically at stake if they failed to approve the mayor’s plan, there was almost no pushback when it was brought before the full Council yesterday.

Without debate or even a roll call vote, it took aldermen less than ten minutes to give Mayor Emanuel the authority to issue the largest bond deal of his tenure. Aldermen spent three times as long praising Mayor Emanuel's pick of Ginger Evans as Commissioner of the Department of Aviation before her appointment was called for a vote.

Finance Committee Chairman Ed Burke (14) ushered through the bond vote’s passage using a familiar tactic that allows for quick passage: a roll call vote on the first agenda item applied to the rest of the committee ordinances. Burke requested roll call on uncontroversial appointments to Special Service Areas (SSAs). After Clerk Susana Mendoza called the roll, those appointments passed 44-0.

Ald. Burke then brought up Mayor Emanuel’s bond ordinance, noted that it passed in committee with only one dissenting vote, Ald. Scott Waguespack (32). Burke offered the only testimony on the ordinance. “Your honor, clearly a lot has been said about the condition of the city’s finances. This is a step that is necessary to refund the existing debt and begin to take steps to claw out of the financial condition that we’re in at the present time,” Ald. Burke explained. “Unless there’s objection, I move to concur on the recommendation of the committee by the same roll call which applied to item one on the agenda [the SSA appointments].”

Invoking Rule 14, Ald. Burke said he and Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11) would abstain. Ald. Thompson is related to the Morgan Stanley underwriter the city picked to underwrite the bonds (William Daley), and Ald. Burke’s law firm, Klafter & Burke, provides legal services for BMO Harris, another bank participating in the deal.

Burke then turned to Ald. Waguespack and asked if he “wish[ed] to be shown as voting no.” He did and was joined by Ald. John Arena (45).

Quickly banging the gavel to signify that the motioned passed, Mayor Emanuel signaled to Burke that he could move on to the next agenda item. As Burke started to read the report, Ald. Waguespack looked and gestured to Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, who was sitting two seats away.

Ald. Ramirez-Rosa, whose mic wasn’t turned on, quickly stood up and requested a rule suspension and to be recorded as a no vote. The Mayor acknowledged the freshman aldermen and requested the record reflect the third "no" vote.

The Council then proceeded on to the rest of the scheduled agenda, approving ordinances to loosen alcohol restrictions on Navy Pier, appointing Ginger Evans as the City Department of Aviation’s new commissioner, and various other ordinances that passed in committee. (For more information on what passed, check our subscriber-only archived Committee Reports here.)

Before discussing the only item on the agenda–Mayor Emanuel’s proposed ordinance authorizing the expenditure of Open Space Impact Fees (OSIF) for Kennicott Par–the Committee’s newly appointed Chairman Tom Tunney (44), who dubbed his committee “The Party Committee”, thought it would be helpful if a representative from the Department of Planning and Development explain what OSIFs are and how they are used.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Tom Tunney (44), Roderick Sawyer (6), Leslie Hairston (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Marty Quinn (13), Derrick Curtis (18), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Milly Santiago (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Michelle Smith (43), John Arena (45), Ameya Pawar (47), Debra Silverstein (50)

Meg Gustafson, with the Department of Planning and Development’s Sustainable and Open Space Division, told the aldermen that the program enacted in 1998 is a fee on new residential development permits that is collected by one of the 77 designated community areas around the city. People can get credit for on-site open space, but most single-family and smaller residential permits tend to pay directly into the fund. A community area must get DPD approval before spending any money in the fund. DPD then submits those proposals to Ald. Tunney’s committee.

Gustafson stressed that the fees can only be spent on new open space development projects, or proposals to expand existing open space. She adds that since since the program’s inception, community areas have collected $54M in open space fees, $4M of which is still available. The money helped pay for 47 new Park District parks, 20 Park District expansions, 6 campus parks, 25 neighborspace gardens, 25 school gardens built on “open land,” and 9 trail and riverwalk projects, like the new 606 Trail.

Ald. Marty Quinn (13) asked what projects were not approved, and why they didn’t qualify. Gustafson said plans to transform existing open space, like turning a tennis court into a basketball court, get rejected. Quinn then asked that DPD provide a breakdown of how the fees were spent by wards. Gustafson said it was possible but noted that community areas, like TIFs, overlap ward boundaries.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) says he has tried to get DPD to raise the open space fees to finance more projects, and asked if DPD was making any headway. Gustafson told him while the department has looked into it, “about four times in the last 5 years, there is never a good time to raise a fee.” She also said increasing the fee wouldn’t impact distribution, because areas that have a lot of new residential development collect more fees.

Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) agreed the fee is too low and should be raised. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) raised concern that while there is a lot more green development on the north side of Chicago, she has noticed that the Park District has been planting “wild grass” all around her South Side ward, which makes it impossible for residents to enjoy open space. When Ald. Tunney asked that the representative from the Park District elaborate on the process, he said he couldn’t comment.

When the committee eventually moved on to the scheduled agenda, Doreen O’Donnell, the research and planning manager for the Chicago Park District, testified in support of the Kennecott Park Expansion Project in the 4th Ward. She said the the Park District would use the remaining $290,364 from the Kenwood Community Open Space Fees Fund to to expand the park on land it acquired years ago, close an alley, remove a light pole, and add new pathways, benches, greenery, and fencing.

The Committee on Committees, Rules and Ethics will meet before Wednesday’s full City Council meeting to appoint members to the City Council’s Financial Office Oversight Committee, created in 2013 as part of a larger plan to create an independent budget office, The Chicago Office of Financial Analysis (COFA). The committee was originally created to do two things: find a Financial Analyst to oversee the new office, and serve as a liaison between the city’s Budget Office and aldermen. The committee announced its choice, Ben Winick, just before last month’s City Council meeting. In his interview with Aldertrack, Winick said he wouldn’t start work until July, giving him just three months to staff up before the expected September release date of the Mayor’s budget.

The ordinance before the Rules Committee reappoints Ald. Pat Dowell (3) and Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) to the committee. Ald. Rick Munoz (22) would replace former Ald. Ray Suarez (31) to become the newest alderman to join the seven member group, which according to enacting legislation must include: Chairman of the Budget Committee Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Chairman of the Finance Committee Ald. Ed Burke (14), and representatives from two of the following three categories: a current or former representative from a civic or public interest group union, or business.

Carole Brown, the City’s new Chief Financial Officer, was one of those representatives when she was in her former role as Chairman of the Chicago Transit Authority. She’ll have to forfeit her seat. Joseph Pijanowski, with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 126A, will likely keep his seat, according to Ald. Pawar, who also says the group will likely meet on a quarterly basis.

The committee confirmed Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of Ginger Evans as the City’s new Commissioner of Aviation after dishing out over an hour’s worth of praise for her resume and 30-year industry background.

Start Time: 10:03
Committee Members Present: Chairman Mike Zalewski (23), Vice-Chair Ameya Pawar (47), Pat Dowell (3), Raymond Lopez (15), Willie Cochran (20), Ariel Reboyras (30), Gilbert Villegas (36), Margaret Laurino (39), Pat O’Connor (40), Anthony Napolitano (41), John Arena (45)

Evans did not shy away from detailing major investment plans, from a high-speed rail connecting O’Hare to downtown Chicago, to a redesign of the Kennedy Expressway, to an aggressive marketing campaign targeting international tourists. “There is great potential to build on and enhance Chicago’s Aviation system with actions we can take right now, and by developing bold plans for the future,” Evans told the committee.

Plans for high-speed rail between downtown and O’Hare have been floated for years. The CTA and the city are currently in the process of surveying travelers to find out how they access the airport. Mayor Emanuel has made repeated calls for an express service to the Loop to complement blue line service.

But several aldermen were also concerned with what they called a more pressing issue: an exorbitant amount of noise complaints stemming from O’Hare’s recently expanded runways. “My biggest ask is communication,” Ald. Margaret Laurino told Evans. “It is very important that you keep us in the loop on what issues are coming forward, how we can address the concerns of our neighbors that have to deal with the noise of these runways [...] especially overnight.”

Evans said it was an issue all major cities are trying to address. In Denver, Evans said she helped the city as it made the “radical decision” to build a new airport far outside city limits. She also offered up the example of New York City, which insulated homes and changed flight times. She also suggested that once the current fleet of aircrafts expire, there could be an entire redesign of airplane engines.

Ald. Anthony Napolitano, whose ward encompases O’Hare Airport, was pleased with the ideas. “Beautiful. I can’t wait to work with you.”

The Committee approved two ordinances renewing Class 6(b) tax incentives for the MRC Polymers INC warehouse on 3535 W. 31st Street (22nd Ward) and the Berkshire Refrigerated Warehouse on 4550 S. Packers Ave (20th Ward).

Committee Members Present: Chairman Howard Brookins Jr. (21), Leslie Hairston (5), Gregory Mitchell (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), David Moore (17), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Milly Santiago (31), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Ameya Pawar (47)

Edward Lewis, with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of MRC Polymer’s request to renew a 2003 designation set to expire. The 65,000 square-foot warehouse sits on three acres of land and is part of the Little Village TIF.

Essie Banks, a project manager with the Department of Planning and Development, testified in support of the Berkshire’s application to renew a Class 6(b) designation from 2005. The property is located in the Stockyards Industrial Corridor, Planned Manufacturing District 8, 47th Ashland TIF, and the new Community Area in the 21st Ward. According to Banks, the family-owned business focuses on cold storage warehousing and has been in business at the current location since the 1950s. The company has already invested $11M in two additional expansions.

The Committee met briefly yesterday morning to approve receipt of federal grants, donation of a bus to a non-profit and an internal committee funds transfer, which Chairman Austin will report out to the full City Council today.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Carrie Austin (34), Brian Hopkins (2), Leslie Hairston (5),  Roderick Sawyer (6), David Moore (17), Derrick Curtis (18), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Rick Muñoz (22), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Milly Santiago (31), Scott Waguespack (32), Deb Mell (33), Tom Tunney (44), James Cappleman (46)

The first ordinance brought by the Office of Budget and Management asked that the Committee approve an additional $8.2M in unappropriated federal and state grant funds. According to Rosalind Stevens, the director of administration for the Department of Budget and Management, city departments received the following grants:

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  $3.68M in federal funding from the Centers for Disease Control to the City’s Health Department to “conduct preparedness activities for civilians and monitoring of Ebola virus diseases over a three year period.”

  
  


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  $61,000 in federal funding from the from the U.S. Department of Education to the City’s Health Department to pay for the Child and Adult Care Food Program. The funds will pay for inspections for child and adult care sites.

  
  


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  $2.63M from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the City’s Health Department for the Hospital Preparedness Program for Ebola preparedness and response activities. The funds will be used over five years to isolate, transport and treat patients suffering from Ebola.

  
  


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  $112,000 in private funds the Department of Family and Support Services asked to be rolled over. The private funds include $112,000 for the Foster Grandparent Program and $49,000 for the Senior Companion Program.

  
  


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  $1.7M in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Urban Development for the Department of Family and Support Services for the Shelter Plus Care Program. The funds will provide permanent supportive housing for disabled and homeless households.

  
  


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  $210,000 in federal funds the Chicago Police Department received from the U.S. Department of Justice through the Research Triangle Institute National Crime Statistics Exchange. The funds will be used to “modify and enhance the Departments’ citizen and law enforcement analysis and reporting system.”

  
  


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  $373,000 in federal funds the City’s Office of Emergency Management received from the U.S. Department of Homeless Security through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. The program helps pays for the unique planning, equipment training and exercise needs of high threat, high density urban areas.

  
  


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  The Health Department and Office of Emergency Management also asked approval to enter into an agreement with the Illinois Medical Districts Guest House for $90,000 in grant funds; half of the money comes from the Bioterrorism Terrorism Response Grant to pay for emergency house services.

  
  

The committee also okayed the Department of Fleet and Facilities Management's request to donate an out-of-service Chicago Public Library bus to Growing Power, Inc., a Wisconsin-based non-profit. According to Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Muse, Growing Power would repurpose the bus into a mobile produce truck to sell locally grown fruits and vegetables in underserved areas. Muse says Growing Power received a federal grant to launch the program, which will make approximately 2,200 community stops over a 50 week period. The FFM also wants to donate $50,000 in fuel and $60,000 in maintenance services to the company. Muse stated in her testimony that the Department wants to donate one bus, but the ordinance lists two. George Blakemore provided the only testimony, asking how many black farmers participate in the program.

When Ald. Austin asked Ald. Derrick Curtis (18) to second her motion to approve the ordinance, she called him out for not paying attention, “Ald. Curtis  has a motion due pass--HEY, [Ald. Curtis] LOOK AT ME," Austin demanded before laughing and repeating the motion.

Aldermen also approved an ordinance authorizing a transfer of funds within the City Council Committee on Housing and Real Estate. It passed without discussion or elaboration as to what those funds are.

At the end of the meeting, Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30) moved that two permanent City Council Subcommittees be reestablished: the Subcommittee of MBE/WBE Matters and the Subcommittee on Miscellaneous Matters.

A number of ordinances regulating downtown entertainment passed the License and Consumer Protection Committee Tuesday. 42nd Ward ordinances to amend regulations of sidewalk cafes, alcohol at Navy Pier, and outdoor patio hours now advance before the full Council. The meeting concluded with quick approval of a number of liquor and grocery store licenses.

Start Time: 11:11 a.m.
Committee Members Present: Chairman Emma Mitts (37), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), David Moore (17), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Michael Scott Jr. (24), Walter Burnett Jr. (27), Chris Taliferro (29), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Pat O’Connor (40), Brendan Reilly (42), Michele Smith (43), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), James Cappleman (46), Debra Silverstein (50)

Aldermen passed an ordinance loosening rules on where visitors can carry alcohol at Navy Pier. Greg Steadman, Local Liquor Control Commissioner, says current liquor laws only allow alcohol between outdoor venues, so long as the drinks were bought on the Pier and transported in red plastic cups that identify the bar or restaurant that sold the drink. The proposed ordinance would expand those open-container rules to indoor venues, with the same security protocols. Steadman says this would help make Navy Pier a year-round attraction.

Ald. Scott, Ald. Tunney, and Ald. Smith asked several follow-up questions about the ordinance. Steadman clarified that alcohol cannot leave the pier, there’s no BYOB allowed, and people can’t bring open alcohol containers to boats at Navy Pier, but can bring closed containers if they have a boat docked there. The ordinance passed by voice vote.

Aldermen also voted to allow the rooftops around Wrigley Field to stay open and sell tickets for concerts through 2018. Ald. Tunney says this was initially done on a case-by-case basis, but in light of the recent renovations, he thought this ordinance would be more expedient.

The Committee also advanced Ald. Brendan Reilly’s request to designate extra city workers to enforce the sidewalk cafe ordinance. “On the weekends, especially when there are not many city inspectors on the clock, that’s when we see most of our abuse to the outdoor cafe footprint.” He says, for example, the city could designate a ward superintendent to inspect cafes. Those violations would be routed through the Commissioner of Business Affairs’ office.

George Blakemore testified that he’s seen multiple, “out of control” violations in Ald. Reilly’s lakefront ward. In response to Blakemore’s testimony, Ald. Sawyer suggested the city consider charging a square foot fee for sidewalk cafes, instead of a flat fee.

Aldermen also re-upped an annual policy change allowing business district patios to stay open an extra hour, until midnight, during the summer season. The Committee also approved licensing for a bowling alley, movie theater, and a new Mariano’s in the 27th Ward. When asking for motion to move to pass, Chairman Mitts joked to Ald. Sawyer that he was jealous of the new Mariano’s, “You almost didn’t want to say that one, cause you’re hatin’ on it. I know you’re hatin’ on it, I see that look!”

Chairman Mitts re-referred Ald.Tunney and Clerk Susana Mendoza’s ordinance O2015-4198 to amend the Municipal Code as it relates to the issuance to residential parking permits insurance to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Chairman Mitts also deferred ordinances O2015-4196, O2015-3713 and O2015-3723.

The Finance Committee advanced Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to refinance existing debt by issuing up to $1.1B in general obligation bonds. It also approved $3.65M in legal settlements against the Chicago Police Department, one intergovernmental agreement for a redevelopment plan and appointments to Special Service Areas. All of these items will go before the full Council on Wednesday.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Vice Chair Patrick O’Connor (40), Pat Dowell (3), Leslie Hairston (5), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), Michelle Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), George Cardenas (12), Marty Quinn (13), Toni Foulkes (16), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Rick Munoz (22), Michael Zalewski (23), John Arena (24), Danny Solis (25), Walter Burnett, Jr. (27), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Emma Mitts (37), Nick Sposato (38), Margaret Laurino (39), Tom Tunney (44), Harry Osterman (48), Joe Moore (49), Debra Silverstein (50)

Other Aldermen Present: Raymond Lopez (15), David Moore (17), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Milly Santiago (31), Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35)

Bond Ordinance To Restructure Debt
The committee overwhelmingly approved, with one dissenting vote from Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), an ordinance that greenlights an Emanuel Administration plan to restructure outstanding city debt with the issuance of an additional $1.1B in general obligations bonds that includes legal settlements and upcoming interest payments on existing debt. Although several committee members said they had a hard time understanding the language of the ordinance, and what was at stake if they failed to approve it (the most frequent comments aldermen made during the two hour debate), the ordinance received overwhelming approval.

The plan is a necessary first step the City needs to take to reduce its exposure to outstanding variable-rate interest payments, according to testimony from Carole L. Brown, the city’s new Chief Financial Officer. Brown reported that once the city executes the sale of the new bonds, the city will have moved to fixed-rate debt which will be paid down over 30 years.

The new debt helps phase out a financial tool known as “scoop and toss”, when borrowers refinance the principal and interest of long-term and extend the payments over a longer payment period. The practice, which is comparable to a homeowner continually refinancing their mortgage and extending the pay periods, is not a sustainable practice, but over the last ten years the city had relied on this method to pay for certain operating expenses when it presented its annual budget. Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced in April he is committed to phasing this process out by 2019, and this ordinance helps with that plan, according to Brown.

Brown also said the accelerated timeline for the bond sale, which was made public late Thursday when the Finance Committee agenda was posted online, is largely due to Moody’s recent ratings downgrade of the city’s bonds. When the city’s credit rating fell to junk status last month, it made the city vulnerable to $2.2B in payments from lenders holding lines of credit with the city.

According to Brown, the city has a line a line of credit with Morgan Stanley for $135M, plus an additional commitment for $200M that has not been allocated yet. The City also has a line of credit with Citigroup for O’Hare Airport totaling $140M and BMO Harris totaling $225M.

Brown says the city minimized its risk of potentially defaulting on those payments by making a deal, known as a forbearance agreement, with the banks. Under the agreement, the banks waived their right to terminate outstanding loan repayments if the city promised to retire its exposure to variable interest rates in a timely basis.

The City already took steps to get rid of half of the risk to the city’s corporate funds, Brown says. It eliminated about $918M in variable interest rate risk associated with general obligation bonds that date back to 2002 and terminated 21 swap agreements. Brown said this ordinance was crucial in eliminating the rest of that risk by paying for the following items:

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  $192M in general obligation swap termination costs. When the city was downgraded by Moody’s, the swaps had an automatic termination event. This means the swap counterparties could demand immediate payment and terminate the swap. The city was able to negotiate a discounted rate and terminate the swap. The city used commercial paper to pay off the termination cost. This ordinance pays the city back for that payment.

  
  


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  $150M for variable rate general obligation bonds converted to a fixed rate 

  
  


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  $40M in variable rate fees associated with Moody’s recent downgrade

  
  


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  $170M in a so-called “scoop and toss” bond levy issued in 2014, where debt was rolled into a interest-only loan. The levy was put in place during the 2014 budget process. The City had funded it with short-term commercial paper. This ordinance would pay down the commercial paper. There will still be $100M in outstanding commercial paper payments.

  
  


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  $35M towards a 2015 loan payment for the site of the former Michael Reese Hospital. This dates back to a deal Mayor Richard M. Daley made to buy the site so he could build an Olympic Village.

  
  


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  $19M for a lawsuit related to the parking meter deal. Ironically, Morgan Stanley, the firm the city chose to oversee the bond agreement, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

  
  


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  $62M for judgement against the city by Aqua Hotel. The city approved the hotel’s plan to build a public parking garage, which it wasn’t allowed to do under a separate agreement it made in 2006 to privatize downtown public parking garages. The agreement had a non-compete clause. Approving Aqua Hotel’s plan violated that clause.

  
  


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  $4M to terminate QTE equipment lease transaction

  
  


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  $180M to terminate a 2005 CTA Orange Line financing agreement

  
  


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  $75M in retroactive raises and pension payments for Chicago police officersthat date back to a 2014 contract negotiation the city made with the police union.

  
  


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  Two years of capitalized interest for the bonds. When Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) asked what would happen after the first two years, Brown said that when the city eventually sells the bonds, it will put in a debt service levy associated with the debt on the bonds for the life of the bond deal. That means after the first two years, both the principal and interest on the bonds will be paid with the property tax levy.

  
  


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  The cost to issue the bonds. Financial fees to underwriters.

  
  

Brown would not speculate on what she expects interest rates to be on the $1.1B in general obligation bonds, which she says the city hopes to sell later this summer. The city could end up issuing less debt, she says, depending on how much those rates could end up costing the city. Brown reiterated this point multiple times after several aldermen questioned whether it was appropriate for the city to incur additional debt at a time when the city already has too many bills to pay.

Brown said she was confident the city wouldn’t have any trouble finding buyers for the new debt, because the response to the city’s bond sale three weeks ago was “great” with six-times as many interested buyers as there were bonds. “We should see agressive rates on this transaction based on just the favorable feedback we are getting from investors and the rating agencies and the general direction of the city.”

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), who voiced some of the committee’s most forceful criticism, quipped that the market would obviously be interested in junk bonds because it would mean a higher interest rate with a greater a greater return.

Ald. John Arena (45) demanded to know what plans the city had in place to bring in additional revenue. Arena said that other than, “fines here and fees here,” the city has yet to devise a revenue strategy other than threatening a property tax increase. He added that it was “irresponsible” for the city to issue new debt without a revenue plan. “Many here on the Council and many taxpayers finally want to see us actually paying our bills and [have] the administration telling us what it costs to run the city based on our past debt,” he said, accusing the city of once again pushing off long-term debt by issuing new debt.

Brown countered that not approving the plan would be more irresponsible because of the promises the city made to its lenders after the downgrade. She added the Emanuel Administration is committed to discussing new revenue proposals, but that would come later as part of a “larger discussion around not just this years budget, but budgets going forward.”

There was also some concern about the city’s lack of involvement with local, women and minority-owned financial firms. The deal is underwritten by Morgan Stanley, who employs William Daley, Mayor Emanuel’s successor as White House Chief of Staff, and the brother of former Mayor Richard M. Daley. Ald. Walter Burnett (27) and Ald. George Cardenas (12) spoke at length about their annoyance with the city for not doing enough to hire local, women, and minority-owned firms during bond sales. According to Brown, 50% of the financial fees associated with this bond deal will be paid to local firms and 30% will go towards minority and women-owned firms.

Legal Settlements
As the meeting approached the three-hour mark, the committee approved $3.65M in three financial settlements against Chicago police officers. Leslie Darling, with the city’s Law Department, provided a detailed brief of the first case and a short synopsis of the second and third settlements.

Mary Daniel as Special Administrator of the Estate of Joshua Madison, Sr., deceased, and Shaunda Rogers v. Estate of Chicago Police Officer Robert Campbell & The City of Chicago (13 C 1682).

According to Darling, Chicago Police Officer Robert Campbell and his partner fatally shot 21-year-old Joshua Madison, Senior Officer Campbell and his partner were responding to a report that drugs were being sold in a fast food parking lot. Mary Daniels sued the city for the wrongful death of Joshua Madison, Sr. on behalf of Madison’s two sons. Shaunda Rogers, who was in Madison’s car at the time of the incident, brought her own claims for assault, battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Darling recommended that the committee approve the settlement for the November 2, 2010 incident, because Officer Campbell, who was the city’s key witness to the event, died before the case made it to court. The plaintiffs had asked for $6M, but the Law Department brought the settlement down to $1M.

 

Dana Cross v. City of Chicago, Officers Macario Chavez, Mohammed Ali, and Matilde Ocampo, cited as 12 C 4263, Now known as Tunoka Jett v. City of Chicago, Officers Macario Chavez, Mohammed Ali, and Matilde Ocampo, cited as 12 C 4263.

Officers fired at 19-year-old Calvin Cross, Sr. 45 times during a foot chase. Officers believed Cross had a gun, according to Darling, but when the officers questioned Cross, he refused to comply and fled the scene, prompting the chase. A gun was later found at the spot of the first shooting, but since it wasn’t on Cross at the time of death, it would have been difficult for the city to prove it was Cross’ gun. The committee approved the Law Department's recommendation to settle the case out of court for $2M.

 

Jose Salgado v. Hiram Gutierrez & City of Chicago (10 L 10568)

According to Darling, 39-year-old Salgado was riding his bike to work down a designated bike lane when Officer Hiram Gutierrez opened the door of his parked squad car, hitting Salgado. The plaintiff sustained neck and shoulder injuries that required $250,000 in medical surgeries. The committee approved the Law Department’s recommendation to settle the case for $650,000.

 

Other Items Discussed
There was no discussion of Ald. Will Burns’ (4) resolution requesting the state deny Spike Lee’s film company, Forty Acres and A Mule Filmworks, an application for a Film Production Tax Credit for his new film Chiraq. Ald. Burns could not attend the meeting. Chairman Burke also defered an ordinance to amend the Municipal Code concerning the sale of wood products made with formaldehyde. The committee approved various appointments and reappointments to nine Special Service Areas.

The Committee also signed off on two of the four ordinances proposed by the Department of Planning and Development. One of the approved ordinances [O2015-4195] is a redevelopment agreement to pay for infrastructure improvements for Amundsen High School. The other ordinance [O2015-4235] would approve a new loan agreement of $1.7M for Newberry Park Preservation Associates, LP. The other two ordinances [O2015-3708, O2015-4207] to approve a Class 7(c) Tax Incentive Classification for 1056-1520 E. 87th Street and a new redevelopment plan for Maple Park Marketplace in the 34th Ward were held in committee.

The first order of business on today’s Finance Committee meeting is to rally support to deny Spike Lee’s production company’s application for a tax credit if Lee calls his controversial new film “Chiraq.” There’s also a communication from the city’s Chief Financial Officer recommending the Mayor’s plan to borrow $1.1 billion dollars to finish his debt restructuring plan, nine reappointments to Special Service Areas, and loan agreements totaling as much as $4.7 million dollars–one for a supportive living facility, the other for a rehabilitation of a residential building with 84 affordable rental units.

Today’s Committee on Housing and Real Estate meeting includes an ordinance to extend the city’s agreement with Low Income Housing Trust Fund for its implementation of the trust fund’s rental housing program. It gives grants to building owners and developers, who in turn reduce rents for low-income residents. The Trust Fund is the local administering agency (LAA) that distributes rental housing support funds–that designation expires June 30th, so does their agreement for city resources. According to its 2014 year-end report, the Trust Fund supported subsidies in more than 2,800 units of housing at an annual cost of $15.1 million. It’s the biggest city-funded rental assistance program in the country. Today’s agenda also includes a number of sales and negotiated sales in redevelopment project areas and the sale of two 9th Ward properties as part of the city’s Preserving Communities Together program.

Ald. Pat O’Connor (40) says the city may be in bad shape, but Springfield needs to get it’s act together. Speaking at a City Club breakfast Tuesday, the senior alderman and Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s unofficial floor leader talked more about Springfield’s inaction than solutions for the city to fix budget problem on its own.

"It's a little bit tricky when you have a mayor who is so driven, with so many ideas on how to make Chicago work, and so much of what's going on around him is totally outside of his control or ability to make it happen,” O’Connor said, noting how the solution to the pension crisis starts in at the statehouse, not in Chicago. “Someone should kind of tell them the election is over, they’re in office now, they’ve won. And they should get on with the business of trying to help us solve some problems.”

He drew the state legislature's open partisan fights in contrast with the City Council's mostly closed door process, who he says spends months in discussions ensuring the budget is ready to pass when it hits the floor. “That budget essentially passes the exact way it was introduced after weeks of hearings, with the exception of one percent, one half a percent. That’s where we fight.” But he says there are tough times ahead for city government, and the recent bond downgrade has only made things tougher. Whether those hard times included a property tax hike, O’Connor wouldn’t say. “This is a quasi-press event. The last thing we want to do is make news.”

He did however offer up one possible solution: Mayor Emanuel’s plan to defer the city’s pension payments and tie future revenue from a proposed Chicago casino to help pay the bill. But that too needs approval from Springfield. It passed in both the House and Senate, but has yet to make it to the governor’s desk–Senate President John Cullerton used a parliamentary move to keep it from advancing to the Governor, who has said it is just another example of the city “kicking the can” down the road. But Ald. O’Connor said it was actually more like, “eating half the loaf today, and finishing the loaf in the next couple of years.” But loafs and cans aside, the Civic Federation’s analysis of current casino gambling revenue raises serious doubts over whether a Chicago casino is the answer to the city’s debt problems.

O’Connor was quick to criticize Springfield for their inaction on teacher pensions. He echoed Mayor Emanuel’s frequent claim that Chicagoans pay more than their fair share. “We pay our portion, we pay 7% of the 9% that the teachers are supposed to pay in the pension pickup, and then we get to pay for the rest of the state’s teachers in our income tax.” He says he wants to combine pensions “so we’re all in the same boat.”

It was around this time last month that Gov. Bruce Rauner made a personal visit to the City Council to scold the aldermen for years of poor budgeting and said the state couldn’t afford to bail the city out. But O’Connor says most of those mistakes were made years ago, and he immediately ticked off a list of cost-cutting measures the city has made since Mayor Emanuel took over the reins from Richard M. Daley. O’Connor says the the city needs to focus on the future, but it’s key that Springfield play along, too.

It only took the Committee on Transportation and Public Way four minutes to pass 47 pages worth of routine ordinances, most of which were grants of public way for street signs and awnings. Chairman Anthony Beale (9) also deferred Ald. Brendan Reilly's (42) proposed ordinance granting a food truck parking privileges on 800-829 North Larrabee St. to the the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety, which meets on Thursday. The meeting was so fast that that Ald. Michele Smith (43) gasped when Ald. Beale moved to adjourn the meeting.

Start time: 11:00am

Members present: Chairman Anthony Beale (9), Ald. Pat Dowell (4), Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), Ald. Deb Mell (33), Ald. Michele Smith (43), Ald. Milly Santiago (31), Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41).

A typical day for freshman 7th Ward Alderman Gregory Mitchell starts before sunrise. Between setting up his new ward office and getting acclimated to the City Council, Mitchell says he needs the time, because there is much to do.

“I’m like a perfectionist,” Mitchell joked. “So, I am always not satisfied with the ways things are going. I want to be up and running now.”

Mitchell, 44, a former financial analyst who ran a mostly self-funded campaign, pushed through a crowded field of candidates and defeated incumbent Natashia Holmes during the April runoff. Holmes was appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2013 to fill the seat vacated by Sandi Jackson after she resigned from the council at the same time her husband, Cong. Jesse Jackson, Jr. was being investigated for tax fraud.

It’s a ward that has seen a lot of turnover. With Mitchell’s recent election, Holmes’ two years in office, and Sandi Jackson’s one-and-a-half terms in the Council, four different aldermen have represented the South Side Ward in the past 10 years. According to Mitchell, this turnover has led to a lack of constituent services. It was the biggest complaint he heard from voters during the campaign. Making it worse, Mitchell charges his predecessor didn’t use any of her allotted $1.3 million dollars of aldermanic menu money.

But as a lifelong resident of the 7th Ward, Mitchell remains unphased and excited for what’s to come.

“I have the canvas that I can work with,” Mitchell said. “I know what we have. I know what we don’t have. I know what we need. I know what we don’t need. So I am ready to set it and get the ball rolling.”

Asked if he plans to run for 7th Ward Committeeman next year, Mitchell responded without hesitation, “Absolutely!”

Citywide Priorities: Like most of his peers in the Council, Mitchell expects the city’s pension debt to be the biggest priority. “I don’t know if this is the elephant in the room. I think the elephant is out. Dealing with the pension. That is something that we are going to dive right into,” Mitchell said, adding that he’ll detail more action items once he settles into his assigned committees.

Local Priorities: “Set up the ward office and let the constituents know where I am located and to have the staff trained up to provide that above and beyond customer service,”  Mitchell said he wants to streamline the process and provide a direct line of communication from City Hall to the ward office. Mitchell says he has received a lot of support from the administration, City Clerk’s Office and neighboring Ald. Michelle Harris (8) and former Ald. John Pope (10).

Caucus Alignment: At this point in time, Mitchell is only committed to the Black Caucus. He says he wants to learn more about Council procedures and the issues other aldermen face in their wards before making other allegiances. “I want to see who best represents what I am going through and the things I need to do in the 7th Ward,” Mitchell said. “I am going to start my collaboration with those aldermen that share the same issues that I have and pick their brain.”

Ward Office: 2249 E. 95th Street

Chief of Staff: Former 18th Ward candidate Chuks Onyezia.

A former U.S. Marine who also worked as the chief of staff at the Illinois Capital Development Board in Springfield, newly elected 36th Ward Alderman Gilbert Villegas wants people to know that while he may be new to City Hall, he is not new to government.

“So, I know how it works, and I know how it doesn’t work and I’m looking at capitalizing in the areas where [government] does work and addressing issues  where it doesn’t,” Villegas told Aldertrack in a recent interview.

Gilbert Villegas beat Omar Aquino, a candidate backed by Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios, in a runoff to win the newly redistricted, predominantly Hispanic seat on the Northwest Side of Chicago. The ward’s former alderman who now represents the 38th Ward, Nick Sposato, endorsed and supported Villegas throughout the campaign. Sposato also gave the Villegas his old ward service office. But Ald. Sposato wasn’t Villegas’ only supporter, his campaign also received support from State Rep. Luis Arroyo, Sr., his son, Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo, Jr., and Cong. Luis Gutierrez.

Villegas is also co-founder of StrataGem, a government relations and business development services consulting group, and a former lobbyist for the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association.

Priorities: Villegas says he will be spending most of his first term addressing ward-related issues, because that’s what voters were most concerned about during the election. “I’m really going to focus on my platform, which was peace, public safety, education, accountability, city services, and economic development,” Villegas explained, adding that he will be working with the local police commander to find out what resources he needs to address issues of crime. “And I’m calling my ward office like a community command center, where we will be able to have dialogue, you know, monthly, or quarterly, or whenever it is needed for hot topic issues,” Villegas said.

Caucus Alignment: Villegas ran as a progressive candidate and secured the endorsement of mayoral candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia during the runoff campaign, but he says at this moment he is only committed to the Latino Caucus. “I feel there are issues that need to be addressed as it relates to employment, as it relates to diversity.” Villegas believes the Latino Caucus will help him do that. Villegas says shortly after winning the race he was also approached by leaders of both the Progressive Caucus and Paul Douglas Alliance, but, “is not prepared to make a decision,” on either of those groups.

Biggest Obstacles: Like most of his peers in the Council, Villegas says addressing the city’s pension debt will be his biggest obstacle. He advocates for more communication between City Hall and Springfield. “We need to engage and work with our state officials and governor’s office and have the governor take a look at implementing legislation that is favorable to the city,” Villegas said. “Also, we need to be more active in getting as many dollars as possible from Springfield. We need to take a look at the motor fuel tax. We’re putting in over 50-cents on the dollar and only getting 45-cents back.”

Ward Office: Sposato’s old office, 6934 W. Diversey Ave.

Chief of Staff: Magdalena Fudalewicz

The City Council Committee on Finance met for less than five minutes Tuesday morning because no one signed up to submit public testimony on a proposed ordinance to issue additional Multi-Family Housing Revenue Bonds, capped at $2.5M, for the Goldblatts Supported Living Project, a redevelopment project turning a former Goldblatt's Department Store building into an affordable housing complex for senior citizens. Pursuant to federal tax law, the City must hold a public hearing, known as a TEFRA hearing, before the full City Council can approve the issuance of these types of bonds. Chairman Ed Burke (14) read a prepared statement before adjourning the meeting. The City’s Department of Planning requested additional bonds to pay for higher than expected construction costs associated with the project.

TEFRA hearings, named after the federal Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 and the federal Tax Reform Act of 1986, are mandated by the Internal Revenue Service to provide a reasonable opportunity for interested individuals to express their views, either orally or in writing, on the issuance of bonds and the nature of the improvements and projects for which the bond funds will be allocated.

There was no discussion on Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) proposed ordinance to amend permit fees SSAs have to pay to provide services in the public way. Raymond Valadez, Ald. Moreno’s Chief of Staff, says the item was incorrectly scheduled for yesterday and will be discussed at the Finance Committee’s next meeting in June.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Marty Quinn (13), Matt O’Shea (19), Michael Zalewski (23), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32). Newly elected Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) was also present in the Council Chambers, but he is not a member of the committee.

Susan Sadlowski Garza will become the first Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) member to serve on the City Council when she is officially sworn in to office today. She says the biggest change to come to the 10th Ward–which was helmed by John Pope for 16 years–boils down to one issue: more community input.

And for Garza, who represents a ward with some of the fewest boundary changes in the city, a former industrial powerhouse until the late 1990s, that doesn’t just mean constituent services. The 10th Ward is home to one of the biggest plots of undeveloped land, roughly 600 acres of prime real estate on Chicago’s lakefront. It’s the last and largest piece of undeveloped lakefront land in the city, and Garza wants complete transparency between the site’s developers, McCaffrey Interests, and the residents who live near by.

“I want to make sure that whatever is put there is a green [project] with union-led jobs, and that people in the neighborhood have a say in what is happening. We need to have a community benefits agreement,” Garza said, adding that she is  looking forward to sitting down with the developer to work out a plan for the former U.S. Steel South Works site that first opened in 1901.

McCaffery Interests is partnering with U.S Steel to develop the land. They have proposed building more than 13,000 single family and high rise units, 17.5 million square feet of retail space, 125 acres of open park space, a marina with docking stations and a new high school. The city has already rerouted and built a new South Shore Drive, U.S. 41, through the site.

Garza is not opposed to development. In fact, she say there has been too little investment in the area, and most of the ward is old and in need of serious repair. “I just don’t want gentrification [and] there has to be affordable housing,” Garza adds.

Garza is a lifelong resident of the 10th Ward and has worked for Chicago Public Schools for 20 years. Her last job prior to her election was as an Area Vice-President of the CTU. She oversaw 69 schools, including all public schools in the 10th Ward. A daughter of one of Chicago’s last regional Steelworkers' District leaders, Ed Sadlowski, Garza has strong labor ties, which came in handy this election cycle. The labor umbrella group United Working Families (UWF) put a significant amount of money and manpower to help her through the runoff, one of the biggest fights after during the runoff.

Garza was named the official winner of the 10th Ward race when the Board of Elections certified the results on April 23rd, but with the threat of legal action from the Pope campaign, she remained in limbo up until last week, when Pope withdrew his court petition and conceded the race. On reflecting on the extended campaign, Garza laughed and said, “It was a long couple of weeks. Let me tell you.”  She adds that she is ready to move forward and get started on the following priorities.

Citywide Priorities: Creating an elected School Board, addressing the pension crisis and finding different revenue sources, like expanding the sales tax, are at the top of Garza’s list. Being the only CTU member on the City Council, Garza says that gives her an advantage of, “having a deep inside of what goes on inside the [city’s] schools”. When asked if she thinks the City Council should have more oversight of CPS, she said “absolutely not”, because she believes educators are the only ones who should be making decisions on education policy.

Local Priorities: In addition to the development project on the lakeshore, Garza will focus most of her energy on building up her constituent service office. She accused incumbent alderman John Pope of having too little transparency in the ward. She plans to institute participatory budgeting and form advisory committees on education, traffic, safety, and business, so that, “everyone has a say in how it’s done”. She says she has already received numerous calls and had “so people walk into her office” to say that they are excited to get started on putting everything together.

Caucus Alignment: Garza is committed to the Progressive Caucus and will consider joining others after she gets settled. She says that she has already received a lot of help with the transition from Ed Burke (14), Pat O’Connor (40), and Rick Munoz (22).

Ward Office: 10500 S. Ewing Ave.

The Finance Committee approved $771,320 in legal settlements related to a class action lawsuit filed against illegal permit parking receipts and a medical malpractice suit. They also approved additional bonds to the Goldblatt’s senior living center project in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Complete agenda.

The committee met briefly Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Originally scheduled for the morning, Ald. Ed Burke (14) changed the time so he could spend the morning with Ald. James Balcer (11) at O’Hare Field for a ceremonial return of a fallen soldier.

Committee members present (6 of 34 members): Chairman Ed Burke (14), Marty Quinn (13), Willie Cochran (20), Howard Brookins Jr. (21), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30).

The committee approved two legal settlements totalling $771,320 brought by the city’s Law Department.

1. Scott D.H. Redman. individual and on behalf of all others similarly situated, Plaintiff. v. City of Chicago, Defendant, cited as 13 C 3810. [Amount $571,320]

On May 17, 2013, Scott D.H. Redman used his credit card to buy a residential parking permit and noticed the city-contracted vendor put too much of his credit card information on the receipt, which is against the federal Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act, or FACTA statute, so he filed a class action lawsuit against the city, according to Leslie Darling, 1st Assistant Corporation Counsel, who testified on behalf of the City’s Law Department.

According to FACTA, it is illegal for a customer receipt to display more than five digits of a credit card number and the card’s expiration date. Darling says the city didn’t know about the non-compliant customer recipients until Redman filed the class action lawsuit against the city. She adds that the issue has been fixed and the vendor will reimburse the city for the full cost of the settlement, which is 20% of the Redman’s original demand of $2.75 million. Redman has filed several of these types of complaints,  according to court records.

Ald. Jason Ervin (28), the only committee member to question Darling’s testimony, wanted to know how many people received noncompliant receipts. Darling responded that 19,044 noncompliant receipts were issued between Jan 21st 2013 and May 29, 2013. She says that those people will be notified once the full council approves the settlement, which amounts to $30 per receipt.

2. Linda Jackson v Dr. Edward J. Potash and City of Chicago, cited as 10 L 011424 [Amount: $200,000]

Linda Jackson suffered lithium toxicity and kidney damage caused by a perscription she received from a doctor at one of the city run health clinics. She now receives kidney dialysis three times a week while she awaits a kidney transplant. According to Darling, “The prescribing doctor acknowledged, in his testimony, a lapse of judgement and that his prescription and combination with the lithium was not recommended in the absence of close monitoring of the patient’s blood values, which was not done here.” Darling says the settlement is a, “cost effective measure to limit the city’s financial exposure,” and Ald. Burke agreed calling it a, “pretty good deal for the taxpayers”. The committee approved the settlement without any questions.

3. A communication recommending the proposed ordinance authorizing the City to enter into and execute a Loan Agreement with Goldblatts, the authority to issue City of Chicago Multi-Family Housing Revenue Bonds, Series 2015, (Goldblatts Supportive Living Project), and a Supplement to the Loan Agreement with Goldblatts of Chicago Limited Partnership. Amount of bonds not to exceed: $2,500,000 

The third item on the agenda, brought by the Department of Planning and Development and the Mayor’s Office, asks the city to approve the issuance of additional City of Chicago Multi-Family Revenue Bonds to pay for higher than expected construction costs associated with the Goldblatts Supporting Living Project. The bonds would be capped at $2.5 million. Cities approve these federal bonds to help finance the construction of multi-family housing projects catered to low-income families or elderly residents, the latter of which applies to this case.

The city already issued $18 million dollars worth of multi-family revenue bonds and and approved a $3.9 million dollar loan to help pay for the redevelopment plan to turn the historic Goldblatts Department Store building in the Back of the Yards neighborhood into a senior living center with 101-units.

But according to Lawrence Grisham, who testified on behalf of the Planning Department, additional bonds are needed because of higher project costs due to, “the historic preservation of the building,” and, “structural issues discovered during construction”. Grisham says the city needs to issue a new set of bonds because the original bond agreement, approved by the council in 2013, said the city-issued multi-family revenue bonds must pay for 50% of the project. Since the project costs more than expected, more bonds must be issued so the project does not fail the “50% test”. The committee approved.

Ald. Willie Cochran (20) testified in favor of the bonds. The project is in his ward and he says he is “very proud” of this project because it helps a vulnerable population and preserves a city landmark. Ald. Burke also spoke in favor and reminisced on the fact that the department store use to be in the 14th Ward.

Ald. Burke also deferred one of the eight items on the agenda–a proposed ordinance to exempt and alter certain permit fees Special Service Areas (SSAs) have to pay to the city–because the sponsor, Ald. Joe Moreno (1), had a prior engagement and could not attend Friday’s meeting. The ordinance [O2014-6897] will be on next week’s Finance Committee agenda. There is also a public hearing for the Goldblatts bonds scheduled for the same day.

Items 4-8, filed under “Miscellaneous” business, passed without discussion because they are “routine matters.”

4. One proposed order authorizing two applications for City of Chicago Charitable Solution (Tag Day) permits.

A. Hegewisch Girls Softball League
May 29-30,2015
Citywide

B. RTW Veterans Center
June 24, 2015 - August 24, 2015
Citywide

5. Four (4) orders authorizing the payment of hospital and medical expenses of police officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty.

6. A proposed order authorizing the payment of various small claims against the City of Chicago.

7. A proposed order denying the payment of various small claims against the City of Chicago.

8. A proposed order authorizing the payment of senior citizen rebate sewer claims.

After defeating nine other candidates for retiring Ald. Michael Chandler’s open 24th Ward seat, Ald.-elect Michael Scott, Jr. says he has big plans to “shake things up” and “end business as usual” in the West Side ward he’s called home for the past 38-years.

“Change is always an issue for everybody, and what I hope to do is something different than what has been happening in our community for the past twenty-to-twenty five years,” Scott explained.

The son of late Chicago Public School Board President Michael Scott, Sr. had name recognition and help from several sitting Council members in his bid for the open seat. However, with so many candidates on the February 24th ballot, he was forced into a runoff against business woman Vetress Boyce, which he then handedly won with 67% of the vote. Ultimately a large crowd of sitting aldermen helped Scott earn his win, including the incumbent Ald. Chandler, Ald. Jason Ervin (28), Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Ald. Walter Burnett (27), and former 28th Ward Ald. Ed Smith.

Local Priorities: After 12 years serving as a Chicago Park District Area Manager, Scott says he’ll take a different approach from most aldermen before him by focusing his efforts on cleaning up the ward. “Everyone talks about [bringing] economic development and businesses to the ward, but I think that we need to start by cleaning up the ward. When I toured the ward, one thing I noticed was how unkempt and uncleanly the ward is,” Scott explained that shortly after he was elected, he and campaign volunteers had a ward-wide cleanup day. Scott believes that by tackling cleanliness first, the rest of the ward’s problems, like high crime and low economic investment, will be easier to manage because they are all interconnected.

On crime, Scott says he’s working with area police commanders to “improve” the relationship between the community and police so there is more of a “community policing model.” Scott says that once those two issues are addressed, more businesses will want to invest in the ward, bring jobs and spur development.

“I had plenty of opportunities to leave this community because of the direction I thought it was going in,” Scott concluded, noting that he has lived in the North Lawndale community for all his life. “However, my father always told me, ‘if you aren’t part of the solution, you are part of the problem.’ And what I intend to be is part of the solution for the lack of economic development, fixing public safety, and cleanliness.”

Citywide Priorities: Addressing the city’s finances, finding new sources of revenue and balancing the budget are key for the new Council, says Scott.  “We need to start figuring out a way to raise revenue.” He notes that he does not advocate raising or adding new taxes, but is aware that the city can’t afford to following in Springfield’s footsteps and balance the budget by slashing city services that many in his constituents depend on.

Caucus Alignment: Scott says he has been approached by members of the Progressive and Black Caucus and will likely join the latter because he and most of his constituents are African American. “I am going to be independent, other than the Black Caucus, right now,” Scott explained. “I am willing to talk to whomever if they are going to advance the issues that involve the entire city, and I will support those that directly impact the residents of the 24th Ward.” When pressed further to explain why he won’t be joining the Progressive Caucus, Scott replied that he doesn’t want to prematurely commit to a group whose agenda is not yet known. “I want to make sure that all of my options are open and I can make as many friends as I can in the Council because my ward needs as much help as it can get from a many number of sources I can,” Scott said.

Ward Office: Scott will use Michael Chandler’s old ward office on 4200 W. Roosevelt Rd. As of publication he had not determined a chief of staff.

Five City Council Committees met Tuesday to approve several key items ahead of today’s final meeting of the full council. Agenda highlights included:

• 
  

  Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed ordinance and resolution for alleged Jon Burge torture victims in Finance Committee.

  
  


• 
  

  Two last-minute police-related settlements totaling $765,000 in Finance Committee.

  
  


• 
  

  Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposal to launch a so-called “People’s Plaza Program” in Budget Committee.

  
  


• 
  

  An ordinance co-sponsored by Mayor Emanuel and Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) to crack down on businesses that are chronic public safety threats in License Committee.

  
  


• 
  

  A last minute addition to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Mayor Emanuel introduced a new ordinance to address the city’s red-light camera program thirty minutes before the meeting started.

  
  

Budget Committee Report
The day started with a 9:30 a.m. Budget Committee meeting that went 45 minutes over schedule after several aldermen raised concerns over Mayor Emanuel’s proposed ordinance to launch a so-called “People’s Plaza Program”.

According to representatives from the Chicago Department of Transportation, the program would make better use of the city’s current public space by finding innovators to host community activities and cultural events at city plazas, malls and traffic triangles. It’s an offshoot of a previous City Department of Transportation (CDOT) initiative called “Make Way for People Program.”

Luann Hamilton, Deputy Commissioner of Project Development at the Department of Transportation and Janet Attarian, the Livable Streets Director of the Department of Transportation, testified on behalf of the program. They said the goals are:

1. Year-round activation of People Plazas


2. Equitable geographic distribution of People Plazas–the city was divided into five regions and at least one plaza from each region must be activated each year with 10 plazas the first year and 10 plazas in each additional year.


3. Local community events


4. Generate revenue through sponsorships and "limited" advertising


5. Cover maintenance and minor capital improvements

CDOT needs Council approval on the ordinance so that they can sign a contract with Latent Design, the architecture firm picked to oversee the program. Council approval would also let the city move forward on a Bloomberg Philanthropies grant the city applied for to help build the program.

Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) raised concerns over the “revenue component of the program” and asked CDOT what their revenue expectations are compared to the vendor’s expectations, and how that would lead to an equitable distribution of plazas, since some spaces are more valuable than others.

Ald. Reilly was also concerned that cultural expression would take a backseat to retail advertising, and that the program sounds like CDOT is selling off public space for revenue. “The concern is that the vendor may have this incentive to really go all out in these people plazas and, frankly, making marketing, and advertising, and product distribution, and retail opportunities the thrust when in fact the Bloomberg grant is to support cultural affairs and bring more culture into the neighborhood,” Reilly said.

The representatives from CDOT said that would not happen and the revenue would be invested back into the public space for upkeep, among other things.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32), Ald. Ariel Reboyras (31), Ald. Pat Dowell (3), Ald. Tom Tunney (44) and Ald. Jason Ervin (28) also expressed concern that the program would encroach on local community groups and aldermanic control over the public spaces.

But their concerns and frustration were nothing compared to Ald. Leslie Hairston (5), who declared it "ridiculous" that the ordinance is described as “equitable” but it only applies to existing public spaces. No new public areas would be created through the program.

Since the Budget Committee ate into the Finance Committee’s time–both were held in the Council Chambers–many aldermen stayed for both meetings, since they were all moving in and out of the Chamber. The following aldermen who were present for Budget, Finance or both:  Bob Fioretti (2), Pat Dowell (3), Will Burns (4), Leslie Hairston (5), James Balcer (11), Marty Quinn (13), Finance Chairman Ed. Burke (14), Toni Foulkes (15), Latasha Thomas (17), Lona Lane (18), Matt O’Shea (19), Willie Cochran (20), Mike Zalewski (23), Walter Burnett (27), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Budget Chairman Carrie Austin (34), Emma Mitts (37), Margaret Laurino (39), Brendan Reilly (42), John Arena (45), James Cappleman (46), Harry Osterman (48), Debra Silverstein (50).

Finance Committee Report
The Finance Committee meeting started with the Jon Burge torture reparations ordinance and resolution. Unlike last week's meeting, when the settlement deal was first announced and almost a dozen people testified on the matter, only two people testified yesterday, both in opposition to the ordinance because of a section of the reparations fund that excludes family members of deceased victims from taking part in the fund. Those testifying included George Blakemore, who regularly provides citizen testimony, and Wallace “Gator” Bradley with United In Peace, Inc. Neither of the sponsors for the original ordinance–Ald. Joe Moreno (1) and Ald. Howard Brookins, Jr. (21)–attended the hearing.

Later in the meeting, Chairman Ed Burke (14) announced two new items on the supplemental agenda, amounting to $765,000 in settlement payments. Leslie Darling, with the City Law Department, testified on the settlements, one of which is related to a sexual assault case involving two Chicago Police Officers.  The settlements included:

1. 
   

   Jane Doe v. Chicago Police Officer Paul Clavijo, Chicago Police Officer Juan Vasquez and City of Chicago, cited as 11 C 3502 [Amount $415,000]

   
   


2. 
   

   Rosaura Cordero v. Richard R Jeschke, individually and as an agent of the City of Chicago, a municipal corporation; and the City of Chicago, a municipal corporation, city as 10 L 14773 [Amount $350,000]

   
   

License Committee Report
Meanwhile, in Room 201A, the Committee on License and Consumer Protection discussed and passed Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ald. Brendan Reilly’s proposed ordinance to enable the Chicago Police Department to close bars and nightclubs that are chronic public safety threats, spurred on by a murder at the Dolphin Chicago nightclub. Pat Doerr with the Hospitality Business Association testified against the measure.

License Committee Members present: Bob Fioretti (2), Natasha Holmes (7), Marty Quinn (13), Deborah Graham (29), Ariel Reboyras (30), Chairman Emma Mitts (37), Mary O’Connor (41), Brendan Reilly (42), John Arena (45), James Cappleman (46), Debra Silverstein (50).

Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development Report
Later, in what was the quickest meeting of the day, the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development listened to a 15-minute presentation from representatives of Chicagoland Beverage, a local coffee and tea distributor. The company had requested a 6b certification for a warehouse expansion in the 27th Ward. The ordinance passed by voice vote.

Committee members present: Natasha Holmes (7), Toni Foulkes (15), Willie Cochran (20), Chairman Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Ald. Walter Burnett (27) attended to support the project.

Committee on Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Report
Finally, at 1:30 p.m., it was the Committee on Pedestrian Safety and Traffic’s turn to meet in Room 201A. Nothing was listed on the online agenda for the committee–it had already met last week–but about a half an hour before the meeting was scheduled to start, Mayor Emanuel’s press team sent out a news blast announcing that the Mayor had just introduced a new ordinance to “reform” the city’s Red Light Camera program. The release listed Ald. Anthony Beale (9), Ald. Tom Tunney (44), and Ald. Walter Burnett (27), Chair of the committee, as co-sponsors.

Text of proposed ordinance

Many of the aldermen on the committee wanted to know why the ordinance didn’t include extended yellow lights or countdown clocks, despite a Chicago Tribuneinvestigation highlighting the shorter yellow light times. CDOT’s Rebekah Scheinfeld said that’s because the those times are based on national regulations. Several Aldermen also asked, numerous times in numerous ways, if the city’s red light and speed cameras improve safety and prevent accidents on Chicago’s streets. Scheinfeld responded the same way every time, noting “numerous national studies” say they improve safety. She never cited local data, but did note that there are currently 149 intersections with red-light cameras and 362 cameras around the city, after factoring the 50 cameras that have been removed since Emanuel took office.

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2) asked most of the questions and took up a significant portion of the meeting, which eventually prompted Chairman Burnett to remind Fioretti that he isn’t even on the committee and that he should yield the floor to aldermen on the committee.

Ald. Beale and Ald. Tunney had previously introduced their own ordinance on the subject requesting for an extension of yellow light times and a City Council approval on all new cameras. While yesterday's introduced ordinance does neither, it does have a provision that says if the ordinance passes, CDOT can’t install or remove a red-light camera without holding a neighborhood meeting first. The meeting would be scheduled through the local alderman.

In committee Ald. Tunney questioned whether there had been “fudging around with the yellow time” and demanded to know why CDOT needed to do another comprehensive review of the cameras, another provision in the ordinance. “A lot of studies have been done, why do we need another?” he said.

The Committee passed the ordinance and it is expected to go before the full Council today. Chairman Burnett ended the meeting reminding everyone that Mayor Emanuel was not responsible for the cameras and that most of the discussion about red light cameras this past election was, "a bunch of lies that hurt a lot people," in the Council.