There are four Mayoral appointees to the Community Development Commission (CDC) slated for aldermanic confirmation this afternoon, including 1st Ward Ald. Joe Moreno’s wife, Celena Roldan Moreno.

Roldan Moreno currently serves as the Executive Director for Erie Neighborhood House, a social services agency. She also served as a member of Mayor Emanuel’s Education Transition Team and Early Childhood Task Force, two initiatives the mayor rolled out during his first term in office.

If approved to the CDC, Moreno will serve with 14 other members, whose job is to review and recommend the creation of new Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts, Redevelopment Area designations, and appointments to the various Community Conservation Councils across the city. The CDC also reviews and recommends action on the sale of city-owned property in TIF districts and Redevelopment Areas, as well as allocating TIF funds for private redevelopment projects.

In addition to Moreno, Mayor Emanuel has nominated:

• Gwendolyn Butler, vice chairwoman and chief marketing officer for Capri Investment Group, LLC, a global real estate investment manager. She specializes in raising capital for the firm’s global investments. Prior to Capri, Butler worked for UBS Global Asset Management, Bear Stearns, and SEI. She is the former Chair of the national Association of Securities Professionals and a past President of the Board of Directors of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. [LinkedIn]


• Cornelius Griggs, Managing Partner, GMA of Illinois.


• Philip Alphonse, a partner in the The Vistria Group, a private equity firm focused on education, healthcare, and financial services. The Vistria Group was founded by Marty Nesbitt, who also founded the airport parking company The Parking Spot with U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker. Alphonse also worked at private equity firm Sterling Partners for ten years. [LinkedIn]

In addition to the Mayoral appointees, four aldermanic requests for a tax break on large, industrial properties in the 23rd, 27th, and 36th Wards will be discussed. The class 6(b) real estate tax incentive is intended to reduce vacant industrial real estate in Cook County by providing businesses with a lower tax rate if they commit to rehabbing vacant industrial buildings or constructing new industrial property. Properties receiving the designation are assessed at 10% of market value for the first 10 years, 15% in the 11th year and 20% the 12th year. Industrial buildings that don’t receive the designation are assessed at 25% of market value.

31st Ward Ald. Milly Santiago is teaming up with Cook County Commissioner Luis Arroyo, Jr. and State Representative Will Guzzardi to hold a back to school fair this Saturday. While their names aren’t listed in the press release the alderman’s office sent out last night, Mayor Rahm Emanuel, City Treasurer Kurt Summers, and Cook County Circuit Court Clerk Dorothy Brown are expected to attend the event at Foreman College and Career Academy, Kevin Lamm, the alderman’s chief of staff says.

When asked why Cook County Democratic Party Chairman and 31st Ward Committeeman Joe Berrios won’t be in attendance, since the event is in his backyard, Lamm said they weren’t “snubbing” the party chairman. Lamm said Summers and Brown reached out to the alderman to express interest in attending. It’s still unknown whether Ald. Santiago will challenge Berrios in the Committeeman race next year. She is weighing her options, Lamm says.

The Cook County Democratic Party endorsed its slate for the March 15th, 2016 Primary. But there are two races where party leadership decided not to endorse any of the candidates: the U.S. Senate and State’s Attorney seats.

Cook County Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios said the party leadership would rather have an open primary for the Illinois U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Mark Kirk because “none of the five candidates who addressed them were able to garner sufficient votes for support”, according to a press release.

“Our slate is an extremely diverse ticket, drawing from the suburbs as well as Chicago and individuals from various ethnicities,” Berrios said. “In the cases where we made no endorsements, there were simply too many qualified candidates for any one of them to receive the required number of votes for Party backing.”

This means U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, immigrant rights activist Susana Sandoval, State Sen. Napoleon Harris, Cook County Board Commissioner Richard Boykin and former Chicago Urban League CEO Andrea Zopp will have to fight it out without the party’s support.

Incumbent State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez will also have to fight her reelection without Cook County Democrats by her side. Her challengers include Donna More, Kim Foxx and Cook County Board Commissioner John Fritchey.

The full list of endorsed candidates for the 2016 election:

President of the United States: Hillary Clinton

Illinois State Comptroller: Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza

Clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court: Dorothy Brown (incumbent)

Cook County Recorder of Deeds:  Karen Yarbrough (incumbent)

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (6-year terms):  Barbara McGowan (incumbent), Mariyana Spyropoulos (incumbent), as well as Josina Morita

Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (2-year term): Tom Greenhaw

Appellate Court: Justice Bertina Lampkin and Judge Eileen O’Neill Burke (Those selected as alternates: Associate Judge William Boyd, Judge Raul Vega and Associate Judge Leonard Murray)

Cook County Board of Review, 2nd District: Incumbent Commissioner Michael Cabonargi

Circuit Court Judge:  Judge Alison Conlon, Judge Daniel Patrick Duffy, Judge Rossana Fernandez, Judge Alexandra Gillespie, Maureen O’Donoghue Hannon, Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr., Brendan O’Brien and Judge Devlin Joseph Schoop. (Selected as alternates: Fredrick Bates, Sean Chaudhuri, Patrick Heneghan, Nichole Patton and Peter Michael Gonzalez)

The Chicago Plan Commission holds its monthly meeting this afternoon (agenda). Instead of meeting at their normal location in the City Council Chambers, the Board will convene in room 201A at 1:00 p.m. These are some of the large scale projects on the agenda:

Proposed Viceroy Hotel, Gold Coast - 2nd Ward

1118 N. State St. | Ordinance: O2014-973 | Introduced: 12/10/2014

This plan is years in the making. The Viceroy Hotel Group wants to demolish the vacant Cedar Hotel in the Gold Coast so it can build an 18-story building with 180 hotel rooms, a restaurant on the ground floor, and an open green space on a 12,000 sq. ft. site. According to the design sketches produced by architecture firm Goettsch Partners, the new building will replicate the existing, red brick, decorative terra cotta facade, which is the “character defining feature” of the Cedar Hotel. The Los Angeles-based upscale boutique hotel chain has locations in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, Miami, and New York. The applicant on file, Cedar Property, LLC, is seeking a zoning change from a DX-7 (Downtown Mixed Use District) to a Planned Development, because the proposed hotel exceeds the height threshold allowed under the current zoning designation. The applicant plans to make a $686,651 payment to the Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, in addition to applying for an Adopt-a-Landmark Bonus. Edward Kus, with the law firm Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP, is the attorney on file. Don Wilson with DRW-M Investor LLC and Convexity Properties are also part of the venture.

Deal for trendy Gold Coast hotel collapses, June 03, 2009, Crain’s Chicago.

Viceroy Hotel picks Gold Coast for its Chicago domain, December 19, 2014, Crain’s Chicago.

18 Story Viceroy Hotel to Open on State Street by 2017, March 5, 2015, Curbed Chicago.

 

Proposed 53-Story Office Tower, Loop - 42nd Ward

130 N. Franklin St.  | Ordinance: O2015-4174  | Introduced 5/20/2015
Real estate developer Tishman Speyer has been trying for years to turn the surface parking lot and surrounding vacant land along 130 N. Franklin St. into an office highrise. The former site of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (1928-1972), later occupied by Henry Crown & Company until 1986, was eventually turned into a surface parking lot with space for more than 200 cars. Through a joint venture with Henry Crown & Company, the applicants, under the name 130 N. Franklin St., LLC, seek to build a 53-story office building along Franklin St. between Randolph and Washington. Plans include ground floor commercial retail, a restaurant, a minimum of 140 on-site parking spaces and a large outdoor plaza. The development plan designed by architecture firm Krueck + Sexton will be 65,000 sq. ft., with approximately 20,700 sq. ft.dedicated to the landscaped open green space. When Henry & Crown Company occupied the site in 1989, they successfully rezoned it into a Planned Development (PD 496). When the PD expired, Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) rezoned the project site into a DC-16, Downtown Core District, a zoning classification intended to promote high density office and employment growth with mixed-use residential uses permitted. Developers are asking permission to rezone the area into a Business Planned Development.

 

Angular Glass Tower at 130 North Franklin Moving Forward Wednesday, April 8, 2015, Curbed Chicago

Get Your Funk On: Skyscraper Finally Coming to 130 North Franklin  January 22, 2015, Chicago Architecture Blog

Proposed Half Acre Brewery - 40th Ward

2050 W. Balmoral Ave. | Ordinance: O2015-4625 | Introduced: 6/17/2015
Half Acre Brewery wants to build a 35,000 sq. ft. brewery with an adjoining tasting room and full service kitchen on the first floor, and office space on the second floor of the existing property, which is a little over a mile north of the beer company’s Lincoln Ave. location. The applicant on file, Bastion of Balmoral, LLC, has requested a zoning change from an M1-2 Manufacturing District to a C3-3 Commercial District, because the planned tasting room exceeds the maximum size permitted under the current designation by 4,000 sq. ft. And while the renderings prepared by Space Architects + Planners do not call for the expansion of the current building, Half Acre will add an outdoor beer garden and on-site parking for 33 cars. Gabriel Magliaro, owner of Half Acre Brewery, is managing member of GMB Partners LLC, which manages Bastion of Balmoral. In a blog post from March 2014 on Half Acre’s website, the company said it bought the 2050 W. Balmoral site to serve as an extension to their Lincoln Avenue tap room, about 5 minutes away. “The additional space will allow us to expand our distribution footprint to the entire Chicagoland area, add more onsite enjoyment at both locations and explore our interests as brewers and beyond.”

Half Acre to open second Brewery, March 24, 2014, Chicago Tribune

 

Parkway East Project, Lakeview - 44th Ward

506-514 W. Diversey Parkway | Ordinance: O2015-4175 | Introduced: 5/20/2015
Boston-based Broder Diversey, LLC wants to build an 11-story residential tower near Diversey Harbor, with 56 dwelling units and commercial retail at the base. The site is zoned as a B3-5 Community Shopping District and is currently a surface parking lot with a neighboring 3-story residential commercial building. The developers, which includes the Gabriel Development Group and LA Commercial, LLC, want to rezone the area into a Residential Business Planned Development divided into two sub areas, according to the sketches from architectural firm, Pappageorge Haymes Partners. The larger plot, Sub Area A, is 14,250 sq. ft. and will include a minimum of 53 parking spaces and residential units. The neighboring Sub Area B takes up 4,750 sq. ft. and includes a minimum of 3 residential units without parking. When the concept was first brought to the community in 2014, another proposed development project across the street in the neighboring 43rd Ward was also in the works. Lexington Homes, LLC had proposed building a 17-story condo on 523 W. Diversey Ave, the site of the former Market Place Food Store, but Ald. Michelle Smith announced last month in an email the developer had withdrawn its plans after “it became clear the current proposal could not be realistically modified to address neighborhood concerns.”
High-Rise Development Could Still Become Reality, May 8, 2013, Lakeview Patch

'Horrendous' Congestion Feared As Lakeview, Lincoln Park Projects Collide, September 9, 2014, DNAInfo

 

Whole Foods, Lakeview - 44th Ward

3201 N. Ashland Ave. | Ordinance: O2015-3703 | Introduced: 5/6/2015
Novak Construction purchased the former LaSalle Bank site to build a new Whole Foods in the Lakeview neighborhood. The organic grocery chain already operates a store in Lakeview. The original Ashland Ave. store is almost two decades old. The new location is part of a large expansion plan the company unveiled last year to open 11 new stores across the US and Canada.  The applicant on file, Ashland Belmont, LLC, has a draft plan that includes construction of a 79,500 sq. ft. store and 305 parking spots. In order to break ground, the developers seek to amend the subject property, which is currently designated as Residential Planned Business Development #1052.
Lakeview Whole Foods To Double, Become City's Second-Largest, February 12, 2015, DNAinfo

Lakeview Whole Foods Adds Park, New Facade In Wake of Neighbors' Concerns, July 6, 2015 , DNAinfo

A Look at the New Behemoth Lakeview Whole Foods Proposal, Thursday, April 23, 2015, Curbed Chicago

 

Development Plans for the old Kitschy Ed Debevic’s Diner - 42nd Ward

200-212 W. Ontario St.; 628-648 N. Wells St.; 201-209 W. Erie St. | Ordinance: O2015-4176  | Introduced: 5/20/2015
Applicants Robert Stone and Jeffrey Himmel are part of a joint venture to build a residential complex at the site of the old Ed Debevic’s 50’s themed restaurant in River North. Filing their application under the name of Wells & Erie, LLC, the developers seek to rezone the site from a DX-7, Downtown District, to a Residential Business Planned Development to construct two buildings; a 22-story residential tower with 253 units and neighboring two-story commercial building to the west. The plans prepared by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects include 117 accessory off-street parking, and accessory and incidental uses--(it was reported that the small building will likely hold a daycare center for dogs). In order to increase the floor area permitted on site, developers plan to make a $1.5M cash contribution to the city’s Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund in lieu of providing on-site affordable housing, as well as a $1.2M cash contribution for public infrastructure improvements.  Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) held a community meeting in May, so that representatives of the JDL development team could present their plans to the River North Residents Association (slideshow).

River North's Kitschy Ed Debevic's to Make Way for New Tower Friday, April 24, 2015, Curbed Chicago

Ed Debevic's sass to go: Cheeky diner is looking for a new home April 24, 2015, Crain’s Chicago

A Look at the Apartment Tower That Will Replace Ed Debevic's Wednesday, May 13, 2015, by Curbed Staff

Acquisitions & Dispositions - Ald. Howard Brookins, Jr. (21) introduced an ordinance proposing the sale of city-owned property on 650 W. 83rd St. to Green ERA Educational NFP, so it can build a renewable energy anaerobic digester facility. The company will use the space and equipment to recycle food and park waste into composted soil and biogas. Ald. Brookins has requested the Plan Commission rezone the area from a M1-2, Manufacturing District, to an M3-2, Manufacturing District, and eventually into a planned development. The site will be roughly 440,000 sq. ft. [Ordinance: O2015-5391]

Tax Increment Financing - Proposals to amend two TIF Districts are slated for approval. One item is a resolution amending the Cicero/Archer Redevelopment Project. The other resolution is an expansion plan to add an additional 4,676 taxable properties to the 119th/I-57 TIF. The expansion plan is based on a study from an independent consulting firm, SB Friedman Development Advisors, the city hired to see if adjacent areas around the original project area would qualify as “blighted”. The expansion plan includes the Morgan Park and West Pullman neighborhoods.

Adjacent Neighbors - Two city-owned properties are for sale under the Adjacent Neighbors Land Acquisition Program. One property is on 6506 S. Dorchester Ave in Woodlawn. The three-unit, three floor building in the 20th Ward was built in 1888 and needs “minor repair”, according to the Cook County Assessor’s records. [Pin: 20-23-213-047-0000]. The other property, 8906 S. Lowe Ave, in the 21st Ward is a vacant lot in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood. [Pin: 25-04-118-024-0000].

Negotiated Sales - There is a resolution recommending the negotiated sale of City-owned land on 3427 W. Madison St. in the 28th Ward’s East Garfield Park neighborhood. [Pin: 16-14-201-006-0000]

CPS Unveils Budget Under Cloud of Uncertainty, Pensions & CTU Contract Remain Wild Cards; CTU & Rauner Respond
by Claudia Morell – [email protected] and A.D. Quig – [email protected]

Chicago Public Schools leadership says they need another $480 million to stay open after this school year’s first quarter. But statehouse politics makes it unclear if Springfield will simply cut a check to help, raise Chicago property taxes, or a combination of both.

During a Monday conference call that coincided with the release of its proposed $5.687 billion operating budget, CPS officials suggested the situation is out of their hands. “If Springfield fails to do its part, we’ll make more unsustainable borrowing and deeper cuts,” CPS Chief Executive Officer Forrest Claypool said in Monday’s call, but said he was encouraged by the direction of talks in Springfield. (Press release – fact sheet 1 – fact sheet 2)

Some budget numbers of note:

Cuts:

• $65.5M to operating budget


• $288.3M to capital budget - what CPS is calling an “austerity budget”


• $65.2M to debt budget

Layoffs:

• 204 high school teachers and 275 elementary school teachers - CPS says there are approximately 1,450 teaching vacancies expected


• 1012 additional non-teaching position layoffs

Borrowing:

• $255M in “scoop and toss”


• $1M line of credit

Revenue:

• $87M TIF surplus


• $80M in property taxes


• $480M from pension reform in Springfield

Nearly every other sentence from CPS officials on their August 10th press call included mention of Springfield or state government, but Claypool says he has no intention of lobbying in Springfield directly. He says even with an additional property tax levy and TIF surplus money, CPS will be in big trouble without reform at the end of this school quarter.

The proposed FY16 budget will be made available for public comment and review on Aug. 18 at three meetings around the city (6:00-8:00 p.m. at Shurz High School, Olive-Harvey College, and Malcolm X College). The final budget is expected to be presented to the Board of Education for a vote at its next meeting, scheduled for Aug. 26.

(Also, immediately before the CPS press conference, schools leadership announced new changes to school bell times, where 34 schools will have their bell times reverted back to their original settings. The final 48 schools with start time changes will save $5 million a year, CPS leadership claims.)

CTU Springfield Allies Introduce ESRB Legislation

At the same time as the CPS budget release call, supporters of an Elected Representative School Board (ESRB)–including state legislators, Chicago Teachers Union organizers and aldermen–gathered to call for passage of House Bill 4268. Filed August 6, the legislation would establish a 13 member school board with members from four regions of Chicago, to be elected in March 2016.

A press release from CTU distributed at yesterday's ESRB event called the appointed Board of Education a financial failure. “This long record of ineffective governance is not because ‘Springfield’ has made mistakes but is rather because the Board has made decisions in the interests of private contractors, charter schools, big banks, and bondholders rather than the interests of students and families.” (CTU fact sheet)

The bill’s chief co-sponsors include Rep. Rob Martwick (D-Chicago), Rep. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago), Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), Rep. Jaime Andrade (D-Chicago), and Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), and 28 other co-sponsors.

Rayner Holds Response Presser; Talks CPS, Elected School Board and CTU Power

In a last-minute press conference called in Chicago yesterday afternoon, Governor Bruce Rauner said he doesn’t support an elected school board for Chicago and described the power of the Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU) as “overwhelming.”

After spending six minutes reiterating his position that Chicago has benefited from special treatment and suggesting he is “cautiously optimistic” the General Assembly and CPS officials are warming up to his statewide reforms, the Governor refused to comment on specific CPS budget projections because his office is still “crunching the numbers”.

He did comment on two CPS related issues: the teachers’ union contract and the movement for an elected school board.

“The power of the teachers union is overwhelming. Chicago has given and given and it has created the financial crisis that Chicago schools face now,” Gov. Rauner said about the stalled contract negotiations between CPS and the Chicago Teacher’s Union.

Gov. Rauner also said Chicago doesn’t need an elected school board because Mayor Rahm Emanuel was elected into office and was given a mandate to appoint members to the board, “And the Mayor has shown a willingness to stand up and advocate for taxpayers and has taken on some of the entrenched interests, so I’m not a supporter of the Mayor losing his ability to drive reforms.”

Council might be on break, but Ald. George Cardenas (12) and Ald. Ed Burke (14) can spend their time off counting contributions–the two reported the most activity since our last aldermanic contribution review in mid-July. But the biggest single aldermanic donation since July 20th was from one alderman to another: On July 23, Ald. Joe Moreno (1) transferred $10,000 to his fellow Latino Caucus member Ald. Danny Solis (25). Mayor Emanuel’s big election time donations haven’t totally let up either, he got a $25,000 boost from The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters.

View contributions spreadsheet. Download contributions as CSV file.

Most of the contributions to the Burnham Committee, Ald. Burke's political action committee, are from large law firms and consulting services, including Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP ($1,500) and Locke Lord LLP ($1,500). The consulting firm reportedly lobbying on behalf of Uber in Illinois, Leinenweber, Baroni & Daffada, LLC, also contributed ($1,500) to the Burnham Committee.

Friends of George Cardenas, Ald. Cardenas’ campaign committee, drew a more diverse list of donors, including real estate firms, general contractors, financial service companies, and one elected official. Berwyn Ald. Cesar Santoy made a personal donation of $1,500 on July 21 to Ald. Cardenas (the money wasn’t filed as a transfer from Santoy’s candidate committee).

Cardenas, Chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, also reported contributions ($1,500) from Yards Plaza, LLC, the company behind the proposed multi-million dollar Back of the Yards Shopping Center, and two recycling companies: JLG Recycling, Inc. ($2,500) and Lakeshore Recycling Systems ($1,500).

Newly elected Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41) received $1,000 from LiUNA Chicago Area Laborers Political League, a labor organization with 20 local affiliates representing 20,000 construction workers, including many city workers. Earlier this month, Ald. Pat Dowell (3) received a $1,000 from the group, but listed them as “Construction & General Labors.”

Ald. Michelle Harris (8), Chairman of the City Council’s powerful Rules Committee, got a $1,500 lift from ComEd PAC, the political action group for the energy provider. The company’s PAC transferred the same amount of money to City Council Budget Committee Chairman Carrie Austin’s (34) candidate contribution group earlier this month.

Notwithstanding the flurry of dueling press conferences that clogged the second floor of City Hall, yesterday’s meeting dragged along in predictable fashion. Alderman dedicated over an hour to resolutions of praise and then quickly approved more than 300 pieces of legislation, most of which were routine (the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee had 216 routine traffic items alone).

Mayor Emanuel’s ordinance amending the ethics code was the one of the only contentious items of the day, as some alderman used it as a springboard to resurface old pleas to merge the Office of the Legislative Inspector General (OLIG) and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). The OLIG is tasked with investigating aldermen, while the Inspector General polices the rest of city government.

The ordinance, which the City Council passed after about 20 minutes of discussion, tweaked several sections of the ethics code, including a provision requiring the OLIG submit evidence gathered during the course of an investigation to the Board of Ethics. When the item was discussed in committee Monday, Board of Ethics Executive Director Steve Berlin assured aldermen the changes were minor, as the underlying goal of the ordinance was to add clarity to the existing code.

But prior to the full City Council meeting, Legislative Inspector General Faisal Khan sent a memo to aldermen warning them the change would “destroy the ability for citizens to make complaints without fear of retaliation and [would] have a chilling effect on potential witnesses.” This wasn’t the first time Khan accused the City of preventing him from doing his job. During last year’s budget hearings, he sued several prominent alderman claiming his annual appropriation of $354,000 makes it impossible for him to do his job.

So when Ald. Michelle Harris (8), Chairman of the Committee on Committees, Rules, Ethics, brought the item up for a vote, several aldermen asked to speak. Most demanded a formal hearing on an ordinance to eliminate Khan’s office and give Inspector General Ferguson the authority to police the City Council.

“I think it would behoove us to look at once and for all putting ourselves under the inspector general, Mr. Ferguson's office, and put an end to all the back and forth games that we have been playing for several years,” Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) demanded, after calling the ethics ordinance a game of musical chairs.

Ald. John Arena (45) said while he would support the ordinance because it “clarifies” the scope and duties among the Board of Ethics and the two inspector generals, something would have to be done to address the “triangle” of offices tasked with enforcing the ethics code.

Ald. James Cappleman (45), Ald. Michele Smith (43), Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa(35), Ald. Joe Moore (49), Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) made similar comments.

Despite the strong words, only two aldermen, Nick Sposato (38) and Anthony Napolitano (41) voted against the ordinance. Neither of them asked to speak before the council. The only other divided roll call vote was on Ald. Matt O’Shea’s (19) ordinance to end free trash pickup at large apartment buildings. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5), whose lakefront Hyde Park residents are a key constituency, was the lone no vote. As for abstentions, Ald. Ed Burke (14) invoked Rule 14 on the vote to approve Multi-Family Revenue Bonds for the St. Edmunds’ Oasis development project. BMO Harris, a client of Ald. Burke’s law firm, will issue the bonds. Ald. Ameya Pawar (47) also abstained from approving the University of Chicago’szoning request to build a new charter school in the Woodlawn Area. His wife works for the University.

New Revenue-Generating Ordinances: A Sign of What’s To Come?
If yesterday’s City Council meeting is any indication of what’s to come, the pre-budget season will likely include several proposals to add incremental fees, fines and taxes to add much needed revenue to the city's coffers.

With the full month of August off and the next full City Council meeting scheduled for the end of September, around the same time as Mayor Rahm Emanuel is poised to introduce his budget plan for the next fiscal year, city agencies and aldermen are rushing to find new sources of revenue.

The Mayor declined to comment on revenue generating ideas passed or proposed at Wednesday’s meeting, but at a post-Council press conference, he said he directed Alex Holt, head of the Office of Budget and Management, to schedule three separate meetings with aldermen to discuss ideas for cuts, reforms, efficiencies, and revenue. In the meantime, he says he doesn’t want to “prejudice anybody” who brings forward their own proposals. The mayor said Holt was also scheduled to meet with Inspector General Joe Ferguson Wednesday to discuss immediate reforms the city can make based on IG findings. Ferguson’s trash pickup enforcement report spurred Wednesday’s vote to end free trash pickup at apartment buildings with more than four units, a change expected to save the city $3.3 million.

Aldermen also approved ordinances requiring new permits for fire hydrant use and urban farms that want to sell their fertilizer off site, and an ordinance giving city inspectors the right to fine dry cleaners and auto shops up to $5,000 for improper use of a hazardous chemical, perchloroethylene, commonly found in industrial cleaners.

Additional revenue-generating ordinances like a new soda tax, fines for noisy neighbors and people who fly drones near Chicago airports, and a new permit for restaurants that want to set up additional seating on the street were formally introduced at yesterday's meeting.

Ald. George Cardenas (12) is reviving his plan to create a “Chicago Sweetened-Beverage Tax”, which would be a penny-per-ounce tax on sodas and other sugary drinks. Since the item was referred to the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, which Ald. Cardenas chairs, it shouldn’t have a hard time moving through committee.

Ald. Raymond Lopez (15) is behind an amendment to the Municipal Code that would fine those who play loud music, defined as “audible above conversational level within 100 ft.”, between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m . Starting at 8:00 p.m., the ordinance would fine $500 for violations. That fine would double at 10:00 p.m. and double again at midnight.

Northside aldermen Tom Tunney (44) and Michele Smith (43) introduced an ordinance to create a curbside cafe permit as part of a new pilot program that would run from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. The permit would cost $100 plus the anticipated lost parking meter revenue for all affected spaces.

Ald. Burke and Ald. Scott Waguespack (32) co-sponsored an ordinance that would ban drones from flying within five miles of O’Hare and Midway Airport. The ordinance would require drone operators to carry insurance and register their drones with the City’s Department of Aviation. These unmanned aircrafts would also be prohibited within a quarter mile of a school, hospital, or place of worship. Violators would face fines ranging from $500 to $5,000 per occurrence and could face up to 180 days in jail.

Mayoral Appointments to Buildings, Human Services, Police Board Approved

In addition to the items already mentioned, aldermen also approved:

• Official landmark designation for the Fulton-Randolph Market


• A ban on smartphone cases that look like guns


• Relaxed zoning restrictions for amusement arcades. These internet gaming establishments were previously restricted to areas zoned for taverns and strip malls.


• Appointments and changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board. The ordinance changes City Treasurer Kurt Summers’ status from a nonvoting advisory member to a voting member, as he was appointed Board Chairman. The Board will vote on a new Executive Director at their August 7th meeting. Mayor Emanuel has asked that they choose Leslie Darling, the First Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City’s Law Department. The other approved members of the board are listed here.


• Ben Winick as the Financial Analyst for the City’s new Independent Budget Office, and Ald. Ed Burke as Vice Chair of the City Council Committee overseeing the new office. Burke replaces Carole Brown, the city’s new Chief Financial Officer.


• Lisa Morrison Butler as the new Commissioner for the Department of Family and Supportive Services


• Lori Lightfoot as the new President of the Chicago Police Board


• Judy Frydland as the new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings

Mayoral Introduces TOD, Privatization Ordinances
Below are brief summaries of the ordinances with links to the legislation and corresponding press release. We will provide more details as the items move through committee.

Amendments to Transit Oriented Developments [O2015-5334]
The ordinance creates incentives for developers to build closer to CTA and Metra Stations by expanding the size of Transit Oriented Development Zones, removing all on-site parking requirements, and adding new affordable housing requirements by increasing the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) to 3.75 in business and commercial zoned districts (B-3;C-3) if half of the development is dedicated to affordable housing. The FAR increase would only apply to planned developments. The ordinance also adds specific distance requirements for these developments. For example, for a proposal to qualify as a TOD in a downtown zoned district (D-3), it would have to be located within a quarter mile of a CTA or METRA rail station entrance. Press Release.

Restrictions on Privatizing City Assets O2015-5434
The ordinance co-sponsored by Mayor Emanuel and Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6) puts additional hurdles in place to make sure any future privatization deal is in the city’s best interest. There aren’t any plans currently in place to lease city assets, but if the ordinance is approved, the City’s Chief Financial Officer would have to find an independent advisor to prepare a report assessing the proposed sale. That report would evaluate: (1) if selling the asset is in the best interest of the City; (2) is the contractor buying the asset was “fair and transparent; (3) if the sale price is fair. The advisor would have 90 days to complete the report before the proposed sale could go to the City Council. Once the item is introduced, the CFO would have 23 days to issue a report detailing the scope of the deal to the Council Committee, and the Chairman would have to schedule a public hearing seven days before advancing it to the full City Council. The contractor purchasing the asset would have to pay for the additional oversight provisions outlined in the ordinance. Press Release

Discussion of the ordinance took up the bulk of Mayor Emanuel’s post-Council press conference Wednesday. The Mayor said he’s following through from a campaign pledge he made to create a process to study privatization matters, using Midway privatization consideration as inspiration. He penned an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune in September 2013 about the process:

“...first, a group of outside experts should be impaneled at the start of the process to monitor each step; second, there must be a minimum 30-day review by the City Council before the project is voted upon; third, there should be a clear set of standards so the public can judge a potential partnership when it is presented; fourth, the funds should be invested in infrastructure rather than used as a plug for short-term budget holes; fifth, a true public-private partnership requires that taxpayers maintain control of the asset and share in management decisions and financial profit.”

When asked in yesterday's press conference whether he had an “epiphany” about Ald. Sawyer’s ordinance, first introduced three years ago, the mayor laughed and circled back around to the Midway Airport process. “It pretty much follows the process I put in place as associated with Midway when the city was analyzing and studying whether there should be privatization. I put in place because of all the things that were done in and around the parking meters.”

Ordinance Defining Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Surplus [O2015-5328]
This ordinance would turn an Executive Order Mayor Emanuel issued in 2013 into law. It would require that each of the city’s 147 TIFs declare surplus funds, so that money can be dispersed to Chicago Public Schools, the City, Cook County, and other local taxing bodies. For a TIF to qualify, it must be more than three years old, have a minimum balance of $1 million, not for a single redevelopment project.

Ordinance Giving the Police Superintendent Subpoena Power [O2015-5856]
The ordinance Mayor Emanuel introduced on behalf of the Police Department gives the police superintendent and any member of his command staff the authority to issue subpoenas to “compel attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of information relevant to investigations” conducted by the department’s Bureau of Internal Affairs. The person receiving the subpoena would have seven days to comply or provide written notice objecting to the contents of the subpoena. Anyone who refuses to comply or interferes with an investigation could be fined up to $5,000 and could face up to six months in jail.

Additional Police for Public Housing Buildings [O2015-5964]
The ordinance updates an intergovernmental agreement between the Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Housing Authority to allow for additional police patrol watches at “mutually determined” high-crime CHA developments. As part of this CHA Policing Strategy, CPD would be required to “regularly and routinely coordinate, cooperate and share relevant data” with various law enforcement task forces, including the FBI and DEA. The agreement also asks that CPD regularly provide CHA with detailed reports of arrests and policy activity.

Committee on Aviation Creates New O’Hare Parking Programs

The Committee on Aviation met briefly to approve an updated concession agreement with Simply Wheelz, LLC and to defer Mayor Emanuel’s ordinance requiring concession agreements between parking providers at O’Hare Airport and the Aviation Commissioner. That ordinance would have also created a premium parking service program.

 

Committee on License and Consumer Protection Approves New Booting Rules

A quick Committee on License and Consumer Protection meeting yesterday concluded with what aldermen described as “weirdness”: an ordinance regarding car booting, which is usually submitted by the  local alderman, had the City Clerk listed as the sponsor.

The Committee approved all items on the agenda, including a direct introduction from Mayor Emanuel amending the Municipal Code regarding crane operator licensing, extending the effective date from September 1, 2015 to March 1, 2016. Matthew Beaudet with the City Building Department said changing the effective date will not conflict with upcoming updated OSHA licensing requirements. Chairman Emma Mitts (37) asked one item (O2015-4660), an ordinance allowing packaged goods on a portion of W. Division, be deferred.

The only bit of weirdness came with the last few agenda items permitting wards to allow “booting” of cars on private property by private firms. Ald. Brian Hopkins asked if the 2nd Ward could be included, and provided brief testimony about small businesses who said shoppers were parking in their spots, but shopping elsewhere. The committee approved his request.

An identical ordinance from the 31st Ward was next, but neither Ald. Milly Santiago nor the listed sponsor, City Clerk Susanna Mendoza, were present. A representative from Santiago’s office told the committee Ald. Santiago had no objection to the private booting, and that the businesses had simply been remapped into the 31st Ward. Ald. Tom Tunney said Santiago should have introduced the ordinance. “It’s a little weird,” he said. Chairman Mitts agreed, but both voted to approve the ordinance.

Recently hired City employees who don’t live in Chicago would have 90 days to move within city limits or apply for a waiver with the Department of Human Resources, under an ordinance the Committee on Workforce Development approved. The waiver would only be granted in cases of extraordinary circumstances like fleeing from an abusive partner, losing your house in a fire or other “natural calamity.”

The HR department was already granting 2 or 3 waivers a year, but recently learned there isn’t a law on the books that made it okay, says Human Resources Commissioner Soo Choo.

Choo’s office wasn’t aware of the oversight until a recent Inspector General investigation involving a residency issue found that there isn’t a provision allowing “wiggle room” for special circumstances. The IG’s office helped draft the legislation, Choo added.

City employees requesting waivers would have to file a written request to the Commissioner of Human Resources, who would have final say on the matter. The documents are public, but the “extraordinary circumstance” would remain confidential.

Several proposed large-scale development projects like the Nobu Hotel for West Randolph Street, a residential complex off the Brown Line’s Southport stop, and the new development next to the Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park await approval from the City Council today. Three Mayoral appointments and one City Council appointment, Ben Winick as the Financial Analyst for the City’s new independent budget office, will also get called for a vote. Here are some highlights:

The following mayoral appointments passed in committee and will be reported out for a full vote:

• 
  

  Lisa Morrison Butler as the Commissioner of the Department of Family and Supportive Services [A2015-47] Butler currently serves as Executive Director for City Year Chicago, an organization that works with CPS to help at-risk students graduate from high school. Mayor Emanuel announced Butler’s appointment at the beginning of the month, saying she will “help quarterback some of the most critical items on my second term agenda,” from progress on the Mayor’s universal pre-K program to an expansion of youth violence prevention programs.

  
  


• 
  

  Lori Lightfoot as President of the Chicago Police Board [A2015-48]. Lightfoot is a former federal prosecutor She also worked for the City as head of the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards (OPS), where she investigated cases of police misconduct. After two years as Chief Administrator for OPS, Lightfoot worked in the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC), and eventually migrated over to the Office of Procurement Services. Following her tenure with the City, Lightfoot went back to private practice and has since worked with the law firm Mayer Brown. The Police Board is an independent body that decides disciplinary action against police accused of misconduct. Lightfoot told the committee she’ll do what she can to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency.

  
  


• 
  

  Judy Frydland as Commissioner of the Department of Buildings [A2015-46]  Frydland currently serves as the Deputy Corporation Counsel for the Chicago Department of Law’s Building & License Enforcement Division. During her tenure with the law department, Frydland was involved in high profile cases like the E2 nightclub disaster in 2003 and the 2003 Lincoln Park porch collapse. Frydland will be responsible for enforcing the building code and modernizing the department, but didn’t provide any details on her priorities during the committee hearing.

  
  

The following ordinances passed in committee (keep scrolling for items approved in committee Tuesday):

• 
  

  The Pullman National Monument Advisory Commission [O2015-4653]: the seven member body would include a chairman and six members appointed by the mayor “with input from Pullman community leaders, business owners, and residents,” according to the ordinance. The board would be responsible for coordinating projects to promote tourism and raise community awareness, maintaining the area, and reporting new developments with the City Council and Mayor’s Office. The board could also solicit and accept public and private contributions, but would have to coordinate spending with the National Park Service.

  
  


• 
  

  Amendments to the Ethics Code for “Financial Statements of Interest”[O2015-4685] It moves the maximum requirement for ownership in stock of a publicly traded company from $15,000 to one half of 1% of that company’s outstanding shares, and refines the reverse revolving door provision that applies to incoming city officials or employees by permanently prohibiting them from participating in a city matter if they worked personally and substantially on that matter for their immediate pre-city employer or client. They would be prohibited for 2 years from working on any other matter that involves their pre-city employer or client unless they’ve severed monetary ties.

  
  


• 
  

  An ordinance adding federal & state Perchloroethylene regulations to the Municipal Code [O2015-4652] The ordinance aligns Chicago code with state and federal standards, so Chicago public health inspectors would have the authority to ticket dry cleaning facilities and auto repair shops that improperly dispose of perchloroethylene (“PERC”), a hazardous chemical found in polishes and cleaner. The state currently regulates the use and disposal of the chemical. Violators would be fined between $1,000 to $5,000.

  
  

Nearly 800 residential buildings would cease to benefit from free garbage collection if the City Council approves an ordinance the Budget Committee approved yesterday. The ordinance Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) sponsored would give these building owners 90 days to arrange their own garbage service.

“These 794 buildings are cheating the system, cheating the taxpayers and there are more out there,” Ald. O’Shea told the committee Tuesday. He says ending the loophole would free up much-needed cash and resources for other city services.

The measure is in response to a 2014 Inspector General report that found the Department of Streets and Sanitation was wasting $3.3 million collecting trash from buildings that were no longer exempt under the city’s grandfather clause. It allowed continued garbage services for buildings that had been receiving the service since July 19, 2000. Buildings that changed ownership should have been removed from the exemption list, but DSS hadn’t updated that list since 2007, the IG report concluded. Last March, the IG’s Office issued a follow up report claiming DSS failed to implement any changes.

Testifying before the Budget Committee, Streets and Sanitation Commissioner Charles Williams provided an updated inventory of that list. Of the 2,500 properties that received the exemption 15-years ago, 1800 remain on the list and 794 buildings no longer qualify for free trash pickup but still benefited from the service, Williams said. While the department is making an effort to crack down on the list, he says it is “very difficult to track down land trusts or corporations” which own most of these buildings, but he’s aiming to have a complete inventory by November.

The item passed without dissent, but not everyone on the committee was thrilled with the ordinance. Ald. Brian Hopkins (2) said it’s unfair that all Chicagoans pay taxes that help pay for garbage collection, but only certain home and building owners benefit from the city service. “So what we have now is a situation where one homeowner gets free pick up provided by the city, and literally the next door neighbor has to pay an additional fee to contract with a private waste hauler,” Ald. Hopkins said, arguing it would incentivize people to dump their trash in other people’s garbage cans. “Just imagine what it would do to the alleys.”

Ald. James Cappleman (46) was also hesitant to vote in support, because like Hopkins, most of the buildings in his ward are multiple dwelling buildings. He suggested a garbage collection and fee system based on the amount of garbage buildings produce instead of the current system based on building size. Ald. Cappleman said this would incentivise more buildings to recycle.

In addition to Ald. O’Shea’s ordinance, the Committee also approved the following items:

• 
  

  An ordinance amending the Voluntary Water Meter Installation Pilot Program, more commonly known as the Meter Save Program. Building owners would have to install and pay for water meters at the time their building is connected to the city’s water system. The ordinance also removes the pay rate system currently in place for using water from a fire hydrant. Anyone who wants to use water from a fire hydrant would have to apply for a permit. Construction crews and street sweepers that use fire hydrants would pay the Department of Finance a flat rate of $83.78 a day. The ordinance also clarifies what sewer repairs the city is on the hook for, and what building owners would have to pay.

  
  


• 
  

  An additional $77,000 grant from the federal Department of Health and Human Services to the City’s Department of Public Health for the Morbidity and Risk Behavior Surveillance Program. The ordinance also authorizes the Health Commissioner to enter into an agreement with the National Opinion Research Center and Planned Parenthood of Illinois to provide grant money for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Evaluation Program.

  
  


• 
  

  An amendment to the XLI Community Development Block Grant Ordinance. The item the Office of Budget and Management directly introduced in committee would reallocate funds in two city departments. The Department of Family and Supportive services would like to reallocate $75,000 of funding originally awarded to the Samaritan Community Center and Wellspring Center for Hope, neither of which are open, to Family Rescue for its Domestic Violence Services Program. The Department of Planning and Development wants to put an additional $904,981 towards its Developer Services Program. Those funds were made available after “unexpected repayments of rehabilitation loans,” according to the ordinance.

  
  

Almost half of yesterday's nearly four hour Finance Committee meeting was spent discussing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board, followed by a heated debate on Ald. Will Burns’ (4) resolution requesting the state block film director Spike Lee’s application for a film production tax credit for his movie Chiraq. Chairman Ed Burke allowed discussion on Mayor Emanuel’s proposed appointments to the CIT board, but rescheduled the vote for Wednesday morning. He said the appointees to the board won't be asked to testify at Wednesday's meeting, since they had an opportunity to speak yesterday.

Chairman Burke also dedicated some time to discuss two pet issues: unprocessed rape test kits, and a ban on the sale and ownership of cell phone cases that look like guns. Both were approved in committee.

Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) ordinance adding new fees for companies that hold permits to operate trash cans on public streets was deferred because Ald. Moreno was absent by the time it was brought up for discussion. Chairman Burke also wanted to more time to discuss an ordinance Ald. Tom Tunney (44) and Mayor Emanuel introduced concerning municipal depositories.

At the tail end of the meeting, the committee approved in bulk and without discussion various appointments and reappointments to nine Special Service Areas (SSAs), and an ordinance giving City Treasurer Kurt Summers authority to oversee the Public Building Commission’s investment portfolio. The PBC oversees the construction, rehab, financing and land acquisition for new and existing City owned property. The committee also approved additional funding to the Small Business Improvement Fund Program to help pay for development projects in nine Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts.

Members Present: Chairman Ed Burke (14), Joe Moreno (1), Pat Dowell (3), Will Burns (4), Leslie Hairston (5), Roderick Sawyer (6), Gregory Mitchell (7), Michelle Harris (8), Anthony Beale (9), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Marty Quinn (13), Matt O’Shea (19), Michael Zalewski (23), Danny Solis (25), Roberto Maldonado (26), Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27), Jason Ervin (28), Ariel Reboyras (30), Scott Waguespack (32), Emma Mitts (37), Nick Sposato (38), Ald. Marge Laurino (39), Brendan Reilly (42), Tom Tunney (44), John Arena (45), Joe Moore (49), Debra Silverstein (50).

Others Present: Ald. Raymond Lopez (15), Ald. David Moore (17), Ald. Michael Scott Jr. (24), Ald. Milly Santiago (31), Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36), State Sen. Jackie Collins, FOP President Dean Angelo.

Ordinance Amending Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced plans last week to revamp and restructure the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board by replacing all but one board member, Chicago Federation of Labor President Jorge Ramirez. The board would expand from five to seven members. Leslie Darling, First Assistant Corporation Counsel with the City’s Law Department, would oversee the revamped Trust as its Executive Director. Hers is the only appointment that doesn’t require City Council approval. Bios for the appointees are in the Mayor’s press release announcement.

While the committee will need more time to review the changes to the CIT Board before it could vote on the matter, Burke says he would allow discussion, since the mayoral appointees were already present at the meeting and he didn’t want to “impose on their time.” But instead of using the time to discuss individual appointments, aldermen were more concerned about the lack of transparency in how the board conducts business.

Newly-elected South Side Ald. David Moore (17) started that line of questioning, asking City Treasurer Kurt Summers, who Mayor Emanuel appointed the new board chair, how he thinks the CIT can help blighted communities. While infrastructure is much-needed throughout the city, Summers says a need “exists in a most compelling fashion” in the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Addressing Moore’s concerns about transparency, Summers said South Carolina’s program might serve as a model for benchmarking and public accountability.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44) then asked Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), another appointee to the board, how the CIT plans to keep the City Council informed with new projects. Chairman Burke referred the question to the city’s new Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown. The board is required to publish annual reports, Brown said. All CIT projects require City Council approval and she would be “happy” to a answer any questions at any time. “Yes, but we approve a lot of things,” Ald. Tunney responded.

Ald. Anthony Beale (9) agreed with Ald. Tunney, suggesting the board’s first order of business should be a public report listing money spent, the types of public-private partnerships created, goals moving forward, and a ward-by-ward breakdown of investments.

Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6) noted that after several meetings with CIT board members, he noticed a fundraising issue and was told that staff members haven’t been paid. Brown conceded that the the organization has had challenges finding viable projects and investors, but wasn’t aware of the payroll issue.

When Mayor Emanuel first unveiled plans to create the Chicago Infrastructure Trust in 2012, he highlighted it as a way to leverage private dollars to fund “transformative” public infrastructure projects with minimal cost to the taxpayer. But CIT only has one completed project, Retrofit One, a plan to reduce building energy consumption by 20 percent. CIT’s other project to bring 4G mobile data to CTA’s underground subways is still in the works and is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

Ald. Tunney noted that after looking at the resumes of the appointees he saw a lot of great finance experience but few with real estate backgrounds.

Chiraq Tax Credit Hearing

Ald. Will Burns found little support among his peers and local community leaders in his effort to block film director Spike Lee’s application for a state film production tax credit for his movie Chiraq.

Ald. Burns introduced the symbolic resolution in May, shortly after Lee announced plans to film a movie about the prevalence of gun violence on the South Side of Chicago. Prior to the public debate, Burns told the committee he wanted to “signal his displeasure” with the movie’s title because the term “Chiraq” was created by “gang bangers” and it would be inappropriate to “validate and support them.” Given the state’s current financial woes, he said it would also be wrong to give Lee a $3 million dollar tax credit for a movie putting Chicago in such poor light.

But many who signed up to testify said the debate should be about solutions preventing the prevalence of gun violence, not a movie title. As a life-long resident of Auburn Gresham, and a co-sponsor of the legislation that created the tax credit in 2008, State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) said she has yet to see any economic development in the community and thought it ironic Ald. Burns was concerned Lee’s movie would stifle growth and tourism on the South Side, saying the whole point of the tax break is to incentivize local hiring and training in film production. Since production started on Chiraq, Lee has recruited and employed nearly 3,000 movie extras, 100 crew members and 20 interns from local neighborhoods, Collins said. “We need better statistics, not semantics.”

Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27) noted that as the former Chairman of the City Council’s Committee on Special Events and Cultural Affairs and the Choose Chicago Board, he understands Ald. Burns’ concerns but believes the state should give Lee a break. “I think [Lee] is on a mission and something thought-provoking is going to come out of this,” Burnett said. Ald. Brendan Reilly (42) echoed Burnett, calling it a “slippery slope” if the Council got involved in regulating movie titles. The TV show Boss, which Ald. Reilly said was “not a flattering political account” of Chicago, still netted the city $3.7 million dollars in film production tax breaks.

No one gave a more infuriated and impassioned speech on the issue than Fr. Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Church. “I’m almost insulted by the fact that we are discussing this…I think this is an orchestrated distraction,” Fr. Pleger said when called to testify. “Yes, Chicago should be worried,” he told Ald. Burns. “We should be worried about the image problem. We should not be worried about the title, because if the title was changed to Disneyland, we still have the same image that is portrayed on the media every day, because it is the reality of what is going on everyday. This is about lives, not a damn movie,” said the priest.

Request for Public Hearing on Untested Rape Kits Approved

The Committee approved Chairman Burke’s request to invite representatives from the Chicago Police Department and hold a public hearing on the backlog of untested rape kits in Chicago.

Burke and Budget Chairman Carrie Austin (34) testified they became aware of the issue after reading a recent USA Today article detailing a backlog of 70,000 untested rape kits across a thousand law enforcement agencies in the U.S. Burke also highlighted a U.S. Department of Justice report that found more than 400,000 rape kits are sitting in storage rooms awaiting forensic testing.

When Burke brought the item up for discussion, he said he was unsatisfied with CPD’s response to his inquiry about the city’s backlog. CPD would only reveal the number of rape kits it submits to the state for forensic testing, but could not accurately detail how many kits go untested, Burke testified. Chicago doesn’t have its own forensic lab and is required under the state’s Sexual Assault Evidence Submission Act to submit rape kits to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for forensic testing. Since 2008, CPD collected and submitted more than 7,784 rape kits to the state lab for forensic testing, according to Burke. In 2014, CPD submitted 957 rape kits to the state, but only received results from 271 kits that same year. “This leaves a considerable gap,” Ald. Burke said, adding that the numbers get “more confusing” because returned kits were from previous years.

Sharmili Majmudar, the Executive Director of the local non-profit Rape Victims Advocates, testified that every year, roughly 600 children, women and men report being sexually assaulted in Chicago, and 80% of those alleged victims undergo a medical examination. Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) asked Majmudar what an appropriate wait time should be. Majmudar said Chicago should emulate New York’s processing timeline of six weeks to three months.

We saw in the Council cloakroom, and a CBS 2 producer reported, that the police commander responsible for the rape test kits waited the entire hearing to testify. He was never called.

Proposed Ban on Gun Replicas Approved

Aldermen advanced Chairman Burke’s ordinance banning the sale and purchase of cell phone cases modeled after handguns. Burke says he introduced the ordinance after learning how easy it is for someone order an iPhone case online that looks almost identical to a 9 millimeter handgun, “What’s even more disturbing is these smartphone cases are marketed as cool, trendy and stylish.”

President of the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Dean Angelo’s testimony included the recitation of an online product review describing the cell phone case as a “fun novelty” while also warning the consumer to “be careful where you answer your phone.” Ald. Burke concluded the presentation by having one of his staffers model one of the cases by putting it in his back pocket and waistband. “See what this looks like,” Ald. Burke told the committee, “What would the cop do if he saw this?”

SSA Appointments Approved

The Committee approved commissioners to a series of Special Service Areas, specially drawn districts in commercial areas that levy a fraction of a percent of property taxes and then use those funds for beautification and promotion of the district’s businesses. SSAs are typically administered by neighborhood chambers of commerce and directed by commissioners appointed by the Mayor. The nominees approved by the committee yesterday were:

Central Lakeview Commission - Area #17 - Link

• David L. Gassman - Realtor and one-time owner of Spin nightclub.


• Jeanne R. Saliture - Central Lake View Neighbors officer, retired flight attendant.

Clark Street-Lincoln Park Commission - Area #23 - Link

• Raeonin W. Lisenby - Manager of tween fashion store, “Frankie’s On The Park”

Clark Street Commission - Area #24 - Link

• Joseph A. Prino - General Manager at Mayne Stage.

Lincoln Avenue Commission - Area #35 - Link

• Kenneth Dotson - Angel investor in tech companies.


• Brent P. Holten - Owner, i.d. gym.


• Neer S. Patel - Import/Export company owner.


• Jeannine M. Campbell

Old Town Commission - Area #48 - Link

• Timothy K. Egan - CEO of Roseland Hospital. 2011 candidate for 43rd Ward Alderman.


• Don B. Klugman - President of media, inc.


• Dean G. Lubbat - Chef/owner of Dinotto Ristorante.


• Mark K. Proesel - Attorney


• David L. Stone

The Committee on Finance is scheduled to discuss and vote on new appointments and changes to the Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board, a financing agreement for the St. Edmund’s affordable housing project in the Washington Park community, additional funding for small business improvement grants, and $800,000 in legal settlements.

Finance Chairman Ed Burke (14) is also expected to formally introduce his ordinance to ban the sale or possession of cell phone cases that look like guns. He announced the ordinance last week in a press release, calling the replicas a threat to public safety. If approved by committee, it’ll get voted on two days later by the full City Council. Ald. Will Burns' (4) resolution requesting the state deny Spike Lee’sapplication to get a tax break for his film Chiraq, and Ald. Joe Moreno’s (1) ordinance adding new fees for trash collection are also on the regular agenda.

Chicago Infrastructure Trust Board: This ordinance will be directly introduced into committee, and if approved will be voted on by the full City Council Wednesday. The speedy timetable is likely due to the fact that the Board’s next meeting is on August 7th. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has announced his plan to put Leslie Darling, with the City’s Law Department, and City Treasurer Kurt Summers at the helm of the Board, where they will invest in city infrastructure projects with a mixture of private and public funding. He also wants to expand the number of commissioners on the board from five to seven. Mayor Emanuel first introduced the Chicago Infrastructure Trust in 2012 as an “innovative way to leverage private investment for transformative infrastructure projects and guide the city’s renewal”, but it has since seen a slow rollout.

Bonds for St. Edmund’s Oasis Apartment Project: The City wants to execute a $5.5 million loan agreement with and issue up to $12 million in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds on behalf of St. Edmund’s LLC, the developer behind a plan to build 58 affordable housing units in Washington Park. Nineteen units will be set aside for public housing. Cities approve these federal bonds to help finance the construction of multi-family housing projects catered to low-income families or elderly residents. The Chicago Housing Authority will provide the funds for the $5.5 million loan. The City owned the property valued at $630,000, and sold it to the developer for $14 in 2014. The $20.4 million project will consist of 1-4 bedroom units in 4 town homes and includes a community garden and play lot.

Legal Settlements: There are three legal settlements pending committee approval. The largest proposed settlement ($360,000) concerns several police officers who were allegedly involved in shooting and injuring two minors. The mother, Catherine Waller, filed the suit on behalf of her two sons. The second case, filed by Brenda Dawson in 2008 on behalf of her deceased husband James Yearwood, is a medical malpractice suit involving St. Bernard Hospital.

Ald. Moreno’s Trash Fee Ordinance: Any business that holds a permit to place a trash can in the public way would get fined if the trash is overflowing to the point that it’s falling onto the street, according to the ordinance. Violators would be fined up to $250 per trash can per day. The ordinance also adds language excluding trash bins paid for with Special Service Area tax revenue. Last year, Ald. Moreno introduced an ordinance amending the municipal code so that SSAs wouldn’t have to pay a fee for certain items installed in the public way, i.e. trash cans, but it never left committee.

The Committee approved an ordinance giving the Department of Transportationauthority to remove about a dozen street signs downtown as part of the Loop Link Project, among other routine matters like residential parking permits and loading zones on an 18 page agenda. The ordinance will help the DOT as it adds new bus stations, protected bike lanes and designated bus lanes, as planned under the $41.5 million project.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Walter Burnett (27), Vice Chair Deb Mell (33), Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6), Ald. Jason Ervin (28), Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29), Ald. Emma Mitts (37), Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41), Ald. James Cappleman (46), Ald. Debra Silverstein (50)
Start time: 12:00pm

Testimony about the Loop Link Project from Michael Amsden, the Assistant Director for Transportation Planning, took up the bulk of the 15 minute meeting Thursday. Amsden responded to questioning from Ald. Emma Mitts (37) about funding, saying a federal grant is paying for half of the project, as well as $19 million in TIF Funds and $1 million in state money. Ald. Matt O’Shea (19) asked if the Department plans to replicate rapid-bus transit and designated bus lanes in other parts of the city. Amsden said expansion plans are slow moving, as the CTA has received a lot of public comment on the issue. Ald. Anthony Napolitano (41), a former police officer, wanted to know whether the city plans to use cameras to enforce the designated bus lanes. Amsden says there will be manual enforcement by police on the ground.

Yesterday afternoon Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Eileen Mitchell will take over as his Chief of Staff in mid-August. Currently AT&T Illinois' Vice President of External Affairs and a registered lobbyist, Mitchell was previously Issues Director and Special Assistant for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. She also volunteers as Chairman of the Leader Council for Mercy Home for Boys & Girlsand serves on the advisory board for Misericordia, a non-profit that provides housing for the developmentally disabled, according the the press release from the Mayor’s Office. Mitchell replaces Forrest Claypool, who was recently appointed as the CEO for Chicago Public Schools after working in the Mayor’s Office for less than three months.

ComEd executive John Hooker will take over as Chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Board. He’ll replace Zaldwaynaka “Z” Scott, who held the position for the past four years. Hooker has worked at ComEd for 44-years and is currently the company’s Executive Vice President of Legislative and External Affairs. The CHA Board is a ten-member body and commissioners serve five-year terms. Their appointments need City Council approval.

Progressive Caucus Meetup
The City Council’s Progressive Caucus will hold a public meeting 6:00pm Sunday night at Puebla Restaurant (2658 N. Milwaukee). Each month, one member of the eleven member caucus commits to hosting a meet and greet with the public to discuss their agenda and priorities for the city. This month, newly-elected Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) will host.

Developer Withdraws Plans to Build Residential Highrise in Lincoln Park
Ald. Michele Smith (43) announced developer Lexington Homes LLC will not move forward with its plan to build a 17-story, 78-unit apartment complex at the site of the Market Place Food Store (523 W. Diversey / 2775 N. Hampden Court). “After several months of discussion and prolonged negotiations among my office, the Park West Community Association, local neighbors and the developer to explore potential changes, it became clear that the current proposal could not be realistically modified to address neighborhood concerns,” Ald. Smith wrote in an email.

Obama Romantic 'Dramedy' Filming in 4th Ward This Weekend
Ald. Will Burns (4) notified ward residents about street closures related to filming for the upcoming movie "Southside With You". The film follows a young Barack and Michelle Obama on their first date in Chicago. In an email sent to Burns' 4th Ward newsletter subscribers, location managers say they have cooperation from the City's Film and Police Departments. "In the past Thirty-five [sic] years, more than 1300 film and television projects have been made in Illinois creating over 700,000 temporary jobs and leaving in excess of 1.7 billion dollars in our economy," the email says, "Ultimately it is the cooperation of individuals like you that make Illinois a great place to make movies."

Chicago public health inspectors would have the authority to ticket dry cleaning facilities and auto repair shops that improperly dispose of perchloroethylene (“PERC”), a hazardous chemical found in polishes and cleaners, according to an ordinance the committee approved Thursday.

Committee Members Present: Chairman George Cardenas (12), Ald. Brian Hopkins (2), Ald. Gregory Mitchell (7), Ald. Toni Foulkes (16), Ald. Deb Mell (33), Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa (35), Ald. Emma Mitts (37).
Start Time: 10:30 a.m.

The Environmental Protection Agency says long-term exposure to PERC can contribute to cancer and lead to “impaired cognitive and motor neurobehavioral performance.” There are state and federal laws regulating the use and disposal of the solvent, but the city has had to rely on state inspectors for enforcement.

The ordinance Mayor Emanuel introduced on behalf of the city’s public health department aligns Chicago code with state and federal standards. City inspectors would now be able to ticket businesses that violate those laws. Fines range from $1,000 to $5,000. Dave Graham, the Assistant Commissioner with the Department of Public Health, told the committee the state has been asking the city to take over enforcement for the past three years. It’s actually easier for the city to issue violations, Graham says, because the “administrative hearing enforcement process” takes just two months. When the state regulates the chemical, violations are handled through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and the Attorney General’s office.

Before the vote, Ald. Emma Mitts (37) asked if anyone from the dry cleaning industry was going to testify. Chairman George Cardenas (12) said council fixture George Blakemore was the only person who signed up to comment.

The Zoning Committee pushed through more than 50 agenda items in about three hours Wednesday morning, dedicating only a few minutes per agenda item and hearing little public opposition. The Committee approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of Judy Frydland as the new Commissioner for the Department of Buildings, approved an ordinance to create the Pullman National Monument Advisory Commission and approved several large scale development projects. With committee approval yesterday, projects like the proposed Nobu Hotel in Fulton Market, a residential complex off the Brown Line’s Southport stop and a new development next to the Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park have one final hurdle: approval from the full City Council next week.

We have highlighted some of the items discussed at yesterday’s meeting and provide a list and brief synopsis of deferred items.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Danny Solis (25), Vice Chairman James Cappleman (46), Joe Moreno (1), Michelle Harris (8),  David Moore (17), Matt O’Shea (19), Walter Burnett (27), Deb Mell (33), Carrie Austin (34), Margaret Laurino (39), Brendan Reilly (42), Tom Tunney (44)
Also present: Anthony Beale (9), Gilbert Villegas (36), Michelle Smith (43)
Start time: 10:00am

Approved Items – Highlights

Appointment of Judy Frydland as Commissioner of Buildings
The Committee swiftly approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s request to put Judy Frydland in charge of the Department of Buildings. Fryland is currently serving as Acting Commissioner. Her appointment requires City Council approval.

Frydland made a brief statement highlighting her 25 years with the City’s Law Department where she prosecuted landlords and revoked licenses from law-breaking business owners. Frydland highlighted some of her highest profile cases, including the E2 nightclub disaster in 2003. 21 patrons were crushed to death after a security guard used pepper spray to stop a fight, prompting more than a thousand patrons to flee down a narrow staircase. Frydland said she was also part of the prosecution that took on the owner responsible for the 2003 Lincoln Park porch collapse that killed 13 people and injured dozens, and the construction firm that abandoned a crane on top of the Waterview Tower in 2010.

Following her testimony, Ald. James Cappleman (46) made sure to mention additional accomplishments, like her work on the Hotel Chateau and the Uptown Theater. Ald. Margaret Laurino (39), Ald. Matt O’Shea (19), Ald. David Moore (17), and Ald. Michelle Harris (8) added to the praise, and Ald. Walter Burnett (27)joked Frydland is “cold, but fair,” warning developers that Frydland wouldn’t hesitate to, “put down the hammer,” to enforce the city’s building codes.

Pullman National Monument Advisory Commission
Ald. Anthony Beale (9), who represents the Pullman neighborhood, testified on behalf of an ordinance Mayor Emanuel introduced at the last City Council meeting to create a Pullman National Monument Advisory Commission. Since the official designation ceremony in February, Ald. Beale noted an increased interest in the area, and said he and the Mayor agree on the need for the commission to provide a point of contact for the surrounding community.

Pullman is the city’s first national monument. The ordinance passed without discussion. The seven member body would include a chairman and six members appointed by the mayor, “with input from Pullman community leaders, business owners, and residents”, according to the ordinance. The board would be responsible for coordinating projects to promote tourism and raise community awareness, maintaining the area, and reporting new developments with the City Council and Mayor’s Office. The board could also solicit and accept public and private contributions, but would have to coordinate spending with the National Park Service.

Lincoln Center Development Approved – 43rd Ward
Baker Development Corporation secured approval from the committee to tear down the old Lincoln Center Condos (2500 block of N. Lincoln Ave.) and build a mixed-use residential and commercial building next to the Apollo Theater in Lincoln Park. Baker’s plans include a ten story building with 200 residential units, roughly 16,300 square feet of retail space, and at least 138 off-street parking spaces. The neighboring Apollo Theater would remain.

The Plan Commission approved the application last week, a required step since the developer seeks to rezone the area as a residential business planned development. Attorney Rolando Acosta’s presentation Wednesday highlighted the 18-month review process the developers went through, including nearly 50 community meetings. Three neighborhood residents and local Ald. Michele Smith (43) testified in support. They called the current building an “eyesore,” and said the new development will bring life and commerce to the neighborhood.

Nobu Hotel for West Randolph – 27th Ward 
The Nobu Hotel at 848-856 W. Randolph Street won committee approval Wednesday. The Nobu Hospitality Group, started by famed Japanese Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, operates hotels and restaurants across the country, and boasts actor Robert De Niro as an investor. The new, 7-story boutique hotel includes 83 hotel rooms and 35 off-site parking spots. Plans also include an amenity level, rooftop penthouse, and outdoor seating for the restaurant. Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. said the scaled-down project is a result of several meetings with five different community organizations over the past two years. “We love hotels,” Ald. Burnett joked. This is third new hotel to come to the 27th Ward.

The new Soho Club is down the block from the proposed Nobu site, and the Ace Hotel near the Google’s Fulton Market office is almost complete. Ald. Joe Moreno (1) called it a “boutique hotel row.” And while six people signed up to testify in support and against this project when it was brought before the Plan Commission, only one person from the public, George Blakemore, signed up to testify at Wednesday’s meeting.

90-Year-Old Tavern Seeking Full Service Kitchen – 47th Ward
Spyners Pub, 4623 N. Western Ave., has been around for almost a century. It’s so old, the building pre-dates the zoning code. It was grandfathered in as a community shopping district (B3-2), according to attorney Thomas Moore. He says his client, Maureen Sullivan, has owned the bar on 4619-23 N. Western Ave. for the last 25 years and is now seeking a zoning change to a neighborhood commercial district (C1-2), so she can add a commercial kitchen and restaurant. The Committee approved the request without discussion.

Ohio State Teachers Pension Fund-owned Building Gets Rezone – 47th Ward
Applicant STRS L3 ACQ3, LLC, received approval from the Zoning Committee to rezone the property on 3355-61 N. Lincoln Ave. to lease the first floor to Bareburger, an “upscale burger restaurant and bar.” Attorney Meg George with the law firm Neal and Leroy, says the current zoning doesn’t permit restaurants.

Ald. Tom Tunney asked about the building’s existing use. George said her clients already tore down the building and are in the middle of constructing a new one. Her client is applying for a special use permit to add a salon on the second floor. Ald. Carrie Austin (34) then asked what the acronym for the LLC stands for, to which George responded, that it is a joint fund of the Ohio State Teachers Pension Fundand L3 Realty. Ald. Austin and Chairman Solis seemed intrigued the pension fund invested in property in Chicago. George said that they own several pieces of property in the city.

Deferred Items

The committee deferred five items on the agenda because they require prior approval from the Plan Commission:

• NO. 18413-T1 (32nd Ward): Jarla LLC submitted an application to rezone an existing sports and recreation facility property on 1819 W. Webster and its two off site parking lots (1823-1855 W. Webster; 2134 N. Wood St.). The three lots are currently designated as a heavy industry district (MS-3), but the applicant wants the site redesignated as a neighborhood commercial district (C1-3) to build a second story outdoor dining area that would serve liquor.


• NO. 18410 (42nd Ward): Jupiter Realty Company LLC wants to amend Residential Business Planned Development No. 368 to construct a 45 story, 513 ft. tall residential building with 444 units and 181 parking spaces near the new Loews Hotel and North Water Apartments. Ald. Brendan Reilly (42)and the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents (SOAR) got a look at development plans in mid-June (slideshow here).


• NO. 18402 (43rd Ward): The owners of the Inn at Lincoln Park, L.V.M Corporation, want to tear down the existing building to construct a nine story building with a penthouse, 150 hotel rooms, and 7,700 sq. ft. of retail space with an adjoining restaurant that would serve food and liquor outside. Plans also include 83 parking spaces. The applicant needs to rezone the site, 601-09 W. Diversey Pkwy./2726-36 N. Lehmann Ct., from a neighborhood shopping district (B1-2) to a community shopping district (B3-5) and then eventually to a Planned Development. While the plans are over a year old and a public hearing was held in December, the ordinance was referred to the zoning committee in June.


• NO. 1840 T1 (40th Ward): Half Acre will need approval from the Plan Commission to build a 35,000 sq. ft. brewery that will include a full service kitchen, tasting room and beer garden. Gabriel Magliaro, owner of Chicago’s Half Acre Brewery, is managing member of GMB Partners LLC, which manages Bastion of Balmoral, LLC, the applicant on file for this zoning request. The company seeks to rezone 2050 E. Balmoral Ave from a manufacturing zoned district (M1-2) to a commercial district (C3-3).


• NO. 18415 (2nd & 27th Ward): The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago would like to amend Institutional Planned Development No. 447 to allow for residential use so it can build a senior residence building. The Institute’s PD has been in place since 1989, and currently allows for public ministry, publication, broadcasting, worship, assembly, academic, office, residential and recreational and special uses primarily to support physical education and recreation.

Deferred at Request of The Attorney

• No. 18417 (47th Ward): The applicants, Lisa Mullaney and Martin Kelly, applied to rezone their property on 3622 N. Leavitt St. from a residential single unit (RS3) designation to a residential two-flat, townhouse (RT3.5) to build a third floor. They are represented by Mark Kupiec & Associates. Chairman Solis said the attorney on file requested an August hearing.


• No. 18392 (21st Ward): Miles Management Corporation would like to re-designate the site of its recycling facility from an M1-2 Limited Manufacturing and Business Park District to an M3-2 Heavy Industry District. M1 designated areas are for low impact manufacturing and warehouse distribution, while M3 designated areas are high impact and allow for extractive and waste-related production. M3 areas also permit outside storage of raw materials. According to the application, the property will remain a Class V recycling facility that handles construction and demolition materials.


• No. 18406 (1st Ward): The applicants, Faizullah and Saba Khan, would like to rezone their property on 1256 N. Wood Street to accommodate construction of a new three-story rear addition. The applicants are represented by the law offices of Samuel V.P. Banks.

Deferred by Request of Local Alderman

• No. 18398 T1 (25th Ward): Applicant GLPE LLC, represented by attorney Thomas S. Moore, is asking for the committee to re-zone a chunk of West Loop to build a four story, 70-unit residential building. The site in question (1038-1050 W Monroe St., 1039-1051 W Rundell Pl) is currently zoned as a downtown service district (DS-3), which allows for a mix of small scale office, commercial and public use that is supposed to compliment downtown businesses and residents. Amending the zoning to a downtown mixed use district (DX-3) would accommodate residential use. The property is next to the site of the former Carmichael’s Steakhouse, which announced it was closing its doors earlier this spring. The building’s owners, Michigan Avenue Real Estate Group, had originally planned to build 131 residential units at the site. But last fall, DNA Info reported Chairman Solis effectively blocked those, or any new apartments from popping up on the 1000 block of West Monroe unless developers had approval from neighbors. Solis asked for the item to be deferred at the start of the meeting, but didn’t say why.


• No. 18384 (25th Ward): Elizabeth Avina’s application to rezone a property on 1911 W. Cullerton to convert the existing one-story commercial space and basement into two residential dwelling units was first referred to the committee in May. The Chicago Title Land Trust Company owns the property and Avina is the beneficiary.


• No. 18404 (32nd Ward): The applicant and property owner, Michael Cordaro, wants a zoning change to build a new six-story mixed-use building with 38 apartments, 21 on-site parking spaces, and 12 additional parking spaces behind the building. Cordaro needs to reclassify the site on 1868-78 N. Milwaukee Ave., which has split zoning as a community shopping district (B3-3) and a neighborhood mixed-use district (B2-2). His application seeks a uniform zone: B3-5 Community Shopping District which would change the density allowed on site.

The Committee on Public Safety advanced Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s appointment of former federal prosecutor and Chicago Police investigator Lori Lightfoot as President of the Chicago Police Board, an independent body that decides disciplinary action against police accused of misconduct. But that support didn’t come without some concern from three new aldermen on the committee who asked Lightfoot to detail her plans to make the Police Board more transparent and the relationship between police and residents more amicable.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Ariel Reboyras (30), Gregory Mitchell (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Ed Burke (14), David Moore (17), Matt O’Shea (19), Ald. Walter Burnett, Jr. (27), Chris Taliaferro (29), Ald. Carrie Austin (34), Nick Sposato (38), Anthony Napolitano (41)

“I ask of you of this one request: treat each and every case with an open mind. Do not view or investigate anybody with a preconceived notion of guilt,” newly elected alderman and former police officer Anthony Napolitano (41) told Lightfoot. Speaking from a prepared statement, Ald. Napolitano told Lightfoot that, “We are now living in a society where the almighty lawsuit rules the country” and numerous “fraudulent cases” filed against police officers around the county have caused police to be “more reactive and less proactive.”

During her testimony, Lightfoot noted her nomination comes at such a “pivotal national and local time” when cases of police misconduct regularly make national headlines.

“I am committed to doing my part to make sure there is constructive dialogue. Many of our communities are hurting,” Lightfoot told the committee, noting that while the Police Board plays an “important but limited role” as an impartial decision maker, she’ll do what she can to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency. She emphasized and repeated those goals throughout the nearly 40 minute committee meeting. She also highlighted the importance of the Board’s monthly public meetings because she believes those interactions provide accountability and they help board members “learn how its decisions impact the public.”

Another former police officer on the committee, Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29), said after attending several of those meetings over the last nine years, he’s seen room for improvement. He asked Lightfoot if she considered moving the meetings from the public safety building to a more “neutral zone” as a way to improve dialogue with the public. Lightfoot said she couldn’t think of another venue.

Ald. Taliaferro, who campaigned on a promise to improve community policing in his ward, which includes the Austin neighborhood, also lamented that the disconnect between the city’s police department and his community is at the worst level he has seen during his 21 years as a police officer. He blamed past decisions made by the Police Board as one of the root causes.

But no alderman on the committee had more questions for Lightfoot than Ald. David Moore (17), who grilled Lightfoot on everything from her thoughts on increasing diversity within the CPD to how the board would handle a police officer caught lying under oath.

Lightfoot told Moore if there is evidence an officer has lied, they should be terminated. “There is a lie, you die rule across the country,” Lightfoot said.

When Ald. Moore asked Lightfoot if she believed the Police Board was representative of the city, she responded that was a “tough question,” adding that the board “isn’t just a bunch of lay people.” Moore pressed her, asking how the board could remain impartial if everyone is appointed by the Mayor. Lightfoot said there is a significant amount of transparency in how the board makes its decisions and reminded him that everything the board does is disseminated to the public.

If the full City Council approves her nomination at the end of the month, it won’t be Lightfoot’s first job with the City of Chicago. Former Chicago Police Superintendent Terry Hillard recruited Lightfoot from the US Attorney’s Chicago office in 2002 to head the Chicago Police Department’s Office of Professional Standards (OPS), where she investigated cases of police misconduct. The City replaced OPS in 2007 with what is currently the investigative arm of the police department, the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). After two years as Chief Administrator for OPS, Lightfoot worked in the City’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication (OEMC), and eventually migrated over to the Office of Procurement Services. Following her tenure with the City, Lightfoot went back to private practice and has since worked with the law firm Mayer Brown.

The Police Board is made up of nine members appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council. In addition to Lightfoot’s appointment, Mayor Emanuel has also asked the council to approve two new appointments, John Simpson and Claudia Valenzuela, and to re-appoint William Conlon.

Simpson is a partner at Broadhaven Capital Partners and spent $77,800 to get Mayor Emanuel re-elected in 2015.

Valenzuela is an Associate Director of Litigation at the Heartland Alliance National Immigration Justice Center, an organization that provides legal services to immigrants, and Conlon is a partner at Sidley Austin, LLP.

Since Aldertrack tracks weekly contributions from the date the donation was filed with the State Board of Elections (SBOE) rather than the date the contribution was received, this article includes contributions that date back to April, but went unreported until July 15, which is when most aldermen filed their quarterly reports.

Spreadsheet of Contributions – Download CSV

For example, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle reported three in-kind contributions for political communications to the candidate committees for Ald. Willie Cochran (21) and Ald. James Cappleman (46). The group Preckwinkle for President spent $5,375.04 on “paid communications” for Ald. Cappleman and two in-kind contributions totaling $5,263.78 for phone communications for Ald. Cochran. Since both were reported on July 15, which is the same date the quarterly report was filed, the contributions could be election related.

In addition to the contribution from President Preckwinkle, Ald. Cochran also reported a $2,500 contribution from A-1 Roofing Company, a commercial roofing and sheet metal company that operates in Chicagoland and Northern Illinois. While the company hasn’t had a contract with the City of Chicago since 2002, it is on the pre-qualified list of contractors for Chicago Public Schools. Ald. Cappleman also got a $1,000 donation from The Building Group Inc., a property management company that oversees several high-rise, mid-rise, town homes, co-ops, and rentals across the city and surrounding suburbs.

Ald. Margaret Laurino (39) reported receiving $2,500 from Chicago Food Corporation President Ki P. Hong. The CFC owns three stores in Chicago that specialize in Asian produce and groceries. One of their stores, Hi Mart, sells restaurant supplies, gift sets, and china. The company, founded in 1980, bills itself as one of the largest suppliers of specialty food imported from Asia.

Ald. Pat Dowell (3) got a $1,000 boost from labor. The A-1 Ald. Dowell reported lists “Construction & General Labors”, but the address matches up with the Chicago Laborers District Council, a labor organization with 20 local affiliates representing 20,000 construction workers across the city. The organization is part of the Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA).

ComEd transferred $1,500 from its political action group, ComEdPAC to Ald. Carrie Austin (34).

Ald. Leslie Hairston (5) reported a $1,000 contribution from Brown and Momen, Inc., a general contracting service company.

Ald. Deb Mell (33) reported receiving $1,000 from the owner of Cermak Produce, Jimmy Bousis, and Ald. Toni Foulkes (16) reported a $1,000 contribution from UKAMAA Construction, Inc., which mainly does large-scale projects for retail, healthcare and higher education. UKAMAA built the Aldi supermarket in Chatham, among other projects.

New D-1s Filed

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35) created a new political action committee United Neighbors of the 35th Ward, tasked with “organiz[ing] support of local candidates and issues chosen by our members,” according to the D-1 Ald. Ramirez-Rosa filed with the State Board of Elections on May 22. It is common for aldermen to create political action committees because they do not have the same contribution restrictions as candidate political committees. The committee currently has $619 of un-itemized contributions, according to the quarterly report filed July 15.

Newly elected Ald. Michael Scott, Jr. (24) plans to run for 24th Ward Democratic Committeeman according to this D-1 Ald. Scott filed with the SBOE July 13. The seat formerly held by retired Ald. Michael Chandler is now vacant, and the election is during next year's Democratic primary.

After a 30-minute delay due to technical difficulties with the PowerPoint presentation, the Committee approved Midway Moving and Storage’s application to renew a Class 6(b) tax break for its 60,400 square foot warehouse on 4100 W. Ferdinand St. The ordinance will advance to the full City Council for a vote at next week’s meeting.

Committee Members Present: Chairman Howard Brookins, Jr. (20), Gregory Mitchell (7), Patrick Daley Thompson (11), Toni Foulkes (16), David Moore (17), Willie Cochran (20), Michael Scott, Jr. (24), Jason Ervin (28), Milly Santiago (31), Gilbert Villegas (36), Emma Mitts (37), Michele Smith (43), Tom Tunney (44)

A Class 6(b) real estate tax incentive is intended to reduce vacant industrial real estate in Cook County by providing businesses with a lower tax rate if they commit to rehabbing vacant industrial buildings or constructing new industrial property. Properties receiving a Class 6(b) designation will be assessed by the Cook County Assessor at 10% of market value for the first 10 years, 15% in the 11th year and 20% the 12th year. Industrial buildings that don’t receive the designation are assessed at 25% of market value.

According to testimony from Denise Roman, with the Department of Planning and Development, the company seeks a renewal to expand the warehouse and hire additional staff. The company plans to spend $1,226,300 on the expansion plan, she says.

Ald. Jason Ervin (28) sponsored the ordinance to renew the company's 6b designation which was first awarded in 2004. He touted the company’s record of hiring ex-offenders and the free shredding days the company co-hosts with local aldermen. Neighboring Ald. Emma Mitts (37) gave similar praise.

Former Committee chairman Ald. Tom Tunney (44) asked the company’s principal, Jerry Siegel, about the need for additional document storage space. Siegel says the company is looking to expand its document storage services and that he is actively pursuing area hospitals as new clients.