[remote or in person] City Council

The agenda and live stream for todays meeting can be found here https://www.chicityclerk.com

Meeting is called to order at 10:07 beginning with roll call. 46 Council members are presents except for Ald. Vazquez who is attending remotely.

Public comment begins at 10:15 ( I did not catch every comment and I tried to spell names to the best of my ability)

Erin Turner with the Chicago association of realtors advocates for an ordinance for housing equity

Miron burke - is with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. He is in support of the Bring Chicago Home Campaign and Real estate transfer tax to generate funding for services to address homelessness

Brooks - was previously incarcerated and would like to see youth be educated on the law

Oscar Ortiz - speaks on the struggle for fair wage and says that the National restaurant association should work with workers to rewrite outdated agreement

Roosevelt Daniel - says Ald. Mitchell gave out his address to someone who then came up to his house and took pictures

Denise Goring - says she would like to see support for Chicago residents as well as the migrants

Melvin - says that there wasn’t a community meeting for an invest southwest project in his community

Public comment ends at 10:46

3 resolutions are introduced: honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, recognizing June as pride month, and Juneteenth

Ald. Harris shouts out other council members in the sorority

Ald. Lee talks about the influence of AKA which inspired her to create an Asian sorority on her campus modeled by black Greek life

Ald. Coleman names some of the issues that AKA has worked on and advocated for.

Various alderman speak in support of the next resolution to recognize June as pride month.

Some of the alderman who spoke recognize the anti LGBTQ law being passed across the country

Ald. Rosa ask the other council members to wear a union made pride pin in support of the LGBTQ community

Ald. Rodriguez talks about the intersectionality within the LGBTQ community and what it means to be a sanctuary city.

Ald. Lopez among other things says that investing in PrEP has allowed youth to think that it’s okay to have unprotected sex

11:51 Mayor Johnson gives final remarks on the resolution. He recognizes some of the organizations and individuals who have done work for the LGBTQ community including Brave Space Alliance.

Next resolution to recognize Juneteenth.

Ald. Maria Hadden begins and various other alderman follow in support of the resolution

12:21 Brandon Johnson gives final remarks on the resolution. He says, “If we are going to restore the soul of Chicago it’s going to start on the west and south sides.” He recognizes some of the local black organizers present.

Ald. Mitchell moves an order to pass the resolution and continue the meeting

Finance committee- chairperson Ald. Dowell introduces various items that are passed. Two of them revived various reactions from alder people

ordinance for the United yards affordable housing development https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/04/20/massive-back-of-the-yards-project-gets-5-million-in-tif-funding/

Ald. Jeanette Taylor speaks on how the project isn’t initially what the community asked for but the city has worked with them to meet some of their asks

Ald. Raymond Lopez speaks in support of the project and the collaboration between wards which make up Back of the Yards.

Oder for settlement agreement regarding the case of Sharell Brown who was fatally shot by officer Joseph Lisciandrello. https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/13/city-council-reconsider-recommendation-pay-1m-lawsuit-settlement-mother-man-killed

Ald Conway supports settlement after talking to COPA members who confirmed that turning off the body cam was an intentional decision from the officer https://www.chicagocopa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2019-1617_Blackbox.pdf

Ald. Sposato doesn’t agree with the settlement. He gives an explanation of the interaction between the man and police officers. He says the officer turned off the body camera too soon.

Ald. Hopkins is in support. He points out the initial purpose of body cams. He uplifts the need to reevaluate the technology

Ald. Raymond Lopez speaks in opposition as he did in January when the council considered the settlement. He believes it’s not justified because the officer was doing his job and Brown was carrying a gun.

Ald. Julia Ramirez who says she is speaking for the first time says she feels passionate about the issue because she lost a loved one to gun violence. She says that people shouldn’t be judged for their past (referring to Brown’s criminal record) or justify their dead.

Ald. Taliafero votes no because he says he did not receive all the information he wanted in the committee

Ald. Ervin says “At the end of the day all we want is constitutionally sound policing.” He says people’d criminal history shouldn’t be a factor. And says that the council should have the best interest for tax payers in mind when making a decision.

Roll call vote on the ordinance: 35 to 15. Later four other votes from alderpeople who weren’t present are added in favor

Pat dowel - says that the case is difficult but says the council should look at all sides.

All other committee chairpersons read legislative proposals from their committees which are approved without objection/ discussion

Here is the list legislative proposals presented today https://chicago.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1074614&GUID=ED4A6A65-B27D-4FF3-8A60-E9EE16927E8C&Options=&Search=

At 1:54 the next meeting is set for July 19

The meeting is adjourned at 1:57