[remote or in person] Committee on Finance

Chicago City Council

Finance

Politics

Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023
10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. CST

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121 N LaSalle St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)

City Hall, 2nd floor, Council Chambers

You have the option of documenting this meeting in person or remotely.

If you choose to attend in person, an additional hour will be added to your total assignment hours. You may be asked to provide government-issued photo ID and to go through a metal detector.

If you choose to document remotely, the meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page.

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Other notes

In addition to the regular agenda, the committee is also scheduled to hold two TEFRA financing hearings for financing housing at United Yards and Midway Airport upgrades. Each has its own meeting details page but will be treated together as one big meeting.
Note: Police misconduct settlements are often posted after the main agenda has been published in a separate deferred agenda.
Be sure to check the “attachments” tab for the meeting agenda and other documents. You can access more information about items on the agenda at https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/. You can search keywords or click the “Show more filters” button and enter the legislation number (i.e. [O as in Ordinance][year introduced]-####, [R as in Resolution][year introduced]-####).
Chicago Councilmatic: This civic data org’s website has a lot of the information that can be found on the city’s database in a more user-friendly format, with info on this committee, plus headshots of members

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Live reporting by Sonal Soni

Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th Ward) voiced frustration over a major planned development set to take place in her ward, saying that it would create fewer affordable housing units than Back of the Yards community members agreed to

Sonal Soni (They/Them)

Hello #Chicago! I'm livetweeting today's 10 AM Chicago City Council Finance Committee meeting for @CHIdocumenters #CHIdocumenters. Follow along to this thread for updates⤵️

09:49 AM Nov 14, 2023 CST

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 2/20

@CHIdocumenters Today's in person meeting will also be livestreamed on the City Clerk website. The committee is set to hold 2 TEFRA financial hearings on site upgrades at United Yards and Midway Airport. The hearing notice can also be found online along with the meeting agenda.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 3/20

@CHIdocumenters Currently waiting for the livestream to begin! Agenda items include ordinance proposals from the Department of Housing and Department of Planning and Development. Another potential measure addresses fees associated with the use of Board of Education facilities.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 4/20

@CHIdocumenters The meeting is called to order at 10:22 AM. The meeting starts with the hearing. The only public comment comes from George Blakemore, who requests that Black folks are involved in Midway's potential upgrades and are provided with jobs that may result from designated funding.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 5/20

@CHIdocumenters Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA) is a federal law that provides the public with an opportunity to comment on how certain kinds of tax exempt bond proceeds are used, according to Brendan White, the department's assistant commissioner.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 6/20

@CHIdocumenters To issue the tax exemptions, City Council can adopt an ordinance or the Mayor can sign a certificate doing so. If approved, the affordable housing development project in the 20th Ward (United Yards) will not exceed $22,500,000.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 7/20

@CHIdocumenters The hearing ends, and the finance committee portion of the meeting begins. One person, George Blakemore, signed up for public comment. There are no other comments.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 8/20

@CHIdocumenters There's a reason why some folks consider Chicago to be so corrupt, Blakemore says, and that's due City Council. Blakemore specifically criticizes the council's outreach efforts, calling for additional measures to increase transparency between the city and its residents.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 9/20

@CHIdocumenters The committee moves to the agenda items. The first is an ordinance from the Department of Planning and Development to enter into an agreement with the Chicago Board of Education for the provision of tax increment financing funds (TIF).

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 10/20

@CHIdocumenters That funding would go towards constructing a bridge between school buildings and replacing heating and cooling units at Kenwood Academy High School (4th Ward).

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 11/20

@CHIdocumenters The motion passes and will be further discussed at the council's next meeting. The next item up for discussion includes the Department of Housing's ordinance concerning the affordable housing project at the United Yards site (mentioned in the hearing).

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 12/20

@CHIdocumenters "This is not what the community voted for," Alderman Taylor (20th Ward) said. There are supposed to be three sites, Taylor said. "Where is that portion of this? Because that's what's the most important part."

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 13/20

@CHIdocumenters Taylor previously voiced support for the measure in a letter and now requests further discussions to take place regarding site specifics. Taylor is unsatisfied until the proposal reflects what constituents initially agreed on.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 14/20

@CHIdocumenters The council votes and will revisit the due pass recommendation out at the next city council meeting. Item number four under miscellaneous agenda items is a proposed order authorizing the payment of various small claims against Chicago.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 15/20

@CHIdocumenters There are no objections and the committee votes to pass the order. Another proposed order denies the payment of various small claims against the city. Similarly, the committee will recommend passage in the omnibus.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 16/20

@CHIdocumenters The omnibus is a catch-all procedure for any items not voted on separately or when items are referred to another vote. The omnibus is atypical among City Council meetings, according to the Better Government Association.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 17/20

@CHIdocumenters Typically every item will either be voted on or will be passed under a roll call vote. The omnibus helps ensure the legality of business matters. Read more about omnibus roll call and what else to expect during Chicago City Council meetings. bettergov.org/2023/05/22/wat…

bettergov.org/2023/05/22/wat…

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 18/20

@CHIdocumenters The final miscellaneous item includes a proposed order that requests a permit for charitable solicitation at The Nature Conservancy throughout the month of December. No objections occur and the Committee also will recommend passage in the omnibus.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 19/20

@CHIdocumenters Lastly, the Department of Law issued communication transmitting reports on case verdicts, judgments or settlements during October. These reports were sent electronically and will be placed on file with the City Clerk's office as there are no council objections.

Sonal Soni (They/Them) @sonal_soni_ 20/20

@CHIdocumenters That concludes today's Chicago City Council Finance meeting for #CHIdocumenters, which adjourns at approximately 11:20 AM. Thanks for following along! Keep an eye out for notes by Jordan Anthony and follow @CHIdocumenters for more coverage. Respond to this thread with questions.

View thread

Note-taking by Jordan Anthony

View notes

Attachments

7 attachments

Regular meeting details

By India Daniels ⋅ November 6th, 2023

United Yards housing TEFRA hearing details

By India Daniels ⋅ November 14th, 2023

Midway Airport TEFRA hearing details

By India Daniels ⋅ November 14th, 2023

Agenda

By Grace Del Vecchio ⋅ November 14th, 2023

Notice

November 14th, 2023

Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

If you attend a meeting in person, be prepared to go through a security checkpoint and show photo ID.

Meetings are also livestreamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page. If you don’t see a link for the meeting, you may be early or the meeting may be starting late. Wait a few moments and try refreshing your Internet tab.

Recordings of past City Council meetings may be found here: https://vimeo.com/user100351763/videos/sort:date.

See also: “What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council” via the Better Government Association.