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Good morning, good morning.
City Council will start shortly. Can I please
have everyone take their seats? Thank you.
Good morning. The council will come to order.
Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call.
Okay. The quorum is now open. The quorum is now
open. Please use the e-device. The quorum is now
open.I
will now call on those who have not used the E device.
Alderman Espada. Not present in chambers.
Alderman Dow. Dow is
present. Alderman Robinson.
Not present in chambers. Alderman Hall.
Not present in chambers. Alderwoman Harris.
Harris is present. Alderman Beal.
Not present in chambers. Um,
Alderwoman Ramirez. Ramirez is
present.
Where are you at?
We'll fix it. But let the record show that Alderman
Mitchell is present in
chambers. Um,
Alderwoman
Gutierrez.
Alderwoman Gutierrez is not present in chambers.
Alderman Coleman. Coleman is not present in
chambers. Alderman Curtis.
Curtis is present. Alderman O'Shea.
Alderman O'Shea is present in chambers.
Alderwoman Taylor. Taylor is present in
chambers. Alderman Rodriguez. Rodriguez is present in
chambers. Alderman Burnett. Burnett is
present in chambers. Alderman Irvin.
Not present in chambers. Alderman Conway.
Conway is present. Alderwoman Nugent.
Uh, Nugent is present. Alderman Riley.
Riley is present. Alderman Knudsen.
Knudsen is present. Alderman Lawson.
Lawson is present. Alderman Gardner.
Gardner is present. Alderwoman Clay.
Clay. Oh, Clay. Oh, Clay is
present. Lawson is present.
Anyone I missed?
Okay. Your Mayor, we have a quorum.
Very well. There are forty-two present, eight that are absent.
We do have a quorum. Um, one alder
has requested to participate in today's meeting remotely for
reasons stated in Rule fi- fifty-nine.
Um, can we confirm Alder Espada's presence online?
Alder present.
Very well. Can I get a motion for the approval of the participation remotely?
All right. All those in favor signal by, signify by saying aye.
Any opposed, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
Thank you for the confirmation. Today, out of
respect for our honored guests and their limited
time, we will first attend to our suspend
resolutions and acknowledgments.
Uh, we have seven acknowledgments today.
Um, we also have two resolutions
honoring Reverend Jesse Jackson
and honoring the contributions of
women, in our city, state, and
our country and around the globe. Can I get a motion for the suspension of the
rules? It's been moved. All those in
favor of suspending the rules signify by saying aye.
Any opposed, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
And just for clarification, we will return back to our normal, regular order of
business, which includes,
public comments. Uh, but again, we wanna make sure that these families can move
on the rest of their day. And again, I know that there has been
multiple conversations, with you all regarding
your speeches this morning. If we can just keep
those speeches tight so that the Jacksons as well
as their guests, along with the families that are here for Women's
History Month, that they can move on.
But before we get to those resolutions, we have our first acknowledgement,
it's, which is by Alderman David Moore.
He would like to honor the originators of the
Globetrotters, this incredible Fab Five, the Savoy
Fab Five. Chair recognizes Alderman Moore.
Tha-thank you so much, Mr. President.
This is, very, I think, important, and I wanted
the, the family,
the family of Byron Long and Al Pollens to stand up
and be recognized for the f-the, family of Byron,
Long, Dana London, his granddaughter, and Angelica
London, his great-granddaughter, and, family of Al
Pollens, Andrea S-um, Smith. And
so, as everybody heard of the Harlem Globetrotters, but before the
Harlem Globetrotters, it was the Savoy
Five. Uh, the sports basketball was invented in December
twenty-first, nineteen eighty-one, as we know.
And just thirty-five years later, it's in nineteen twenty-six, five young African
men, Walter "Toots" Wright, Byron "Fat" Long,
William "Kid" Oliver, and Runt Pollens, and Iman
"Big" Jack Jackson, all of whom had attended, you all know, the
Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago, historic Bronzeville neighborhood on
Chicago's South Side, formed a basketball team that were going to become
known as the Savoy Big Five. And then that--
from there, they came the, Harlem Globetrotters.
The n-um, they became known as the Savoy Big Five in homage to one of
their first place, games that they played.
They were asked to showcase their skills in the Savoy Ballroom.
Oh, my mom and them used to dance there before dances he-were he-held there with
the thought of attracting more attendees.
A year later in nineteen twenty-seven, the Sav-boy Big Five would go on to change
their name to the now world-famous, y'all make some noise, Harlem
Globetrotters.They
found it occurred in the pre-segregation area, giving the team the idea to
add A-Abe Saperstein as their promoter, since at
that time it was often difficult for African American men to open
doors. Unfortunately, they... many historical accounts have erased the
Savoy Big Five start and erroneously lists Abe
Saperstein as the organizer of the group, which he was not.
The families of all the original players made invaluable contributions
not only to the Savoy Big Five, but to the original Harlem Globetrotters
team, just to name a few. Though, though the car given to them
by Al Pullen's family allowed them to travel to games and the first
uniforms purchased by Byron Long's family allowed them to show up in
style. A representative from both of these families will be in
attendance. As I, pointed out to you, today's
acknowledgement is not only a celebration, but a step in the right direction of
setting the record straight. One hundred years ago, African American men from
Chicago South Side set the ball in motion, created a pioneering
basketball team that has now played over twenty-six thousand games and continues
to delight fans and dignitaries across the gl-globe.
The Savoy Big Five, not only Black history, but
Chicago history. And Alderman Pat Dowell, this,
Phillips High School sits in her ward.
And, Mayor, if she has any, if you give her permission-
Sure, we will.
Yeah.
We'll do that. Thank you, Alderman Moore.
Absolutely.
Alderman Dowell, would you like to speak, to this, acknowledgement?
Uh, yes, Mr. President, but in acknowledgement of the time
pressure, I just want to acknowledge the family and thank them for
their participation as we gave an honorary street sign
to, the Harlem Glo-Globetrotters this,
s-summer, this past summer. And I do remember you, and
thank you so much for your participation.
And thank you, Alderman Moore, for bringing this forward.
Thank you. As always, everything dope about America comes from Chicago.
Congratulations. Thank
you.
Thank you again, Alderman Moore. Alderman Mosley would like to welcome Perspective
Charter School, for its annual visit to City Hall.
Alderman Mosley.
Thank you, Mr. President. City Council, today is always a great day
to celebrate our future. And from the 21st Ward, I bring to
you the seventh and eighth grade girls champ- basketball
champions from Perspectives Charter School.
Under the leadership of Principal Morales. Uh, Mr.
President, I just wanna note a couple things.
One, you may see that this is not a roster that is great in
size, but they are great in heart, they are great in dedication, and they
are great in grit. And that has produced a winning
re-recipe for them to go on and win this championship.
I also want to talk about the coach, because these are
student athletes, students first.
And it's important to acknowledge that Coach Reggie Lee is not only the head
coach of this team that propelled them to victory,
on the court, but also in the classroom.
Coach Lee has been named the, this year's Charter
y- Charter School Teacher of the Year.
So excellence inside and outside, truly embodying the
spirit of the 21st Ward. Again-
Congratulations, coach
...
congratulations.
Thank you, Mr. President.
You're welcome. Well, hold on. What subject does he teach, though?
That's important.
Oh, okay. All right, cool. Congratulations again.
Thank you very much, Alderman Mosley.
Um, now, Chair Rodriguez Sanchez would like to honor
the awardees of the North River Commission's 2026 Community Choice
Awards and, Elita, Tadio's 90th
birthday. Chair recognizes, Chairwoman Rodriguez
Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I wanna rise today
to honor, North River Commission, an incredible nonprofit
organization in my community that holds the Chamber of Commerce.
They have been leading with incredible programming,
for our businesses, and one of the latest things that they have done
is the Community Choice Awards, where people in my community have the
opportunity to choose their favorite businesses.
Um, and it is a truly beautiful testament
to the environment and ecosystem that you can create when you have businesses
that show up for community. I wanna say that I am incredibly proud
to represent the Thirty-Third Ward and the way in
which businesses have shown up to resist ice in our communities.
It has been incredible how businesses have become
sanctuaries for our communities.
Um, but I, I do want to recognize, how
amazing it is to have an organization like North River Commission,
and the Community Choice Awards.
We also have here Justin, who owns the first
bookstore that we have had in Albany Park, owned by an Asian
American. We are so proud to have you all, and we're very, very grateful for your
work. Thank
you.
Um, I'm not done. Um,
Ms. Elita Toledo, she,
she is turning 90 years old, and she
served, as a clerk here in our city,
for twenty-five years with administrative hearings.
Um, she walked into this building for over a quarter century with a level of
dedication that most of us can only hope to
imitate.On behalf of the city of Chicago, we thank Ms.
Aleta Ta-Tadeo for over 25 years of tireless work,
and more importantly, we celebrate the woman and friend to the city
on her 90th birthday. She's an inspiration to every one
of us in this chamber. Happy birthday, Aleta. Thank you, Mr.
President.
Happy birthday.
Thank you, Chair Rodriguez Sanchez.
Now, Chair Hadden, I believe,
yes, would like to welcome the 49th Ward Youth
Advisory Council. The chair recognizes Chair Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, good morning, everybody.
I am also proud to be accompanied today, due
to, students having a day off of school at
CPS, my 49th Ward Youth Advisory
Council.
These students answered the call to
volunteer, volunteer community service for the 49th
Ward. They are students at, Roger Sullivan High School,
the Fighting Tigers. And, they have been meeting with us
on a monthly basis with my team to discuss issues that are important for
all the constituents of the 49th Ward with a lens of,
young people. Um, we have, had big
discussions from everything of what's happening at the federal level to
what we're doing in our infrastructure locally.
And, and, in May, I believe, I'm even cooking for
them. Um, but they keep me on my toes, they keep
me, sharp, and they're making sure that decisions that I make in the
49th Ward are reflective not just of people who are voting
now, but for all of our constituents and our leaders for the future.
I thank them for their leadership. Thank you.
Thank you so much. We're grateful to have so many young people that are with us
today. Um, next, we have
Alder in Lopez would like to welcome an incredible
delegation, a delegation from Cascia, Italy, but also
members of St. Rita's Parish. Chair recognizes Alder
Lopez.
Good morning, Mr. President and members of the City Council.
I'd like to take a moment to welcome
our
Italian delegation, if you can all rise,
here from Cascia,
Italy.
Mayor Mario De Carolis, member...
many members of the city council, as well as an expansive delegation
from the Basilica of St. Rita of Cascia,
run by Father Justino Casiano.
They are here--
They are here in Chicago and have been here at St.
Rita of Cascia in Chicago Lawn on the southwest side in
my alder neighbor's ward, celebrating a twinning
ceremony between our church and their
basilica. The
ceremony, which was a lighting of a torch which your office
was represented at, along with me-members of the city council,
including myself, Alderman Tavares and Alderman Coleman, lit a
torch which aims to bring about forgiveness
and peace. Perhaps we need that torch in
here. But I know that all of
us, all of us, can benefit from
the life lived by St. Rita.
St. Rita, who was canonized by Pope Leo XIII
and is of the same order as Pope Leo
XIV, whom we'll also be recognizing momentous
occasion later this year in Cascia,
Italy. We are very thankful to
have them here joining us today to strengthen the Catholic
bond of unity between the city of Chicago and our
sister city of Cascia, Italy, our religiously sister city.
And we welcome them and the opportunity to share in this moment as we
remember somebody who had the opportunity
through a life that saw her father-- her husband, excuse me,
violently taken from her, her children die, but she chose
a life of forgiveness and peace as opposed to
vengeance. That is something we all can emulate, and I'm
thankful to my brothers and sisters for sharing that light with us today and
sharing that with the city of Chicago, and encourage all members to join us
in recognizing their attendance here
today.
Thank
you, Alderman Lopez. And then
finally, Chair Rodriguez would like to celebrate
Arise
and this incredible organization on their thirty-fifth
anniversary.
Thank you, Mayor. Um,
I would like to take a moment here to ask Arise to r-
they've already arisen. Look at that. Look at that.
Like, thank you very much,
again, colleagues, for offering me a brief moment to recognize Arise on
their thirty-fifth anniversary.
Uh, three and a half decades advancing worker rights, dignity, and economic
justice since its founding back in nineteen ninety-one.
Uh, and their current office is over in twenty-seven, I believe, the
great twenty-seventh Ward. Um, Arise has partnered
with thousands of workers to recover more than ten million dollars in
stolen wages and compensation. They've supported workers in
raising wages by more than six million dollars.
Over three and a half decades, Arise has emerged as a pioneering
organization. They're a leader in the faith-labor movements,
partnering with religious institutions, labor unions, community
organizations, and academic institutions to advocate
for-For systemic policy reforms they are, we
are the city of broad shoulders. We know that the backbone of that
city is the labor movement, and Arise represents
that. They fought with us over the years to make this the,
the city with the best paid leave policy in the country.
They fought with us to raise the minimum wage.
And yes, they fought with us, on the tip minimum wage as
well. Thank you so very much. And a special thank you to their
executive director, my prima Laura Garza, for being with us here today.
Please join me in thanking them for their service to our great
city.
Thank you. And finally, finally, Alderwoman Clay
has a, a brief acknowledgement. The chair recognizes Alderwoman Clay.
Thank you so much, Mr. President. I am rising today to give
kudos to an amazing organization in my neck of the woods called the People's
Music School. The People's Music School, is an
amazing institution in multiple spaces around the city.
It is the oldest and largest
100% tuition-free community music school, and they just
celebrated their 50th anniversary, you all.
So I wanna say thank you so much for all that they have done for our young
people.
Their vision was started with $625 in a
storefront, and they have grown to make sure that our babies have
experienced music all around the globe.
So thank you so much for all that you've done, and we really appreciate you.
Thank you, Alderwoman Clay.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. And in the words of Apostle Paul, "Finally, my
brethren," the chair would like to recognize one final, final
acknowledgement, by Alder Dowell.
The chair recognizes Alderwoman Dowell.
Thank you, Mr. President. I, I, I will be brief, but I didn't want
this to go by, uh... Thank you, Alderman Clay, for bringing this forward.
Um, the People's Music School has moved into Washington Park and,
Bronzeville, and I just also want to acknowledge
Miriam and, Natalie for their commitment to
the community. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Alderwoman Clay. Thank you, Alderwoman Dowell,
for tho- that, those last sets of acknowledgement.
Now, before, the rules are still suspended, we're gonna go
into our resolutions
for
the late great Reverend Jesse L. Jackson Sr.,
along with, the celebration of Women's History Month.
But before we do that, I would like to take just a,
brief moment, to pause
and call for a moment of silence for our
firefighter and EMT, Michael Altman.
We are praying for his wife, Nora.
Also for his parents. We're praying for the
entire police and fire department, our first
responders. And praying for our city, because we have not only lost
a public servant, but we have lost one of our heroes.
So if you would, with me, city council, in the chambers, just
stand for a brief moment of silence in honor and
recognition of firefighter and
EMT, Michael
"Mick" Altman.
Thank
you very much. You may be
seated. They
coming?
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Jacqueline Jackson and The Jackson
5.
Come on, y'all, Mrs. Jackson and the Jackson
family.
You may be seated. We have Mother Jackson, Ms.
Draper, Reverend Janette Wilson, Ms.
Ponder, Jan Camps, of course, son Yusuf Jackson,
daughter Santita Jackson, sons Jesse
Jackson Jr., Jonathan Jackson, Carolyn Curry, Dara Holmes,
Belvin Walker, another Ms. Draper.
Um, yeah, I think we got them all there.
Jackson. We got Idris. We got a whole box full of folks.
Now,
I do want,
want to thank you all for, for being here today, and I know there are a number of
you that wish to speak to this resolution.
But before we speak, I would ask that the clerk read the resolution,
into the record.
Where it has been lo- has long been the honored tradition and solemn
responsibility of the City Council of the City of Chicago, this august
legislative body, to recognize and memorialize those extraordinary individuals
whose lives, leadership, and moral courage have profoundly shaped the civic,
political, and moral fabric of the City of Chicago.
And whereas the members of this chamber join with the residents of Chicago, the
nation, and the global community in honoring the life and legacy of the
Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Sr., one of the most consequential
civil rights leaders in modern American history, whose voice,
vision, and organizing power helped reshape the democratic and social
landscape of the United States. And whereas the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson
Sr. was born Jesse Louis Burns on October 8th,
1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, later taking the
surname of his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson.
And through faith-discipline, and extraordinary resolve, rose from humble
beginnings to become a defining moral and political force of his
generation. And whereas emerging from the tradition of prophetic, prophetic
Black leadership and guided by an unwavering commitment to justice and human
dignity, the Reverend Jackson translated the ethos of the civil rights
movement into an enduring and evolving struggle for economic
equity, political representation, educa-educational
opportunity, and global human rights.
And whereas the Reverend Jackson's l- Jackson's leadership and moral vision were
profoundly shaped by the legacy and teachings of the Reverend Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr., under whose guidance he emerged as a national figure,
carrying forward the enduring principles of non-violence, justice, and
human dignity that defined the civil rights movement.
And whereas the Reverend Jackson rose to national prominence through his work
alongside Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., yet it was the city of
Chicago, particularly the South Side, that became the enduring stage,
proving ground, and living canvas for his life's work and
leadership. And whereas in Chicago, a city long defined by both its
challenges and its possibilities, the Reverend Jackson built
institutions, mobilized communities, and forged a model of leadership
rooted in moral conviction, strategic coalition-building, and an
unyielding belief in the transformative power of civic engagement.
And whereas within the city of Chicago's historic South Side, and notably within
the 4th Ward, the Reverend Jackson established Operation PUSH, People
United to Save Humanity, an institution whose presence would be-
become synonymous with empowerment, opportunity, and advocacy for
generations of Chicagoans. And whereas the Operation PUSH and Rainbow
PUSH Coalition, founded and led from Chicago, emerged as the nationally
influential institutions that redefined the scope of civil rights
advocacy, expanding its reach into economic justice, voting
rights, labor equity, educational access, and corporate
accountability. And whereas the Reverend Jackson's leadership helped reframe
Chicago as a vital epicenter of modern civil rights and political
mobilization for communities, communities historically excluded from
power, found voice, representation, and renewed belief in the
promise of democratic partner- participation.
And whereas through his visionary leadership, the Reverend Jackson
pioneered a politics of inclusion long before such
language entered the mainstream, forging coalitions across
racial, ethnic, generational, and economic lines, and expanding the
boundaries of civic belonging and political possibility.
And whereas the Reverend Jackson's historic presidential campaigns inspired
millions, shattered long-standing barriers, and fundamentally altered the
imagination of American democracy, demonstrating that leadership,
representation, and national aspiration must be accessible to all
people. And whereas the Reverend Ja- Jackson's Chicago legacy
remains inseparable from his national and global impact, as his
influence extended from neighborhoods to corporate boardrooms, from voter
registration drives to international diplomacy, reflecting a leadership style
that was at once pastoral and political, visionary and
pragmatic. And whereas the Reverend Jackson's enduring presence on
Chicago's South Side, particularly within the 4th Ward, strengthened
the civic and moral life of the city, leaving a permanent imprint upon
its institutions, its communities, and its ongoing pursuit of justice
and equity. And whereas the Reverend Jackson's life represents not merely a
record of historic achievements, but a living architecture of
legacy while cultivating leaders, opening doors, challenging
systems, and inspiring generations to believe in the transformative power of
hope, courage, and collective action.
And whereas the Reverend Jackson's story stands as a Chicago story of
transformation, of a leader who recognized the city as a microcosm of the
nation's contradictions and possibilities, and who dedicated his life to organizing
with them in, within them with faith, resilience, and moral
clarity. And whereas the City of Chicago mourns the passing of Reverend J-
Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. while honoring a legacy that endures wherever
voices rise against injustice, wherever communities unite in common
purpose, and wherever hope refuses to yield to cynicism.
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the mayor and the members of City Council of
the City of Chicago, assembled on the eighteenth day of March
2026, do hereby honor, celebrate, and memorialize
extraordinary life, leadership, and enduring contributions of the Reverend
Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. And be it further resolved that we extend our
deepest condolences to the Reverend Jackson's family, loved
ones, colleagues, and all those who l- lives were touched by his vision and
service. And be it further resolved that the City of Chicago recognize the Reverend
Jackson, Jackson's legacy as a permanent and separable part of the
ci- city's civic and identity, historical narrative, and
continuing pursuit of justice, equity, and human dignity.
And be it further resolved that a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and
presented to the family of the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson
Sr. as a lasting testament of the city's respect, gratitude,
and remembrance.
Thank you, Madam Clerk.
Who knows? Why are you bringing this up right now? Okay.
We should not listen to
the...
Thank you. Um, now in the words of a, a great,
philosopher, I heard one say that if you cannot
express your deep
emotions and feelings
somewhere between the Gettysburg, Gettysburg Address
and the I Have a Dream speech, you are either doing too much
or just trying to show out. So again, out of respect of the
family, we want your remarks, of course, to be as profound as you need them to
be, but let's just keep, time in mind.
And with that, our first speaker, the chair recognizes Alderman
Bill.
Thank you, Mr. President. M- Mr. President, I rise to wholeheartedly
support this resolution, um-
Sitting through the service, I don't think anybody abided by the two-minute
rule. But hopefully everybody abides by the two-minute rule
today. Um, I just want to personally thank the
family,
because when we look around this room,
the imprint that the Jackson family and Reverend Jackson has put
on not only this body but this country
is second to none. And I just want to personally thank the
family, because I know I would not be here if it had not been for
the Jackson family.
And so when Reverend was here the last time, we
were able to
look him in his face and give him
his flowers while he was here, and we were able to articulate how
we felt about him and the imprint that he had on this country.
And so I just want to personally thank the family again for everything that he
has done, for everything that he will continue to do through his
legacy. And, and ladies and gentlemen, it's just,
it's, it's really breathtaking to see the
amount of love that is being poured into this family.
And it's behooving of us to continue the legacy, to con- continue to do
the vision that he imprinted on all of us.
And the one thing that I will always take away from Reverend Jackson and what he
said to me personally, he said, "Young leadership, keep
it going." And so we have to make sure that we continue to
cultivate young leadership, because that's the one thing I took away
from Reverend and that's the one thing I'm gonna continue to do, is cultivate young
leadership. Thank you so much, Mr. President, and thank you all so much.
Appreciate it.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Alderwoman Harris.
Mr. Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to be associated with this.
To my s- essential element sister,
Sister Jackson over there, Santina, and
to, Jesse Jr., and where's Yusef?
I thought I saw him around there too.
So I just wanna acknowledge you all and say thank you, that
it is not easy to give up your husband and your father to
people like us. And he definitely, in
1973, from the first time that big giant stood up with the
big afro and said, "I am somebody," in the amphitheater on
the, 43rd and Halsted, I was
struck. To the next time I saw him at CBS High School, where he
came to do voter registration. And then at the end, I had a
lovely resident who turned 100 years old, was like, his wish
was, "I want Reverend Jackson there with me." And so
Carolyn Curry made it happen. And so I say thank
you to you all for being soldiers, for being
strong. It is not just enough to say thank you
that you have uplifted him and been the, the wind beneath his feet, but you have
been his everything. And he knew that after he came home from a long
day at work and acting crazy, that he had a family that loved him and
embraces, embraced him. And so I say thank you to you all
again for being behind the scenes and being great support
systems for a man who is a legacy to me, the
city of Chicago, and to the nation. Thank you.
Thank you, Alderwoman Harris.
Alderman Rodriguez.
Uh, thank you, Mayor. Um,
I, absolutely
mourn the death of our great leader.
Um, but also celebrate
a life very well lived. Um, a
person who lived in abundance, not scarcity.
A person who understood that extending your arm
is not extending a fist. That working with
others who may be like you or not
brings us all together and lifts all boats.
An individual who said time and again that
immigrants were not illegal ali- aliens, but essential workers.
A person who walked 26th Street with Chuy Garcia and me many a time.
A person who knew how to build bridges, not
walls. That was Jesse Jackson.
That was a man. I am not Black. I am not Black
American. But I am Jesse Jackson.
Uh.
I am the son of Jesse Jackson. I am the son of his
spirits, because he has not just impacted
one community, one neighborhood.
He's impacted our world.
And I am just so grateful that I have the distinct honor to be in
this audience amongst his family to say
thank you for a life well-lived. Thank you for a life
well-shared. He has impacted us greatly, and I'm honored to
say thank you to you for giving us
him. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Alderman.
The chair recognizes Alderwoman Coleman.
Mr. President, I undoubtedly, stand in support of
this amazing family, Dr. Jacqueline Jackson, and to
Santita. Of course, Congressman, Jackson and Congressman
Jackson, and your baby girl in her absent.
Uh, as a very proud daughter of Englewood,
it was Reverend Jackson who about four or five years
ago, we met on a Sunday. That's how much he cared for not
only this great city and nation, but just a small neighborhood in Chicago and
Englewood, where we met, Thora on a Sunday
to save our Black president, who had taken our school from, to the
number one community college. And we fought hard with
the prior administration. But I will never forget the sacrifice on
a Sunday evening that he gave us. To you, Mrs.
Jackson, you used to hang out with my godmother, Dr.
Albertina Walker.
Yes, ma'am, I heard the stories. And just a fun
fact, it was Reverend Jackson who named Albertina the
Queen of Gospel Music, who actually crowned
her after the passing of Mahalia Jackson.
So to the Chu- I am so grateful that you sacrificed your father.
As a, as someone who is a child of both pastors and
elected official, I know the sacrifice that we have made when
Mom and Dad could not be at every event and every accomplishment,
but the sacrifice that they made for others.
And to Chris,
can we give it up for Chris Hodges?
Chris, Chris, caring for your mother and
caring for Reverend, I know that we have to choose between having a career,
having youthfulness, and sacrificing our own social life, and you are to be
commended for the great care. Pastor Juan Anderson, I don't see him,
but he is certainly one of the blessed disciples that took care of
Reverend, was his armor bearer, protection.
Um, he certainly in, came to City
Council every month to represent Reverend and PUSH.
And Reverend Cameron Barnes, the Baby Q, I know he kept Reverend throwing his hooks
up. As a proud member of Omega Psi Phi, but God bless
you. Thank you so much. And you all, this is great that we're
here honoring the family, but how we can definitely honor Reverend Jackson is by
coming to PUSH every Saturday at 10:00 AM,
by getting a membership and supporting the next generation of
leadership by way of Yusuf Jackson and PUSH Excel.
God bless you all, and thank you.
Thank you, Alderwoman.
Chair recognizes Alderman David Moore.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Mama J, Santita,
and Attorney Reverend Jannette Wilson,
I must tell Jesus all of my trials. I
cannot bear these burdens alone. In my distress, He
kindly will help me. He ever loves and cares for His
own. I've heard that over and over and
over again since I was a child of
how Reverend Jackson came to Fellowship.
All I, from a... least I can remember, had to be
six years old, seven years old, me and Reverend Hardy riding down the
street, turning on the radio, listen to those words, and this story
was told over and over and over again,
and I can appreciate that. And because
Reverend Jackson and the family coming to Fellowship
married something great with him and Reverend Doc- Reverend Clay
Evans. And what, what they've done was
create something that's so impactful, to
this world. Um, as we say, and I, I think Alderman Beale said
it best, we were so happy when he came down here because we gave him
his flowers while he lived in this council.
But I'm honored to say that every time I saw him, I gave him
his flowers. Congressman, we love you very much.
Y'all make some noise for this congressman who has done an excellent
job.
And so as we keep the family in prayer and keep you
smothered, covered, and surrounded, as Reverend Jenkins would say, we're gonna
continue to do that. But I also want to say this, Mother J,
and when you spoke at the Dr. King Breakfast, who was the
guest speaker that day? I forgot who it was but you became the-
Don't even ask, right?
... because you became the guest speaker, when you got up there.
Because Reverend used to say, "You could say a
whole lot and say nothing, and say very little and say a
whole lot." And what you said was, "Let nobody
have power over you but God," and I thank
you for that.
And so, and so as, our chairman,
has, or the Black Caucus have, talked about
supporting PUSH, become a member, I echo that.
But also, if you have Netflix, go on there, see
Save the Children. See, watch Save the Children, and you
will see and continue to see the impact, that Reverend Jackson
had. Thank you, family. I love you all so much, and, we're gonna keep you
all in our prayer. God bless.
God bless you. Thank you, Alderman.
Alderwoman Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise in support of this
resolution. Um, hello to the family.
Thank you for making the time. Um,
in addition to grieving the loss of, of
Reverend Jesse, you all have had to share that grief with the
entire world, the country. Um,
I very much enjoyed the celebration of life and
the ability to be there in community with so many people
who, who loved Reverend Jackson and also, as my colleagues
have mentioned, who felt the impact.
Um, so I just briefly will share the impact he
had on my life and the life of my family.
I don't get to claim Chicago as home, and it will be one of the deepest regrets
that I take to the grave with me. Um, I moved here in
2003, but growing up in Columbus, Ohio,
I knew Jesse Jackson. I knew who Jesse Jackson
was. My parents talked about Jesse Jackson.
Um, my father went to North Carolina A&T.
He was... North, North Carolina A&T.
Um, he was there. He was in Greensboro during
riots, struggling in the civil rights.
Jesse Jackson was a role model for my parentsUm,
Jesse Jackson ran for president. I was a kid in
Ohio. I still have this button from 1988.
Uh, Jesse Jackson ran for president.
Jesse Jackson made waves. Um, growing
up far, far from Chicago's
political, world, somebody once told
me, actually it was Jason Lee, Mr.
President, who told me this, Chicago is the Hollywood of
politics. Growing up far from that
space and then having the opportunity to actually move here,
and politics wasn't where I started my journey, it was in public
service. It was in community organizing.
It was in,
civic discourse. It was in public participation, and
I got to meet neighbors in my community in Rogers Park, and people
from neighborhoods all around Chicago.
And I remember the first time I got to go to Rainbow Push, and
it's, it's like, it's mind-blowing to
be from some place that's so far and to know about,
to know about this history, to know
about these legends, right? Y- y- you guys are
legends. Um, the impact that you've had
on not just Black Americans, but all Americans, the
impact that Reverend Jackson had, I, I just can't even
state. And then eventually to find my way into
politics and run for office and win, and I
remember, I've got this great photo of Reverend Jackson with
several of my colleagues, all of us who were in our first term in 2019,
out there actually supporting, supporting one fair wage, supporting Fight for
15, supporting workers, and he was just right there.
I'm like, how is this living legend...
It's like, how is this living legend, this larger than life person who's had
such an impact, just hanging out with us?
How is he just hanging out with us? And I know that Chicagoans
have so many stories like that. He was of the
people. He was for the people. He was by the people.
He was an inspiration. I think that's the legacy that
I, that I hold dearest. And when he
passed, the end of Black History Month, I sat there with the
news in my home, and I thought
about how it's just an end of an era.
In so many ways, the end of an era. The end of an era of
statesmen, of people who could be for their
community, right there grounded in their neighborhood in the Fourth Ward in
Chicago, and also be negotiating the release of
hostages in another country. Like, who does that
anymore? Who does that? We don't, we don't have
that anymore. And though I was saddened at his
passing, part of me also felt like, you know
what? He deserve-- he deserves that, that
forever peace. He deserves that space,
right? He's earned it, and we're gonna continue the
struggle here. He's fought his fight.
He fought for us. He showed us a path.
He demonstrated in so many ways how we need to
be better, how we need to be leaders, how we need to lift
each other up.
And that's not what I see when I turn on the TV.
It's not what I see out of DC. It's not what I see sometimes out of this
space. There seem to be not enough people doing
that. Um, but you're here today,
and his constant reminder is that it's
possible. We can be better. We can lift each other up.
We can serve humanity, right from the forty-ninth
Ward, from the thirteenth Ward, from the twelfth Ward, right,
from the fourth Ward, from our communities, with our
communities, in community. That's the way it's possible.
Um, so thank you for being his legacy, a part of his legacy,
for sharing him with us. And thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Thank you.
Alderwoman Lee.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I too rise in support of
this resolution. Thank you Jackson family for, for being here with us
today, and I echo the thanks, that I've heard so much already today,
for the fact that you shared him with the world.
Um,
as an Asian American and as someone shaped by Chicago Public Schools,
I'm deeply aware of the doors that were open to me and
countless others because Reverend Jackson pushed them
through. He marched through them, and he refused for them to be closed
again, and his life work didn't-- so his life's work didn't just change
policies, it changed possibilities.
Um, you're gonna hear a lot of that here, but I, I, I hope you understand how
much that rings true for all of us that are here.
Um, I happen to, be a graduate of Whitney Young High School, which a
couple, couple of the Jackson family attended, Santina and, and
Jonathan, my colleague, a couple colleagues here as well.
Um, it was a place that reflects so much of what Reverend Jackson fought
for. It's,
students from every corner of our city coming together, bringing together different
backgrounds, and I realized when I went to college how u- how unique that
actually was, to live in that little utopia
that was Whitney Young High School in the greatest city of-- in the world, in the
city of Chicago. Um, and it shows you what, what's possible and worth
fighting for. And I know that, that in-- that influence in being here in
Chicago,
Reverend Jackson had such a hand in that.
Um,
that experience stays with you, and it shapes you, and it raises your
expectations for what society can be.
Uh, and in many ways, and in so many ways as you see all around us and as you've
been celebrating his life, you can see that
it-- Chicago is a place, through his influence,
where leaders are raised.
They're tested and then ultimately proven.
Um, and hopefully we have many more that come from it as a result of the
work that he's done and each of the legacies that you are all building as
well, carrying that forward.
You know, for the Asian American community, Reverend Jackson didn't just stand at a
distance. He stood with us. Um, I was very young
when, Vincent Chin was murdered, in Detroit.
I, I remember distinctly watching the television and watching my family stand
at attention, at the tragedy that, befallen Vincent
Chin, and the heartbreak that his mother felt.
Uh, and that Reverend Jackson went to her side to stand with
her, has never... I've never forgotten it, and I know my, my
community hasn't as well. Um, and he did the same thing during the rise of
anti-Asian. Um, he is, a towering figure that we will,
will know soon, not... Excuse me. We will not forget any time soon
or ever, for that example of bringing people
together. So I wanna express my, my gratitude to
Mrs. Jackson, and the entire Jackson family for
the lifetime of partnership and strength and example that you've shown to us.
Um, and may we honor him not just in words today, but through actions
as we move forward. Thank you so much, guys.
Thank you.
Chair recognizes Alder Lawson.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I am honored to be associated with re-
this resolution. Um, when I was a senior in high school,
in April of nineteen ninety-six, Reverend Jackson came and spoke to my class,
in Rockford, Illinois. Rockford Auburn. Go Knights.
And, I had a very diverse high school, not, not un- unlike the, the room
I'm in right now. And, he talked about the opportunity we had in front of
us as young people. Um, he cautioned us against too much
TV, which is maybe lost, on my generation or
the current generation, but not wasting the opportunities that we had before
us. Um, when it all came to an end, he invited
every senior who would be eighteen by the November election down to the floor of
the gym, and we all registered to vote.
And
yes, and, and I was a kid who was gonna register, I
was gonna vote in every election, but a lot of the people on that gym floor would
not have. And to have that opportunity and to have the story that I have and to
have never missed an election ever since, I hope I've made the Reverend proud.
Um, I'm passing a letter today in support of HB forty-three
thirty-nine, with- which of course has the support of Rainbow PUSH.
Uh, Kimberly Dubuquoy in Springfield, has, filed this
bill, and I'll just read a, a real quick excerpt.
Um, Reverend Jackson spent decades urging young people, es-
people, especially young people, to believe in their own vote and use it.
Through the Civil Rights Movement, Rainbow PUSH here in Chicago, and countless
campaigns for justice and inclusion, he fought to ensure that
participation in our democracy was not just reserved for the powerful or well
connected, but open to all. HB forty-three thirty-nine
reflects that same spirit. It is a practical and meaningful measure to
remove barriers to civic participation by meeting young people where they already
are, in school, preparing to enter public life.
By ensuring graduating seniors are given the opportunity to register, Illinois can
help build lifelong civic habits and strengthen participation across our
state. Um, I have most of the signatures on the letter already.
I'm coming to get yours, Mr. Mayor, as well, and I look forward to transmitting
that to, our colleagues in Springfield.
So on behalf of all the residents of the forty-fourth Ward, I wanna express my
deepest condolences to you and express gratitude for an
extraordinary life of an extraordinary Chicagoan and, all the many gifts
he's given all of us. Thank you, all. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Alderman
Knudson.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And I just wanna say to the Jackson family, I'm so
proud to be in your presence. I was so proud to go to the, the homegoing
ceremony and really celebrate Reverend Jackson, who as we've heard
today and, you've heard through the countless ceremonies you've been
through, he's just a titan that means so many different things
to so many different people. I remember my growing up with a grandfather who
was really proud of almost having the same birthday as Reverend Jackson in
nineteen forty-one, and, he's a South Side Chicago guy, my
grandpa. He's an Italian guy. But talking to him about the legacy and
the presidential campaign, and there's one thing that really hangs
onto me from the presidential campaign that I'd like to uplift as many other things
are getting uplifted. But Reverend Jackson was the first major
presidential candidate to mention LGBTQ rights
in his platform. In his convention speech, he
mentioned gays and lesbians. That is an
incredible, incredible additional legacy to
add on to all the other civil rights fights that, he
led on. He was a visionary. He was brave.
He was ahead of his time, and I'm so grateful to you, and, and like many
here, you know, you can count on us to really keep his legacy alive within this
chamber, so thank you.
Thank you, Alderman. The chair recognizes Alderman
Yancy.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise in support of this resolution.
Um, as Alderman of the Fifth Ward, I join with millions worldwide in mourning the
death and honoring the legacy of Fifth Ward resident Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson
Sr. You know, from his days marching with Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.
to becoming a global leader in his own right, Reverend Jackson distinguished
himself by carving his own path in the fight for human dignity, a fair
society, and equal opportunity for all through his unifying Rainbow
Coalition, which spanned international and interracial
lives. His campaigns for president in nineteen eighty-four and nineteen
eighty-eight are clear examples of his mission to create an America that represents
all of us. I had the pleasure of meeting Rev, earlier in my career as a
labor organizer and tried to walk the path that he paved for nearly two
decades. And in twenty twenty-three, I was honored to introduce him to my son
when I was elected to represent him and his family in city council as his alderman.
I give my condolences to the family, Mother Jackson,
Santita, Jesse, Jonathan, Yusef,
Jacqueline, Ashley, all the grandkids, and the
Operation PUSH family. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to mourn
my father or my mentor or the love of my life in public.
Thank you for sharing him with the world, because we needed him.
Kahlil Gibran said, "When you are sorrowful, look again into your
heart
and you shall see that, in truth, you are weeping for that which you have
been... or which has been your delight." So on behalf of the Fifth
Ward Service Office, it is with a grateful heart
that I wish you blessings. God bless you.
Thank you. Thank you, Alderman.
Alderman Hall.
Thank you, Mr. President. I rise to support this resolution.
Uh, first, first to say to Santita,
Jesse Jr., Yusef, Jonathan, to the
entire family, Dr. Jacqueline number two.
And then also, one of the reasons why I know Reverend Jackson is because of
Dr. Wilson grabbing my hand and introducing me to
him. But there's a host of things I want to say, but one story jumps to mind.
We were coming from Alabama to go back to South Carolina to see,
Reverend's mother, and everybody was asleep in the car
except for you, Miss Jackson. And, you leaned over to me and you asked me
all these questions about my church, and I was nervous 'cause I thought you was
gonna snap. Um, but one of the
things you told me was the best way to organize my church was to develop
birthday clubs. You told me that the birthday clubs would bring
morale and let the birthday club leaders,
lead and celebrate each other, and it'd make my life a lot easier.
And so I just wanted to rise today to say to you, Miss Jackson, yesterday was your
birthday.
Yeah.
And on behalf of all the March birthdays-
Right
... we wanna say thank you and happy birthday.
God bless you, Miss Jackson.
Thank you, Alderman.
Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President, and, I also rise
in... and with proud support of this
resolution. I think there's nothing that can
exemplify the legacy of a person but to just to
look at their family. Miss
Jackson, to Santita,
Yusef, Congressman Jonathan Jackson, Jacqueline,
Yusef.
Two congressmen, the legacy of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition,
communications, but more than anything else, the legacy
of a fighting history here in our city.
I cannot be more proud to stand on behalf of our community
because you truly reflect the aspirations, dreams of
so many people that continue to dream that one day
we will be seen, not by the skin of our color,
but the character of our spirit, and that is
the legacy of Reverend Jesse Jackson.
I am extremely proud because in so many occasions when
others looked the other way, Reverend Jackson, the Rainbow PUSH, and your
family received us and welcome us like we are
somebody, like we matter. And that you show
us not only the welcoming spirit of our
city, but the respect
and the dignity
that all human beings deserve as brothers, sisters, and
siblings. There mean so many
stories, but I would like to just share the kind of
man that he is and the legacy that he
carries. When in the council we had tough
issues,
and we had a resolution in the city council, Reverend
Jesse Jackson was not feeling well that day.
He was on the way to the hospital.
When I received the call that Reverend Jackson was in the
elevator,
he uplifted the whole room
because he kept hope alive.
That is the hope
that many in our city and across the world continue to
have
for a world where all human beings are
somebody. Documented or not,
if you're in the streets unsheltered, if
you are someone who is going
hungry, and we have way too many,
we believe that hope is alive in our city
because of the legacy of Reverend Jackson.
Reverend Jackson also gave us the Rainbow Coalition that
elected the bl- the first Black progressive mayor in the history of our
country. And that city and that
spirit is alive and well
with the family of Reverend Jackson.
On behalf of my community, when I've seen not only young leaders coming to
Rainbow PUSH, not only from Chicago, in
Cicero, in places where nobody even look at
us, Reverend Jackson told us, "You are
somebody, and you matter, and you have a
voice, and we shall overcome."
So thank you to the Jackson family for that beautiful spirit.
You always have a friend in our community because we see
you, 'cause you see us. So thank you so
much, and let's keep hope alive. Thank you very
much.
You.
Chair recognizes Alderwoman
Mitts.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too would like to rise and support this
resolution.
I thank all my colleagues for all the words that's been
spoken.But I have to represent the west
side. And when I tell you
Reverend Jackson made his way over, and there are leaders that are
representing him now because of Reverend
Jackson. Reverend Ira Akry, Reverend
Marsha Hatch
got their leadership role from Operation
PUSH under the leadership of Reverend Jackson.
They have a voice, they're speaking.
The voice that you hear now echoing in young folks who are out
here now on the battlefield
trying to continue to work.
I heard my grandson say as he voted
at age 18, he's 19, his first
vote,
he never knew of Reverend Jackson.
But as the service went on, he knew this was a great man,
somebody that he need to know. I said, "Well, that's what your
phone is for. Go look him up instead of
all that other stuff you look at." Then he came
back and he says, "Oh Mom,
wow, I didn't know this. I want to
be like this man. I want to change
life." Well, Reverend Jackson changed some life.
I, at first came in office, he saved a lady home right there on the
west side. Like, well... And how he did it,
all of a sudden it was done. Dealing with the banks.
Ms. Minister, God bless her home, how she done passed on now,
but he saved her home. He've helped to not
only do the breadbasket from the south side to the west
side. Yeah, they would call me over and say, "Come on over here,
get this." Reverend Wilson, y'all had the breadbasket at the
Operation PUSH. We would go and get food to make sure
kids was able to eat
during the summer months, the programs that he have.
And every Martin Luther King
celebration, those events
and bringing back memories. I looked at the world and
said, "Wow,
it's a shame
that sometimes you don't recognize how
leadership
carries you on until a person is gone."
So now,
with Reverend Jackson being our last civil rights
leader, we better take notice.
Take notice to what his legacy was all
about. And somebody has to make sure that we
carry that torch, passing it down to our children, not
keeping it to ourselves, because the world do turn around
and it just in a different form. So if you want them to be
successful, open up your eyes, start
talking, and let's get the word out so
that they too can have some hope
in their life and in the life of all Americans. Thank you.
God bless you. We're praying with all of you from, on behalf of
37 Ward. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, Alderwoman.
All right. The chair recognizes Alderman Ervin.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Um, I first met,
Reverend Jackson at a Bulls game. Uh, I was a little
kid. Uh, I was at a Detroit Pistons game with,
Isaiah Thomas' mother, Mary Thomas.
And, as if they were old friends, she
introduced me, to the Reverend.
Uh, one thing when I... And I actually did a little research and, and the one
thing I think that is a misnomer about Reverend Jackson
and the fact that people talk about Operation
Breadbasket from a perspective of
food a lot of times. But the reality was that it was about
economics. And without economic
parity for our community, then all of the things that we
talked about, all of the things that people fought for were
of not. Because again, at the end of the day, it comes down to the dollar
bill. And I think that was one thing that Reverend Jackson
understood, and he understood the power of economics and the
power of secondly, of firstly and secondly, the
vote. Now, I, when he was here, when we did his 80th
birthday, one thing that I said that with the Voting Rights
Act, a lot of us in this room owe seats to that
work, because he even here in the city of
Chicago, we had some battles on
getting representation for our community.
But again, it was that groundwork that was laid back in the '60s that moved us
to the '70s and '80s that got us to a point that we have these
seats that we have today. But one thing, I want to close with
this, let's not forget the fight for economic
justice in what Reverend Jackson spoke of, what
he talked about, and what he teached on.
Sometimes people may have misunderstood what he was trying to do
economically, but without the economics, everything else
is useless. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Alderman Ervin.
And I do appreciate the brevity here.
We are, on our f- 15th speaker now.
Um, just a few more that we have, at least on my sheet.
Um, the chair recognizes Alder Fuentes.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and, and thank you to the family for your
sacrifice. Alma Jackson, thank you for sharing,
Reverend Jackson with us. And to the children who, who sacrificed a
father so that he could be shared with the entire world.
He taught everyone in this room
And across this globe that we are all somebody.
And that we can organize and put our best foot forward
to be able to build the coalition that this, not just this country needs, but
this world needs in this moment. I hope that we take Reverend Jackson's
spirit with us as we are fighting great odds that are trying to
deteriorate not just our coalition, but us as human
beings. As a Latina born and raised in Humboldt Park,
Jesse Jackson visited a small church on North
Avenue called San Lucas Church, and I remember Puerto
Ricans being extremely proud to have Reverend Jackson in
that church, not just talking about what was needed in the moment, but what was
needed in the future for our coalition to be
strong. Our Puerto Rican community is extremely proud of the legacy
that Reverend Jackson left behind, and we intend to carry that legacy moving
forward. So thank you for taking time and being in the box with us today,
for embodying everything that Reverend Jackson was, and I hope that this
body can do the same. Thank you for your time today. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you.
Chair recognizes Alderwoman Dowell.
Uh, tha- thank you, Mr. President.
Um, I wanted to be associated with this resolution as
well. Um,
I'm not originally from Chicago. I'm originally from New
York, and one of the things that attracted me to this
city was h- only having Jet
magazine and Ebony magazine in my house, of
which, the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr.
was always featured, along with other people.
Um, that was what attracted me here to Chicago.
I just wanted to say to the, Jackson family,
that I appreciate,
your, giving us him in
this country and in the world. Um, I had an
opportunity to work in the Harold Washington administration, and I always
wondered, "Well, why can't we do that in New York?" being that I
was from there. So I would like to acknowledge that but
for
Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr., there never would've been a David
Dinkins in 1990. And so, thank
you so much for making that happen in our s- in
my old beloved city. On behalf of the residents of
the 3rd Ward, I just wanted to, express our
condolences to the entire family.
I would also like to take the opportunity to, thank,
Jesse Jackson Jr.,
uh...
because really, I wouldn't be in this seat but
for you coming to support me, and I really appreciate that.
And so I know that the spirit of the father
lives in the children, and, wanted
to, thank you all very much and express my condolences and love for
the family. Thank you.
Alder V- Vie- Villegas.
Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you for bringing this resolution forward.
I want to f- start off by offering my condolences to the Jackson family.
Um, my interaction with, the great reverend,
happened, with Reverend Barry regarding during Hurricane
Maria, when the island of Puerto Rico was
devastated, and we were trying to get supplies from
Chicago to Puerto Rico
in the midst of all the damage, and an
administration that was not helping the, the, the
island of Puerto Rico. And I remember meeting with Reverend Barry and Reverend
Jackson, and I remember telling Reverend Barry like, "What
is Reverend Jackson gonna do here?" And he was able to use
his connections and his relationships
to get an airplane,
to get that airplane to load 50 pallets of
supplies that was much needed, and get it there to the
island. And so forever, forever we'll be
grateful for, for s- for the reverend stepping in there.
And I, then I remembered,
"Why would Reverend Jackson
be concerned with this?" And I remember that PUSH, People United for
Saving Humanity. This is a gentleman
that just
d- looked at saving humanity, and when you think about all the great
civil right leaders
that I've heard of, Martin Luther King, Malcolm
X, Cesar
Chavez, it's not often that you get a chance to meet
a living legend.
And so I had that opportunity to meet Reverend Jackson and work with him
collaboratively in order to help the people in Puerto Rico.
So forever we'll be grateful for that assistance.
Again, God bless your family,
and from the 36th Ward, we miss
him. Thank you.
Thank you, Alderman. Thank you.
The chair recognizes Alderman Conway.
Uh, Mr. President, I've had the opportunity to, to speak at Rainbow
PUSH several times, and I'm always grateful to be, to be invited
and, and witness the greatness. Not to talk politics in
this hallowed chamber, but, on the day after an election, I think a lot of us
are asking, you know, "What makes us all, all Democrats?" as
I sit here with my c- you know, colleague to the left and colleague to the far
left. I'm not talking about Scott, by the way.
And I think about that. Uh, I remember
watching Reverend Jackson's speech at the convention in
1988, and the quote that really jumped out to me as a
10-year-old was, "The only justification we have for looking down on
someone is if we're gonna stop and pick them up."
And I think that is what, what binds us together as, as members of city council,
really giving voice to the voiceless, and it was
the reverend that taught us that. So I wanna thank you
all for sharing your husband, your father, your
grandfather, and Reverend Jackson with us, and, and allowing
us to help in any way we can preserve,
preserve that legacy and grow upon it. Thank you, Mr.
Mayor, and thank you all very much.
Thank you, Alderman.
Chair recognizes Alder Vasquez. And before you,
proceed, I just have one more person, and that will be
Alderwoman Scott. So if you wish to speak, please,
give us acknowledgement now. Alder Vasquez.
Thank you very much Mr. President.
Uh, thank you all for being with us, and for sharing the good reverend with all
of us. Um,
many of us will say, "Keep hope alive," is something that's been embedded in
us, because of the good reverend's words.
I think when we think about the times we find ourselves in currently,
it feels rough. We see the racism being every bit
as blatant as it used to be. And I can imagine
what it must have been like when the world lost, the good
Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King
and whatst- what it must have felt like about the kind of
loss the world had. And how do w- how does one continue that kind of legacy
and that kind of work? But then we had the Reverend Jesse
Jackson to continue that work, and so
in that time I believe it was a lot
more challenging and darker than it is now.
To think of the a- audacity of that same hope that would lead
someone to put on the cape and solve every problem every single time because
the time is always right to do what's right, and to then
run for the highest office in this nation at a time where,
heck, it's challenging now, so I can't even imagine what it was like back then.
And so I, I know, a number of our colleagues have mentioned the, the end of an
era, but I think about
really what it means to plant the seeds and the continuation of an era.
Not only is it members of the family that have continued that good work, that
public service, that dedication, the humanity, but there are so
many people that have articulated what that presence and those words have meant
to all of us in the work that we continue to do.
Hope is a
sometimes ambiguous concept, but I think it's different when it comes from people
of struggle, people who have had nothing that
work to help other people and uplift whole communities,
regardless of what they look like, where they come from, understanding that we all
share that same humanity and what it takes to sacrifice
time, commitment,
emotion. We are much
better for the good reverend's contributions, even in this
time where we feel like we're taking steps backwards.
All the seeds that have been planted, all the work that we all do and we continue
to do, we'll also continue to be inspired by the good reverend's work.
And so I... You know, as we all do around this time, we try to find quotes and
reflections to kind of keep us strong, and I think about
how hard it is to keep hope alive.
We can say it all the time, but we have to deal with a lot of hardship, both
internally, externally, in this whole world.
And so the word, words that I wanted to share was about what it takes to be a
leader. Um,
and he said, "Leaders must be tough enough to fight,
tender enough to cry,
human enough to make mistakes, humble enough to admit
them, strong enough to absorb the pain, and resilient enough to bounce
back and keep on moving." And so when I think about the
different decades of work,
seeing the good reverend through the different stages in life, still coming, still
attending, still being at rallies, even when it was a team behind him and having
to be in a wheelchair with us, that shows a resilience
that I don't think is often appreciated, and I think about it
constantly. And so as much as we feel the loss,
there's also a peace that the good reverend is at rest
after coming and showing up and showing out for all of us constantly.
And so the best way we can continue that legacy is by showing up
and doing that work, especially in this moment in this country.
And so I thank you all for all the sacrifices you've made.
I thank you all for continuing the legacy.
Chicago would not be Chicago and this world would not be this world if it wasn't
for the good reverend, so thank you so much for that. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you.
Chair recognizes Alderwoman Scott.
Thank you, Mr. President.
This is what legacy looks like.
My dad, Michael Scott Sr., worked alongside with your dad.
I remember sitting in this same booth hearing
amazing words about my dad, and then to sit here and
hear the amazing things about your husband, your
father, your relative, it just
resonates with me.
My dad, Michael Scott Sr., worked alongside with your dad
to fight for economic opportunity and a stronger
community.
He was the first person, your dad was the first person, Jesse Jackson
was the first person to sit by my side when I lost my
dad. He was the first person that rang that doorbell for me,
when I lost my dad. And as a young girl to
now, Reverend Jackson's life reminds me that real
change come from courage, faith,
and a commitment to serve others.
For that, we thank you Jacksons. We thank you
for sharing him with us,
and we thank you for the honor and the legacy he leaves
behind.
To all the Jacksons,
I thank you, I thank you, I thank you, and we,
I, love you
Thank you. Thank you.
Alderman Gardner.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, I too rise in support of this
resolution, and, I will do my best to take Alderman Beale's
advice, and I will try to be brief. Um, when your
father was with us in 2023, he came to city council
and, in the past few years of my life I've, I've tried
to do a better job of expressing my gratitude and,
I was able to express my gratitude to your father.
And,
I had mentioned how he impacted my life and I probably wouldn't be, truth be told,
in this seat, in this position to serve as alderman of the 45th
Ward. Um, I am on the far northwest side of Chicago in
Jefferson Park, and you may be asking, "How in the world did your father
impact my life?" Um, as a first generation American,
and somebody who struggled in school, barely graduated high
school, I, was, was working
construction as a 19-year-old and, I had a
dream to take- to become a Chicago fireman.
And, much like the fireman we saw yesterday, Ald-
Firefighter Altman pass, who comes from a long lineage of
firefighters, I did not. Um, and
usually back in the '90s it was kind of like you kind of had to know somebody to
get on the fire department, or at least that was the word on the street,
and, I didn't know anybody. Um, and
I took a test in 1995, and I didn't score high enough on this
test, and your father, was able
to fight the city and say that there was other people who
were on that, on this test, who passed the test,
and, and could be willing and able to perform the duties of being a
firefighter. And fortunately,
because of his advocacy, I was able to be
hired on the fire department 10 years later.
Yep.
And if, like I said earlier, if it wasn't for working with the fire department and
being a, a member of Local 2, I would not be in this position.
Um, but when I came out of the fire academy, which is like a six-month
ordeal, kind of like a boot camp, you get assigned a position.
And I was assigned to Truck 26, Engine 95, Ambulance 10,
Battalion 13 on the west side of Chicago in West Garfield Park, one of the
busiest firehouses in the city of Chicago. It's an honor.
It's a, it's a privilege. It's almost like going to Harvard for
scholars. Um,
and the first question when you come into that firehouse
is, "Who do you know? Who's your clout?"
And you know, and, and most times somebody who looks like myself it's either
Ray Orozco, or Bobby Hoff, or Mayor Daley, or Pat
LaVar, who was a former alderman of the 45th Ward, and I knew ne- none of
them. And I would say, "Reverend
Jackson." And I would get the craziest looks, a side
look of like, "Who?" And I would say, "Yeah, Rev-
Reverend Jackson." And they, a- and it was,
it was very, uh... It, it was sincere because
I knew from the moment I got on that job, I wasn't expected to ever get a
call, and I was trying to figure out my path in li- in life.
And it was because of your advocacy, your father's
advocacy, that many people, my colleague, Alderman
Napolitano as well, we were given an
opportunity. And as a first
generation American, whether you're Asian, whether you're
Hispanic, from Africa, anywhere in the world,
one thing we have in common is we are hungry people.
We are hungry for opportunities. And,
me coming on the fire department, I was extremely hungry, but I
was also extremely grateful. And I always remembered that in the 14
years that I spent on the Chicago Fire Department, where I was
able to serve in a predominantly, ironically, African American
community in West Garfield Park. And we made, I can s-
sincerely say to you, the men and women that I worked with, we made
an immense impact on African Americans
in the, in the city of Chicago. Um,
and it would not be possible, without the work of your
father, and I am extremely grateful to have been
able to express that to him in 2023, because I could
see, the challenges that he was facing at that time, and we d-
we didn't know how much longer he was gonna be with us.
And I feel compelled to share that with you as well,
because I said that in '23, that he may or may not hear that a lot
from somebody from my community, from my background.
And I think it's very important not only he hear it, but you hear it as
well, and you should be so proud of the work that your father did.
And I sincerely thank you, and I know Alderman Napolitano feels the same way.
So thank you very much. May God bless you.
Thank you.
Alderman Lopez.
Good morning, Mr. President and members of the city council, and welcome to the
Jackson family. And as I was sitting here, it's hard to add
to the discussion that we've already had with everyone who's shared so many of
their great initial encounters with your husband and your
father. Um, mine actually was over 20-plus
years ago before I was even in this room, when I still worked at Southwest
Airlines at Midway Airport. It's where we got to meet many of you.
Um, and I... There's one word that I have not heard
enough of, and I think that it was your father's
humility. Uh, he was a very humble
man. For all of his
largesse-He was never one, as one of my colleagues
mentioned, not to talk to someone that was the least in the
room. Not one to not talk to frontline airline
workers, whoever was standing out there. He'd carry on a conversation.
He would stop with whomever he was walking through the airport with.
If someone recognized him and wanted a moment, he always gave it to him.
That is a hallmark of a true leader.
It is someone who understands where they come from,
understands how to lift people up, but also understands that everyone
matters. And while many of us had
initial react- interactions in official capacities, mine was in
a very different world. Um, but nonetheless left a, a
lasting impression on me, and I'm so thankful t-
in knowing that that best character trait
of humbleness and humility has also been ke- passed on to all of
you. Because as I've gotten to know many of you, privately or
publicly, you all carry it as well.
So, thank you for sharing him. Thank you for allowing us to once again put
you through this memorial. Um, but your grief
is our grief, and we are there with you together. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you.
Are there any more alders that wish to speak before our final
speaker? Which... All right.
If there are no other hands, the final alder who will speak to this
resolution, the chair recognizes Alderman Robinson.
Mr. Mayor, thank you very much.
On the behalf of the residents of the Fourth Ward, home
to Operation
PUSH,
we wanna say thank you to the Jackson family and Reverend
Wilson for allowing us to have Reverend
Jackson. To Miss
Jackson,
there's not a time that I see you that I, I don't
bow.
Mm. Because I wanna thank you
for being Reverend's partner
and pushing him
to make the world a better place,
being the wind beneath his wings.
We thank God for you, and we love you.
To Yusuf. Yusuf, keep
hope alive. Our young people
need to continue to hear and see Black
excellence. As a son of
Chicago, it is because I'm in this
body, my father dragged me
to Operation PUSH on
Saturdays, where I heard from folks around the
country, and again, to see Black excellence
right here in the city of Chicago. So Yusuf,
keep that fire burning.
I stand today in this chamber as the first
Black openly gay member of the Chicago City
Council, and the first openly
LGBTQ African American person to serve in the Illinois
General Assembly. Congressman
Jackson, that journey didn't happen in
isolation.
It happened
because Reverend Jackson helped expand the moral
imagination and compass of this
country.
Because he fought for justice even when it
was unpopular, Congressman.
Because he believed that
the struggle for freedom
must include all of God's
children. His life reminds us
that movements are built, Mr.
Mayor, not just by speeches, but by
courage and compassion
and unwavering commitment
to dignity for everyone. So today we
honor Reverend Jackson,
but we also honor his legacy. His legacy of
hope, a legacy of justice, a
legacy of Black economics.
A legacy that reminds us that his dream
is still alive. So
again, to the Jackson family,
Chicago is a better place
because he lived. America
is a better place
because he led. Thank you, and may God continue to bless
you.
All right. Uh, just briefly, thank you, Alderman Bill, for,
being a great model. That brevity, it worked.
I promised the family we would have them out of here by noon.
Um, and so we won't, belabor this moment too much
longer. But again, I want to give, my
deepest condolences to Mrs. Jackson, to,
to the entire family. You know, had the
incredible honor and privilege of working alongside of the entire
family for a number of years now.And Mrs.
Jackson, we are so humbled, by your presence.
I appreciate what Alderman Moore said.
Your words were so profound and so, prophetic at the
MLK breakfast. And, we love you.
We thank you for all of the advice that... Check her out. Now, don't...
Now, listen now, don't give me the cry up
here. But, you have
been such a, an incredible inspiration to so many people.
Great example. Uh, just one quick story here, and then Alderman Mitchell, we're
gonna pass this to the omnibus, okay?
Um, I was, in the vehicle with Reverend.
I, I shared this story with Mrs. Jackson, and, and I don't even know
where we were headed. If you, you know, Alderman Hall, you know this.
Reverend would just come and pick you up, grab you, and before you know it, you're
on an airplane somewhere. He would-- just had that ability to do that.
And he was listening to some, some real, real, real,
down home music. People don't, may not know this, but though he was a
sanctified man, he really loved the blues, right?
And so this blues lyrics, of course, can be very provocative.
And so it made me curious to understand, you know, how do you preserve a family,
particularly a marriage? So I said, "Reverend, what's the
secret? Um, how do you, how do you do this, man?
You know, I'm working hard. I believe my wife likes me most days, but
the kids, you know, I don't want them walking around with a picture of me saying,
'This is my daddy.' I want them to actually know me.
So how do you do it?" And he looked at me and he said,
"You gotta growl, Brandon. You gotta growl at her." I
said, "Wait, you, you growl at Mrs.
Jackson?" He said, "Yeah, you just, you just--
If it gets real rough, you just gotta turn around and just growl at
her." And you know, listen, I'm a very impressionable young man.
I wanted to protect my marriage and my family.
And so Stacy and I were having a little bit of a, a moment, just a little bit of a
back and forth. And Mrs. Jackson, I took your husband's
advice. So I just looked at her and I just started
growling.
And then my wife Stacy looked at me and she said, "I can give
you something for that." And my marriage has never been
stronger.
And so thank you for the strong example
of love. And let's just be honest, you all, the,
the Jacksons, this is not just Black royalty.
This is royalty at its highest.
And so Alderman Mitchell, can I get a motion for the passage of this
resolution in the omnibus as a rising resolution?
Mr. President, I move passage in the omnibus.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
All right, our final
resolution.
Our final resolution for this morning, what's left of the
morning, is a
resolution...
Our final resolution is honoring Women's History Month, and we're
grateful for all of the powerful women that are in the
box. Ms. Tina Feldstein, Nevia
Gilbert, Jean Clark, America Campos,
Dominique Smith, Wanda Molina, Ava
Orocho, Martha
Constigena. I'm sorry,
Cartagena, Sandra Ruiz,
Jane Lau, Maria
Estela, and Sandy Ruiz.
Let's welcome them to the City Council
Are there any alders that wish to speak to this resolution?
The chair recognizes
Alder Jeanette Taylor.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um,
America Composts uplifts back of the yard through youth
programs, safe spaces, and food access.
Dominique Smith has empowered over 2,500 young people through
mental health support and community advocacy.
And Nevaeh Gilbert, a social work student at the national u-
y- the National L- Lewis University, and member of the
student advisory council, also a student from Dyer High
School. Used to be, she's now in college.
Making impact through leadership and commitment to service.
Together, their resilience, purpose, and dedication to build community
stronger and healthier. Ms. Jean, who could not make it
today, is the Woodlawn mother. She the woman that don't
say, "I'ma pick up the trash," she make you pick up the trash.
She found you outside doing something you ain't supposed to do, she walked up to
you. She didn't care who child you was, and she's not feeling well today.
And so these incredible women all live in the 20th Ward, and I just wanna say to
them, thank you for your work. Thank you for your support.
Thank you for your push. Thank you for making sure that this community knows that
it has a support system. Thank you, Mr.
President.
Woman down.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I wanted to, honor
a woman today who I have known for more than a
decade, in honor of Women's History Month, where
we celebrate women who are
cutting-edge, resilient, that show leadership,
and that are always thoughtful.
And so today I wanted to,
acknowledge and honor Tina Feldstein.
Tina, would you please stand? Tina is
a 20-year community activist who
lives in the South Loop. Um, she has been the
founder of the Prairie District Neighborhood
Association. She has also led the
effort to begin a soccer league in
the South Loop that services schools all across the South and West
Sides. She is now the
creator of the South Loop Farmers Market, which
started at Roosevelt Collection and has expanded now
to Water Tower Place on the fourth floor on
Sundays, where, you can get the
best produce, and some, organic
meat, and flowers that don't die after three
days. Um, and so Tina, I just wanted to
acknowledge you and bring you here in City Council, because what you
do goes unsung and
unsupported. And so I wanted
to, just bring you here, and to acknowledge you, and to thank you for your
contributions to the City of Chicago. Thank you.
Alder Fuentes.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, today I wanna honor Sandy Ruiz,
Sandy Quiwaye for everybody. Uh, Sandy Ruiz is
the proud mother and grandmother, for many
amazing, successful young people in the 26th Ward, and
a, a proud, business person, and, and
activist, and organizer in her own right.
Her father, Carlos Caribe Ruiz, founded the Puerto Rican
Congress of Mutual Aid, and several youth orchestras.
Um, and she has worked so closely with him in making sure that we
can celebrate cultura, and make sure we're bringing our
community forward. She has always supported new
arrivals from Puerto Rico. Uh, and as we are watching
global warming impact the island, as well as a fiscal crisis, people like
Sandy stand firm as welcoming arms here in the City of
Chicago.
As the community relations for McDonald's, Sandy has also
proven what it means to have Puerto Ricans enter the business sector and
represent our community as well. She's also the grandmother of an
amazing young intern in my office, so we watch those leaderships,
leadership skills pass from generation to generation in
the 26th Ward.
She is true representation for what Women's History Month
looks like and what it should be. She is the embodiment of what it means to be a
leader, what it means to be an advocate, what it means to speak
on behalf of all women and Boricua women across our city.
I also wanna thank her son, Justin Ruiz.
I want to thank the President of the National Conference of Puerto Rican Women,
Angie Acevedo, who's in the gallery with us today.
Gilberto Perez Padilla and Hilda Frontani for nom-
nominating Sandy to be our unsung heroine,
on behalf of many Puerto Rican organizations in the 26th Ward and
across the city. Sandy, I am grateful for your leadership, your
representation, and your dedication to our
community. Uh, may today just be one recog- recognition
of many. You deserve to always have an applause, to have people
learning from your lessons, and I'm excited
for what the third generation in your family will do in our
community the way Zanairu has done in our office.
Thank you so much for being here, and happy International Women's Day.
Thank you.
The chair recognizes Alder Nicole Lee.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I too rise today in support of the
resolution, and to all of the amazing women that have graced us with their
presence in the box today, thank you.
Um, as chair of the Women's Caucus, I'm here to honor these
women who have helped to shape our city and our communities, and this very
institution.And this moment is significant, because not only do
we have these amazing women in the box, but, I also have the pleasure of
serving with more women, sitting on city council than ever,
in the history of the city council.
We can give ourselves a round of applause.
Um,
I could not be more proud, than I am to, to serve alongside these
incredible women, as, as we, every day,
help to shape Chicago as well as, making history here and there.
Um, but it's, it's... Representation matters,
not just for the sake of numbers but, it changes how we govern, how we
lead, and how we see the people we serve.
Um, and as women, as mothers, as sisters, as aunties,
and, and, and grandmothers, I, I think that women come
to, come to the table a little differently than the men do.
No offense to any of the gentlemen in the room here today.
Um, but I can tell you that when we, when we sit down it, it is
with, open hearts and open minds even though
oftentimes many of us disagree about things, but we don't, we don't need to be
disagreeable to disagree with each other, and I think that's what's so, what's so
special. Um,
you know, we've made plenty of progress, but we know there's lots of room to grow.
Um, and looking at the, the women that are in the box today and all of the
various, careers and paths, and roads that
they've worn, for- for people to come up behind them, I'm ever
grateful for their work. Um, and in particular, I
invited today Jane Lau, who recently retired. Please stand, Jane.
Um, Jane... Thank you. Please give her a round of applause.
Jane.
Jane is very mo- I mean, she's just...
She's, she's quiet, and unassuming but super powerful.
She spent 22 years with the Chicago Board of Elections, and I can
tell you, with- without a doubt,
that I would not be standing here
but for Jane and the work that she's done to register voters in my
community. Um, as far as her work to make sure that
people have, have language accessible
services, at the polling places.
Um, as the first Chinese American to serve on this city council, it is
not lost on me how many people, especially in the 11th Ward,
benefited from, from her work and her handy work and, and
she's done so quietly, for many, many years.
So I wish you all of the best on your retirement, Jane.
Thank you so much for your contributions, and hopefully we've got, we've got
some people that will come up right behind you, to carry on this really
important work to make sure that the Voting Rights Act is enforced, that
people across the city, no matter what language they speak, have
access, w- as, as citizens of the United States to cast
their votes. Um, thank you to all of the women today for everything that you've
done to make Chicago the great city that it is.
Um, please continue to do that, and thank you very much.
Thank you.
The chair recognizes Alderwoman Ramirez.
Hello, everyone. Good afternoon. Buenas tardes.
Good afternoon.
Um, I'm especially happy today, celebrating Women's
International, Month because I am a new mom and I have my
baby here in council. And
it means so much to me to have Clerk Valencia, all the
alderwomen who supported me through this journey.
Now being the second alderperson, to be pregnant, to have a
baby while sitting in this chambers, it, it's important
to, to know the ways in which women have juggled,
many, many of our responsibilities.
And not just bringing my baby was a joy, but today I get to
celebrate a very important person, so please give a round of applause to
Maria Estela Farra and her
family.
We all are very familiar with her work.
Um, if you're a Bulls fan, a Black Hawks fan, if you've ever been to the United
Center, Maria Estela is the one who
sews the banners that we see at the United Center that
have now celebrated the greats like Michael Jordan, Scottie
Pippen, and Derrick Rose.
Senior.
Whoo.
Maria Estela is a mother, a grandmother, and also a
great-grandmother. She came here from Guadalajara,
Mexico, and her story rings true to a lot of the
immigrants here in Chicago. They came to Mexico.
She lives in South Chicago. And she never
actually sewed in her life. She ended up going to look for a job
for survival to, to feed her family, and not only did she learn
how to sew, but she became one of the best at WGN
Studios, and now we see her banners up, you know,
representing the best of Chicago.
So Maria Estela, muchas gracias por todo tu trabajo.
Yes.
And thank you so much for all the history that you're a part of in Chicago.
Gracias.
Thank you.
Alderman Moore.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, first of all, I wanna thank you, Mr.
President, for, acknowledging, and I'm a say, these
great, women. There are times that we have big names and all
of that, out here, but, these women
are, on the ground and they are making a difference.
I w- I definitely wanna recognize and stand up Dominique Smith,
for the work she's doing, especially, y'all give her a hand, especially
she's a licensed clinician and she does so much work with her organization in
helping, young people. But not only that, I take pride
and, and I honor people who don't have to be the big
I. They work with everybody and they give their time to other
organizations, especially when it comes to our young people.
And Dominique, I thank you so much for that. What, what you...
When we talk about our, our youth needing mentors or they need people,
to st- stay away from things, they are out there
changing lives so that, we're not dealing with the,
negative situations in our city.
And so, you may not have all the big money, may not have all the big
names, but you're doing the big work out there, and for that I say thank
you. And everybody need to know Ms. Dominique Smith. Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Alderman Robinson.
Mr. Mayor, thank you very much. Uh, there is a young lady in the box,
Ms. T, Ms. Tina, good to see
you. Um,
as we celebrate, Women's History Month,
we think about, bringing together community.
And I think about,
my time in Illinois General Assembly alongside of my colleague, Alderman
Dowell, where we bring families together
in the South Loop, but really we bring families together,
across the city of Chicago for a Easter egg
hunt. And why is that important? It's
important because we have to be able to bring folks
together. And Tina, I wanna thank you for,
doing that, year in and year out,
with, not a lot of support financially, but you get it
done. And then also, in Printers R-
Printers Row, squarely in the Fourth Ward,
the fresh market that you put together, for residents, again,
not only for Printers Row on the South Loop, but
for the city of Chicago. And so again, when we think about
Women's History Month, we think about the
history of bringing folks together, and you exude that three hundred
sixty-five days a year. So Tina, thank you for your work, and
also a thank you for all that you do for the city of Chicago.
Thank you. Thank you, Alderman.
All right, so I have one more speaker, unless there's, others that wish to
speak to this. This would be the time, to be acknowledged.
Otherwise, the chair recognizes Alder Quesada.
Thank you, Mr. President. I wanna s- rise and thank, and honor Sandy Reese
and Alderperson Jesse Fuentes for honoring Sandy and her
leadership as an entrepreneur. She is one of the owners of a
McDonald's in my ward on Milwaukee and Sawyer, and the
great work that they have done in partnering up with our local schools,
our local organizations to do fundraisers, to donate food
to block parties and events. Really wanna thank you so much for investing in our
community, for creating opportunities for other entrepreneurs in our
neighborhood, and again, for supporting the great civic and social
culture of the Thirty-Fifth Ward.
We thank you, and we honor you this Women's History Month. Thank you, Mr.
President.
Thank you. Are there any other
alders that wish to speak to this resolution?
Very well, seeing no hands. Um, this month we honor the women
of Chicago's past and present who, make our city and our
world such a much better place. Women have been on
the front lines of some of our biggest fights for civil
rights, gender equality, labor rights, LGBTQ+
rights, and countless other causes.
Today, I'm reflecting on some of Chicago's bold and courageous activists,
including, but not limited to Maria Certa, first Latina to
serve Chicago Board of Education.
Virginia Martinez, a local attorney, author, and advocate of women and
children. Hazel Johnson, of course, the mother of environmental
justice. Um, so many others that we can lift up.
Mother Cabrini, and so many great
patrons. You know, I, I'm grateful for all of the women
who serve in this administration, some of which, but not
limited to, are represented in all of our
different departments and agencies.
Angela Tovar, Sierra Boatwright, Lisset Constaneda, Susan
Capello, Sharla Roberts, Kenya Merritt, of
course, our Chief of Staff, Christina Pasion Zayas, Annette
Guzman, Chung Yun, Sarah Mathers, Beatrice Ponce
de Leon, Lori Lipson. These are just a few women,
who have made incredible contributions.
Uh, the first Black woman to serve as corporate counsel, Mary Richardson
Lawry. Many people who have promoted public health and safety,
advocated for justice, and working to ensure that Chicago is a beautiful,
vibrant, and welcoming city for everyone.
As the city Chicago, as we celebrate the achievements and
enduring impact of women during Women's History Months- Month, we must also
continue to commit ourselves to protecting their rights, investing in
their inclusion, and creating opportunities for women and girls in every
single community throughout Chicago.
Because when women thrive, our families and our communities thrive.
Chicago will always be a place where women can find freedom and
comfort and access to healthcare, to access op-- have
access to opportunities and, of course, to succeed.
And so thank you all again for this incredible moment, this
celebration. And again, as
we, celebrate throughout the month, let's keep in mind the work and
the policies that we put forward have to also honor
our love and respect for women. And so with that, I would
ask that, Alderman Robinson, can I get a
motion, to pass this resolution in
the omnibus?
So moved.
Hearing no objections, so ordered. Congratulations.
Thank you
all.
Chair
recognizes Alder Gutierrez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Because of the resolutions, I just want to make sure that
I'm recorded present in this meeting.
Very well. Madam Clerk-
Thank you
... please make sure we add Alder Gutierrez to the, to the roll call.
Chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.
President, I too would like to be added to the quorum roll call.
Thank you. Madam Clerk, please add Alderman Irvin to the quorum roll call.
The chair recognizes Alderman Beale.
Add me to the quorum call. Thank you.
Thank you. Madam Clerk, please add Alderman Beale to the, to the quorum roll
call.
Very well. Alderman Mitchell, a motion to return to the regular order of bus-
business.
President, I move that we return to the regular order of business.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
I pledge allegiance to the
flag of the United States of America, and to the
Republic for which it stands, one nation under
God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for
all. Please remain standing
for our invocation, which will be delivered today by Pastor Joanne Montes
from First Christian Church of Chicago.
Good afternoon.
Even in the midst of a full day,
let us take just a brief moment to center
ourselves.
God of all people, we come before you aware
that we are living in weighty times.
Days filled with decisions, uncertainty, and
deep need both near and far. And
yet, in the midst of it all, you
remain steady, present, and attentive to
every person. We thank you for the city of Chicago, for
its resilience, its diversity, and the people who call
it home. For every neighbor navigating change,
every family carrying unseen burdens, and every
individual hoping for stability, provision, and
peace. Today, I ask that you give these
litter- leaders more than knowledge.
Give them your heart. A heart that sees
people fully, a heart that moves towards
restoration, a heart that values dignity, not
as an idea, but as lived reality for every
resident in Chicago. In moments where decisions feel
complex and or costly, grant them
wisdom. When pressures arise, give them
steadiness. And when the path forward is unclear,
remind them that true leadership is rooted in care for
people, especially those who are most
vulnerable. Help this room reflect what is
good, that justice will be pursued with integrity, that
equity would not just be discussed but embodied,
and that compassion will shape not only our intentions,
but outcomes. Guard their words, guide their
interactions, and protect this space from division that
diminishes our shared humanity. Teach us all to listen
well, to lead with humility, and to remember that
behind every decision are lives deeply
impacted. And may the work done here contribute to a
city where no one is overlooked, where needs
are met with urgency and care, where every
community has the opportunity to flourish and
thrive. With gratitude, dear God, we entrust
this time and this work to you. In the name of
Jesus. Amen.
Amen. You may be seated.
We're coming. Mm-hmm.
Member
of the
Council? Is she going to announce?
Does she announce?
Uh, public comments.
The council will now begin the public comment period, which is limited to a maximum
of thirty minutes. Each speaker is limited to three minutes.
Speakers cannot yield or transfer their time to another speaker.
Any written comments that have been submitted will be posted and made available for
automatic review. The first speaker is
Katia Balba.
Ms. Katia Balba, please press star six to
unmute.
All right. Can you hear me?
Yes.
Um, good afternoon, Mayor, and member of the City
Council. My name is Katia Balba. Um, I live on the West Side, and I
work on the Southeast Side. And I cannot escape the pollution no
matter where I go in my daily life, because these two
areas have been treated as sacrifice zones.
I'm here today on behalf of Alliance of the Southeast to demand that
Chicago lead, not lag, in protecting public health.
The Hazel M. Johnson Cumulative Impact Ordinance is not just a policy,
it's a refusal to allow the cycle of environmental racism to
continue. For decades, our zoning has prioritized industrial
profits over the lungs of our children.
The neighborhood I live in and work aren't just overburdened.
They are being hit by a cumulative wave of toxins that the city current laws
ignore. Let's consider the asthma disparities.
In Chicago, Black residents are eight times more likely to die from asthma than
white residents. Life expectancy.
There is a fifteen-year life expectancy gap between the downtown loop and the
communities burdened by heavy industries.
Pollution density. In environmental justice communities like Little Village in the
southeast side, the concentration of particulate matter is significantly
higher than the city average, contributing to heart disease and
cancer. We are tired of false choice between jobs and
health. A job that makes you sick to work is not an
opportunity. A win for the community is a win for the
workers. This ordinance honors the legacy of Haviland Johnson
by ensuring that the total impact of multiple polluters is considered before a
new pl- permit is granted. If we fail to act right
now, the message of the city hall is, is clear.
Profits come before people, and our people are collateral
damage. We're calling on you to pass this ordinance
immediately. No more delays, no more excuses.
This is about our survival. Thank you so much for your
time.
Thank you, Ms. Barber. The next speaker is Ms.
Sarah Arndt.
Please press star six to
unmute.
Good afternoon. Can you hear me?
Good afternoon. Yes, we can.
Good afternoon. Yes.
Thank you. My name is Sarah Arndt. I am an attorney with Worm &
Salas PC and a resident of Chicago's Third
Ward. I'm speaking today on behalf of the National
Employment Lawyers Association, Illinois Affiliate, known
as NELA Illinois. We are a bar association
comprised of lawyers who primarily represent plaintiffs in
employment-related matters, and we are proud advocates of the
rights of workers. NELA Illinois stands in
solidarity with the National One Fair Wage Coalition,
labor organizations, civil rights groups, and Chicago
workers in opposing attacks on Chicago's One
Fair Wage ordinance. Under state and
federal law, employees who customarily and regularly
receive tips can be paid less than the standard minimum
wage. This is known as a subminimum tipped
wage. The One Fair Wage ordinance
increases the subminimum wage paid to Chicago service
workers by eight percent each year until it reaches
parity with the standard hourly minimum wage in twenty
twenty-eight. The subminimum tipped
wage is a shameful relic of slavery.
Following the Civil War, many formerly enslaved Black
American workers were relegated to service jobs where their
employers encouraged customers to pay small tips in
exchange for their services instead of paying them
wages. Indeed, industries that were the predominant
employers of Black Americans, including hotels and
restaurants, were originally excluded from the protections
of the federal minimum wage law, the Fair Labor Standards
Act, when it was first passed in nineteen thirty-eight as a
means of securing the legislative support of Southern Democrats in
Congress.
Today, the subminimum tipped wage in Chicago is just
twelve dollars and sixty-two cents per hour, while the
standard minimum wage is sixteen dollars and sixty
cents. The majority of tipped workers in Chicago
are Black and Latina women. Their tips and
their livelihoods are subject to wide fluctuations based on
factors that are often outside of their control.
All workers deserve a stable and a predictable wage, one
that is not subject to the generosity of customers.
The One Fair Wage ordinance is designed to increase wages and
provide wage predictability and economic stability to the
service and hospitality workers who keep Chicago running, and it
does just that. NELA Illinois proudly
supports these workers and the One Fair Wage ordinance, and we
firmly oppose any attempts to rob service workers
of a fair and predictable wage.
Thank you very
much.
Thank you for your comments, Ms. Arndt. The next speaker is Mr.
Eric Williams. Please press star six to
unmute.
Hello. Can you hear me? This is Eric Williams.
Yes.
Good morning, Mayor Johnson, members of city council.
Uh, my name is Eric Williams. I own the Silver Room, but in this,
context, I'm co-owner of Brownsville Winery.
Uh, thank you for having me here today.
Many of you have dined at Brownsville Winery, and I have personal
relationships with many of you, so I appreciate, you know, giving me a chance to,
to be heard. Uh, I want to start by saying I understand the intention behind
the One Fair Wage. I wanted to actually give some respect and, and, and
thank you to Alderman, Fuentes, the mayor, and many others who are
advocating for workers. On, on the surface, it, it sounds right.
Raising wages, especially for Black and brown women, it makes
sense in theory, but in practice, it, it bears out different, you know, a different
way. Um, we opened up four years ago, partially funded by a
grant from the city to help revitalize the corridor of Cottage
Grove. Uh, this experience for me was not about me.
I'm not even a big drinker, honestly. This was for our community.
Uh, in the last four years, we've hosted over a hundred and fifty thousand guests,
many of you in this room today, and I hear constantly from neighborsAbout how proud
they are to have a place in Brownsville.
We host date nights, birthdays, anniversaries without having to leave
the neighborhood, is why people enjoy the space.
They don't have to go downtown, they can celebrate in their own community.
Um,
I understand the idea behind this, one fair wage.
And I, and before I started in this business, I would...
I didn't understand, I wouldn't have understood how this actually bears out.
But the reality of it is, this, this ordinance is gonna, it's hurting.
It's having an opposite effect, on, on
workers. And the most important thing is to say that we're having the opposite
effect and, of what's been intended. So let me give you an example, right?
So if you have 10 workers making $9 an hour, and you raise it to $16
an hour, that's $70 an hour in labor costs extra.
For a 10-hour day, that's $700 more for a single day.
So how do you make this up? So first you have to raise prices.
And we've all been to restaurants in the last couple years and seen the increase in
prices. Much of this is due to the one fair wage.
Second thing we had to do was, is cut staff, so now they're working less.
And so what's, what's happening is, is they're working less, and they're
making less tips, because the tips are much more than the
hourly that they could make. Um, I understand that people have
disagreements with the tipping culture and its history, but the reality of it is,
is these servers could never make as much money, with their wage as they do
in tips. And day-to-day fluctuations happen, and they understand over time that
they'll make more than they would with, than they would at a regular
hourly minimum wage job. Right now, servers make about $40
an hour. Most of them walk home with three, four, $500 a day in a single
shift. 90% of our servers are Black women, and they're not working for
the hourly wage. Again, they're working for their tips.
So what's happened is we had to raise prices, we've had to cut servers.
We used to have five, now we have three. Days we have three, we have one.
Um, so they're losing money by this new ordinance.
Another consequence that I've seen happen is at the front of the house, the
disparity is much more. Uh, the front of the house makes more than the back of the
house.
Thank you, Mr. Williams, but your time has
expired.
All right, thank you very much. Please call the next speaker, please. Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr. D- the next speaker is
Mr. George Blakemore.
Just a second, just a second. No outbursts please.
It's, it's not necessary. It's not.
We get the point. We do. Please, the next speaker.
The next speaker is Mr. George Blakemore.
Citizen, this is
like a communist system here. All every one
of these aldermen are Democrats.
A one party system
is like communist Russia or fascist G-
Germany. A one party
system,
no check and balance, and we can't blame this
on the mayor alone. This, this a
monopoly. What is the definition of a mon- a, a
monopoly? One. Have c- controls
everything. This is why it breeds waste,
fraud, and abuse when you have a one
party system. Every one of
them, and this, the... They should have a
referendum and say that we need a
multi-party system. Just
imagine a house with all men in it, no
women. Imagine a house with all f-
fathers and no mothers, no check and balance.
That cause corruption,
fraud, and abuse, this Democratic machine.
And the egregious act is that
it has a negative effect on Black community, bringing
in these illegal immigrants. Legal
is one definition. What is the definition of
illegal? That mean they do not go through their immigration
and naturalization. Now, I, I have this red
hat on, and I wanted Trump to come and clean up this
swamp, but the, the Democrats are racist, and the
Republicans are, too. But I'm doing this for
revenge, to get even with this, communist
system here, a one party
system.
And it's very important for you citizens to, to rise
up
and to vote 'em out, that we have an, an
election. That was no election. They slate
who they want, and you vote for who they
slate. You never ha- we never had an
election where the people
decide, that one party picks out who they
want and they vote for that person.
So we need a revolution here,
a revolution of, like the French
Revolution. The- they say, "Kick 'em all
out. All of them out." It
breeds waste, fraud, and abuse, a one
party system.
And they say, "B- b- feed Marie Antoinette,
uh," say, "Feed them cake." You know what happened? They killed her.
Thank you, Mr. Blakemore, but your time has expired.
The next speaker is
Ladell.
Peace and love, everyone. My name is Ladell.
I'm Director of Operations for the Nicholas Lee Foundation, and I
am here, well, we are here standing in solidarity with One
Fair Wage and Fight Now Chicago.
I notice that a lot of the aldermen left
out, after they were heard from their constituents, but they don't
wanna hear from their constituents. Shame.
I'm standing here today, and I have one question for everyone who's all
for this, walk back on the wage, of
the, of tip workers. How many of you in here can live off
$12.64 an hour? Show of hands, really
quick. Nobody.
$12.64 an hour is all that One Fair Wage
Chicago right now is asking for. In 2018, we
hope it gets to $15 an hour. Who can live off $15 an hour in
here?
So why are we fighting
to stop people who are just trying to live?
We gotta stop having people survive, aldermen, because it's not gonna work in your
communities. You're just allowing people to survive.
You have to allow your people to live.
You have to fight and stand up and say,
"Yes, they deserve $12.64 an hour.
Yes, they deserve 15 cents an hour." Everything is going
up except for pay. How are we supposed to
live? How are you all living? Because it seems very comfortably
by the way that everybody walked out of here without hearing what we have to say.
So how fair is that? So today I'm not
asking because of the simple fact that we voted you all
in, and as your constituents, we can vote you out
if you don't fight for us. We are here
fighting. I'm from the 18th
Ward. Alderman Curtis was here, but he's gone.
I'm from the 18th Ward, I see it. In Hyde Park, we see
all the, the restaurants being, opening up.
But their workers can't even afford to eat there.
We can barely afford to eat there. So now the workers can't
afford to eat there, but they have to serve everyone who can.
So where's the fairness in that? How are people living?
So to the aldermen before I, before I leave here, I would
like to ask you to reconsider walking back that
wage, that minimum wage. I would like for you to
reconsider freezing that wage, and I would like for you
to sit down with these business owners and come up with a
solution
so that your constituents can afford to
continue to live in your communities working the jobs that
they work, up to and including the ones that are coming from
prisons who have nothing but tip wages to be able
to work. How is this, that we want people to improve,
but we don't wanna help them improve? We can do better.
We-
Thank you, Ladelle. Your time has expired.
Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr. Michael
Thomas.
The next speaker is Mr. Michael Thomas.
Thomas?
Okay. The next speaker is Ms. Amanda
Varela.
Hello. My name is Amanda Varela. I am with Raise the Floor Alliance.
We represent and fight with low-wage workers in Illinois
across various industries. Now, it's a shame that my
colleagues, friends, and I have to be here today for
something that was hard-won and promised to
workers three years ago. Three years
ago. The ordinance being proposed today walks
back the city's commitment to end the subminimum wage
and bring tipped workers a fair pay.
Freezing the phaseout now would undermine a
policy that the city deliberately adopted, and leaves
families in a lurch with less than four months
till the next wage increase when they had three years
to prepare for this increase, and that ain't
right.
We are all feeling the pain of rising costs
of living.
Skyrocketing rent, utilities, groceries,
goods, it affects us all. Brutal immigration
enforcement affects us all, keeps people from
eating at restaurants, going to work.
War affects us all. The restaurant industry isn't
asking the data centers and energy lobbyists to, driving
up our utility costs to eat the cost of business.
They are not lobbying against Trump's tariffs or immigration
enforcement.
Instead, they pick on those who they think are the
weakest, who they think won't fight back,
but we fight back.
They want workers and consumers to subsidize
the cost of doing business when we are all feeling the
burden of our current economic crisis.
The average income of a tipped worker is
$35,000. Again, like my sister said before me, how many of
you can survive on that? How many of you can comfortably make ends
meet with that income?
Despite the Illinois Restaurant Association's claims, Chicago restaurant
industry is growing, not shrinking.
The City of Chicago issued more than 680 new licenses in twen-
2024, more than 664 in
2025. That's after, tipped wage phases started to be
implemented. Shame on every alder here who is
walking back their promise to workers.
Three years ago, you claimed to stand with workers.
Who do you stand with today?Shame on the alders
leading this effort, showing us who has you in their
pocket. Workers will remember the day you
chose to cut their wages. Earlier today, you put workers' rights on
a pedestal, pedestal by rightfully honoring our comrades at Rise, and then
turn around to cut wages. I urge you, stand with workers
today. Keep us on track to eliminate the subminimum wage.
Thank you, Ms. Ravella. Your time is up.
The next speaker is Mr. Robert Fluid
Plump.
Okay.
Can you hold it?
We got you right here.
That's all right. Wayoya
shalom ahura.
We don't die, we multiply. Black as beautiful
as you are, a superstar. My name is Minister Robert Fluid
Plump. I am the beloved son of the honorable
late Mayor Harold Lee Washington.
And Harold said we must plump the whole
community. Yes, what does that mean?
It means give full support. As you can see, I got on
my uniform. I got on, and I re-respect
humbly the Reverend Doctor Jesse Lewis Jackson because
I am somebody,
you are somebody, and we are somebody.
Keep hope alive. Let me hear you say it, "Keep hope
alive." I am somebody,
and I ain't here to play with you either.
Now, my father, on April 15th, I
humbly request, April 15th
of twenty twenty-six, we request that the City of
Chicago, all the aldermen vote yes, including the
Mayor, Brandon Johnson, because
we are the children, we are the people, and we are the
world. We are the most that is chosen, anointed, and
appointed. So we would like to make his Earth Day birthday a
legal holiday. No doubt,
many of you people... Be quiet,
brother. I mean, I'm serious. I love you,
all of y'all, and I'm not here to disrespect.
I'm not here gonna take any respect now.
So God bless you. You see I got my
uniform, one fair wage, so I want you
to increase the wage to twenty-three dollars plus,
you know, for us. You know? No more little
stuff, 'cause I'm with the big time, y'all understand?
I'm with God, I'm with my family, and I'm with my people, and I'm with
you, Chicago. So make sure that you vote April 15th
of twenty twenty-six, Mayor Harold Lee Washington
Earth Day birthday, a legal citywide holiday.
So everybody, if you haven't heard,
vote. One fair wage is the
word. And vote Mayor Washington
Earth Day birthday a legal citywide holiday, which is
a peace caravan parade. And we love you,
Chicago. As Les Brown say, you have a pleasingly plump
day, and we're gonna keep on plumping up Chicago, America, and the
world in peace, love, unity, marketing
people, ministering people, and, and most of
all, serving God in what we do. So we love
you. As, Reverend Doctor Jesse
Sa-Jackson would say, "Keep hope alive.
Keep hope alive." Yes, keep hope
alive. And
keep-
Thank you, Mr. Plump.
Thank you.
The next speaker is Mr. Malik Thomas.
The next speaker is Ms. Kimberly Smith.
Hello, I'm Kimberly Smith. I have been in animal rescue for thirty years, working
with many different shelters. I've been a volunteer with PAWS Chicago for more than
a decade, and I'm currently a board member.
I see firsthand the impact of the amazing programs like th- three sixty
that we have in partnership with CACC.
I've lived in Chicago all my life, for more than half a century, currently in the
forty-fourth Ward. Uh, but I've lived and worked and volunteered across this whole
city. And my whole point in saying this is that I know the shelter
system, and I know this city. It's always been an uphill battle, and
in this battle we need strong, experienced leaders.
And I'm asking you to confirm Sue Capello as Executive Director of
CACC. CACC may not be perfect, but Sue is
dedicated and focused and knows that the job, what needs to be done,
and she can't do it alone. She needs your continued support.
You can see the power of PAWS Chicago behind her for a
reason. Together, we have hit record high adoptions
and record high live outcomes driven by awesome partnerships
forged across so many shelters, resulting in transfers being at a
ten-year high. The lives of eighteen thousand pets
depend on Sue and on you. I cannot fathom the
concept of why anyone who would consider a nationwide search
to fill this position in such a diverse and unique city that
requires a true battle-tested Chicagoan to navigate the trials, challenges,
and wins that are required for this role.
I understand that some, shelters have
dissented, but I do want to be clear on those ones that have, that it
represents less than five percent of the transfers from
CACC, and the majority of those shelters even speaking up don't
even work with CACC. So I don't find that valid.
Chicago needs to do better for homeless pets overall.
We have come so far. Let's not stop that momentum.I
need you guys PAWS Chicago has proactively and so successfully
been working with Sue and the CACC to deliver amazing results that
are just getting started. Look, I get it. We all get it.
This-- We need to be more focused on things like volunteers and dog walks.
Sue has to prioritize limited resources that she gets from the city
and from the Chicago Public, and it's a thankless job.
I challenge you to do better by her and by the furry members of the city.
Please also be part of the solution. We have to be relentless.
Let's not stop this momentum. Thank you for your time and attention, and I look
forward to your vote to confirm Sue Capello as executive director of
CACC. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Smith. The next speaker is
Sharmilee
Mummadar.
Thank,
thank you. My name is Sharmilee Majumdar, and I represent Women
Employed, a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that has been
advancing women's economic justice through employment, education, and
entrepreneurship since nineteen seventy-three.
We are so proud of the progress Chicago has made in
valuing and protecting workers, especially the Black and brown
women who keep this city strong. But today, these
most vulnerable workers are under attack.
Women are being squeezed by rising costs of everything from gas
to diapers and are having federal safety nets ripped away from
them. The gender wage gap is growing, not
shrinking. The latest government data show women are only making,
on average, seventy-six cents to every dollar a
man makes when looking at part and full-time work.
For Black women, it is only sixty-three cents, and for Latinas,
it is astonishingly only fifty-four
cents. Women disproportionately hold
frontline roles in the lowest paid industries.
More than half of tipped workers in Chicago are women.
The majority are Black or Latina. They make less than
thirty-five thousand dollars a year.
They bear the weight of the affordability crisis,
caregiving, and making impossible daily decisions
about rent, food, the light bill, and
more. In addition to the economic unfairness of being
paid less than minimum, the subminimum wage is
connected to higher rates of sexual harassment.
And recognizing the injustice and unfairness of the subminimum
wage, this body voted years ago to phase
it out and to make it something that businesses could
plan, thoughtfully compromised with a five-year
phase-in. We're in the middle of that plan right
now. But now these workers are facing a cut to their
wages and reversal of the progress the city has been
making, all at the worst possible time.
So today, on the heels of Black History Month,
during Women's History Month, and right before
Sexual Violence Awareness Month, Women Employed,
along with over thirty organizations representing
workers, urges you not to pull the rug out from
under these hardworking people at the heart of our
city and vote to preserve the progress that
the city has been making. Please keep your
promise.
Thank you, Ms. Majumdar. Your Honor, there are no further speakers who
have timely signed up for the public comment period.
Very well. Thank you. This concludes our public comment period.
Next up,
Communications.
The communications from the h*-- from the Mayor to the Honorable, the City Council
of City of Chicago. Ladies and gentlemen, I transmit herewith,
together with the member of the City Council and City Clerk Valencia, a resolution
honoring the life and memory of the Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson Senior.
Your favorable consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Ladies and gentlemen, I transmit herewith, together with
all...
Don't think we will. Ladies and
gentlemen, at the request of the Chief Financial Officer, I transmit herewith an
ordinance authorizing the issuance of second lien water revenue bonds project and
refunding series twenty twenty-six.
Your favorable consideration of these ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Fi-Finance.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of Commissioner of Housing, I transmit
herewith an ordinance authorizing the issuance of financial assistance to Hub
Thirty-Two LLC for the development of Hub Thirty-Two project.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance is appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Finance.
At the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit herewith
an ordinance authorizing the execution of an amended redevelopment agreement with
the Institute of Cultural Affairs to provide TIF funds.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Finance.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of Commissioner of Housing, I transmit
herewith an ordinance authorizing the issue of financial assistance to Lathrop for
preservation phase ICLP. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be
appreciated. Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to Committee on Finance.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the re-request of the Commissioner of Planning and
Development, I transmit herewith an ordinance authorizing the location-- allocation
of TIF funds for the Workforce Solution programs.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Referred to Committee on Finance.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Procurement Services, I
transmit herewith an ordinance amending Chapter two
dash ninety-two of the Municipal Code to an added non-construction small business
initiative procurement program.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Rehe-refer to the Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Procurement Services, I
transmit herewith an ordinance amending Section two dash ninety-two dash four
ninety of the Municipal Code regarding certification fees.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity.Ladies and gentlemen, at
the request of the Commissioner of Planning and Development, I transmit herewith an
ordinance authorizing the Class 7B tax incentive for the property located at
1931 and 1935 West Madison Street.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Commit...
referred to the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development.
Ladies and gentlemen, I transmit herewith an ordina- ordinance amending the
Municipal Code to add Section 2-4-130 regarding annual report on
homelessness and affordable housing, housing.
Your favorable consideration of the ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and
Development, I transmit herewith ordinances authorizing the sale of city-owned
properties. Your favorable consideration of these ordinances will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Fleet and Facility
Management, I transmit herewith an ordinance authorizing the execution of a renewed
city as a tenant lease agreement with eighty, 8700 Building
LLC. Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and
Development, I transmit herewith an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of Open
Space Impact Fe- Fee funds for the devel- development of the Chicago Torture
Justice Memorial. Your favorable consider... this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs, and Recreation.
Ladies and gentlemen, at the request of the Commissioner of Planning and
Development, I transmit herewith an ordinance authorizing the expenditure of Open
Space Impact Fe- funds for the development of Territory Community
Garden. Your favor- favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs, and Recreation.
Ladies and gentlemen, I transmit herewith appointments to various special service
areas. Your favorable consideration of these appointments will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Committee on Housing, Economic, Capital, and Technology Development.
Ladies and gentlemen, I transmit herewith the Reverend Jesse
L. Jackson Sr. Fair Access to Democracy Ordinance.
Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Commit...
referred to the Committee of Ethics and Government Oversight.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have appointed Kenya Merritt as Commissioner of Cultural
Affairs and Special Events. Your favorable consider- consideration of this
appointment will be appreciated. Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs, and Recreation.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have appointed Lily Diego Johnson as a member of the
Chicago Transit Board for a term effective immediately and expiring September 1st,
2026, to succeed Mi- Michelle A. Lee, who has resigned.
Your favorable consideration of this appointment will be appreciated.
Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Report...
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way.
Ladies and gentlemen, I have appointed Marcus A.
Jordan a member of the Illinois International Port District Board for a term
effective immediately and expiring June 1st, 2029, to succeed Charles Bowen, whose
term has expired. Your favorable consideration of this appointment will be
appreciated. Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Public Way.
That... Oh, sorry. I, City Clerk Anna Valencia, hereby inform the City Council that
the following documents were filed in my office relating to their respective
subjects, designated as follows: Office of Inspector General's audit of 311 service
request performance, Office of Inspector General's advisory on Department of Law's
corrup- cooperation with oversight of its employment actions, and policy proposal
for housing stability and accountability framework.
I, City Clerk Valencia, inform the City Council that all those matters which were
considered by the City Council in the regular meeting held on February 18th, 2026,
are required by the state statute to be published in book or pamphlet form or in
one or more newspapers, were published in pamphlet form on March 18th, 2026, by
being printed in full text in printed pamphlet copies of the Journal of Proceedings
of the City Council, City of Chicago.
I, City Clerk Valencia, also transmit herewith the following miscellaneous
communications and reports requiring City Council action: zoning reclassifications
of particular areas referred to the Committee on Zoning, Landmarks, and Building
Standards; claims against the City of Chicago, which are referred to Committee on
Finance; recommendation by Commissioner on Chicago Landmarks for designation of St.
Paul Christian Methodist Episc- Episcopal
Church at 4644 St. Depar- Dep- Dearborn, Dearborn
Street as a Chicago landmark, which is referred to the Committee on Zoning,
Landmarks, and Building Standards.
Your Honor, that concludes the reports and communications from the mayor and other
city officers.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Committee reports. We'll start with the Finance Committee.
The chair recognizes Chairwoman Dowell.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for your
Committee on Finance, which held committee meetings on February
27th, 2026, and March 13th,
2013, the following items received a do pass
recommendation from the committee.
Item number one is the ordinance authorizing an increase in
multifamily loan funds and the issuance of tax-exempt
multifamily housing revenue bonds to MHL
II Prairie District Apartments Wabash LP for
the rehabilitation of the Prairie District Apartments building
at 1801 South Wabash Avenue in the Third Ward
in an amount not to exceed
$14,872,344.
Mr. President, unless someone wishes to speak on this item, I
move passage of this item by a roll call vote.
Hearing no hands at this point, members, please
use your e-vote application to record your vote at this
time. Seeing no hands.
Please use your e-device. The voting is now
open.
The voting is now open.
It's a false alarm, you all. I've just been informed it's a false alarm.
You're
all...
All right, I will now call on those who have not used the e-device.
Alderman Lampada?
Yes.
Lampada is a yes. Alderman Hall? Hall is a
yes. Alderwoman Ramirez?
Not in chambers. Alderman
Curtis? Curtis is a
yes. Alderman Citro Lopez?
Not in chambers. Alderman Burnett?
Burnett is a yes. Alderman Taliaferro?
Not in chambers. Alderwoman
Hadden?
Not in chambers. Anyone I missed? Okay, the
voting is now closed.
There are 46 yeas, zero nays. This motion passes.
Alderman Mitchell on a motion to reconsider.
Move to reconsider the vote.
All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying "I," all
opposed say "no."
No.
This motion fails. Chairwoman Dowell.
And then item number two is an ordinance authorizing the issuance of
multifamily funds to Park Manor Phase One,
MM LLC, for the development of Park Manor
Senior Residences of Chatham at 8320
South King Drive in the Sixth Ward, in an amount not to
exceed $15,100,000. I move
passage of this item by the first most favorable roll call vote on the Committee
on Finance report, and the associated unsuccessful motion to
reconsider.
Hearing no objections so ordered.
Item number three is an ordinance authorizing a bond inducement
for tax-exempt housing revenue bonds for
MPC Phase One 4%
LLC, for the affordable housing development at
11... excuse me, 11420 South Halsted
Street in the 21st Ward, in the amount not to
exceed $12.5 million. I move passage of this item
by the same motion as was applied to item number two, with the
exception of Alderman Beal, who wishes to be recorded as voting no
on this item.
Hearing no other ob- objections, so ordered.
Item number four is an ordinance concerning the authority to enter
into and execute the First Amendment of the in-
intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Park District for the
allocation of TIF funds for improvements at Avondale
Park at 3516 West School Street in the
35th Ward, in an amount not to exceed $5
million. I move passage of this item with the same
motion as was applied to item number two, with the
exception of Alderman Lopez, who wishes to be recorded as
voting no on this item.
Hearing no other obje- ... The chair recognizes Alder Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President. I'd like to be added as an aye on the first favorable
roll call for the Committee on Finance. Thank you.
And the subsequent failure-
Subsequent, yeah
... for the motion to reconsider. Very well.
Hearing no other objections on item number four, so ordered.
Item number five is an ordinance concerning the authority to
enter into and execute the Third Amendment to the
intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Park District for the
allocation of TIF funds for improvements at Clarendon
Park at 4532 through
34, and 4538 North Clarendon
Avenue in the 46th Ward, in an amount not to exceed
$2 million. I move passage of this item by the same motion
as was applied to item number two, with the exception of Alderman
Lopez, who wishes to be recorded as voting no on this item.
Hearing no other objections, so ordered.
Item number six is an ordinance concerning the authority to enter
into and execute an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Park
District for the allocation of TIF funds for improvements at
Hermosa Park at 2240 North Kilbourn
Avenue in the 26th Ward, in an amount not to exceed
$4.25 million. I move passage of this item
by the same motion as was applied to item number two, with the
exception of Alderman Lopez, who wishes to be recorded as voting no on
this item.
Hearing no other objections, so ordered.
Item number seven is an ordinance concerning the authority to enter
into and execute an intergovernmental agreement with the Chicago Board of
Education for the provision of TIF funds for
improvements at Carter G. Woodson South Elementary School
at 4414 South Evans Avenue in the Third
Ward, in an amount not to exceed
$900,000. I move passage of this item by
the same motion as was applied to item number two, with the exception
of Alderman Lopez, who wishes to be recorded as voting
no.
Hearing no o- other objections, so ordered.
Item number eight is a substitute ordinance authorizing building and
facility related permit fee waivers for the Public Building
Commission of Chicago, beginning January 1,
2026, until December 31st,
2031. I move passage of this item by the same
motion as was applied to item number two.
Alderman Lopez, did you still wish to speak?
No, he's...
No. All right, very good.
Yeah.
All right. Well, hearing no objections for item number
eight, right?
Item number nine-
So ordered
... is an ordinance introduced by Alderman Jason Ervin and
others, establishing the Chicago Tourism Improvement
District, and the levy of transaction charges on certain
hotels within the Chicago Tourism Improvement
District. I move passage of this item with the same motion as
was applied to item number two
Chair recognizes Alderman Moore
Thank you so much, Mr. President.
Uh, first of all, I would like to,
thank, President Kristen Reynolds
as lon- as well as the, committee, the Finance Committee for
getting, my questions and concerns back to me.
There are times we ask for things through the chair, they don't get it
properly, and they, sent some good information.
But I, I would like to say that,
I would like them to continue to work on making sure they are keeping
records on... more records, not that they didn't keep any, but more records
on making sure that, businesses out on the south and west
sides are, you know, included in
this process and the ones that are.
So the people that I've spoke to had some great and positive things to say
about,
the usefulness of, the authority here
and that, that it has benefited some of the
business, but we have to continue to make sure that, more business are
benefiting. And I want to make sure I get an opportunity to sit down with Roz
Sutley and also make sure that Choose
Chicago is really listening to her, on the
things that she wants to accomplish.
So, again, I just want to thank, the,
Choose Chicago and its partners for getting this information, back to me.
I want to thank the, finance, chairman, for her
staff for making sure that this was given, and, I do support.
I voted no in Finance Committee, but, I stand with the yes today,
in, the full council. Thank you.
Thank you. Alderman Lo-， Sigcho-Lopez.
S- yes, Mr. President. I just would like to be recognized for the motion for the
first, most favorable roll call on the Committee on Finance and subsequent
motion to reconsider.
Very well. Please add Alderman Sigcho-Lopez to the roll call.
Thank you.
Alderman... The chair recognizes Alderman Taliaferro.
President, I'd like to be added as a yes vote in the first most favorable roll call
vote in the Committee on Finance and a successful motion to reconsider.
Very well. Please add Alderman Taliaferro.
The chair recognizes Alder Ramirez.
Um, Chairman, I also want to be added as a yes for the most favorable-
For the most favorable roll call in the Finance Committee and the subsequent
failure of the motion to reconsider.
Yes.
Very well. Hearing no other objections,
seeing no other hands on the motion, item number nine
so ordered. Chair recognizes Chairwoman Dowell.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Item number 10A is an order
authorizing the corporation council to enter into and execute
a settlement order in the case of Nikki
Yannushatis versus City of Chicago in the amount of
$350,000. I move passage of this item by the same
motion as was applied to item number two.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number 10B is an order authorizing the corporation
council to enter into and execute a settlement order in
the case of Henry Harrell, the independent administrator of the
estate of Stacy Vaughan Harrell versus City of
Chicago, Megan Ryan, and Sean
Sunas, case number 2025L
012727, and Kimberly
Myers versus City of Chicago, Megan Ryan,
and Sean Sunas, case number
2025L
012722, in the amount of $27
million. I move passage of this item by the same motion as
was applied to item number two.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number 11 is a communication transmitting reports of
cases in which verdicts, judgments, or settlements were entered into
for the month of Febru- February 2026.
Uh, these will be placed on file with the clerk.
Item number 12 and 13 consist of orders of authorization for
the payment of s- various small claims against the City of Chicago
and the denial of payment of various small claims against the City of
Chicago. And if there are no objections, I move that these be
placed, for passage in the omnibus.
Hearing none, so ordered.
Item number 14 is a proposed order authorizing
charitable solicitation of the public way permit
for the NAACP citywide from April
1st, 2026 through December 31st,
2026. This will be placed on file with the clerk.
And that concludes my report.
Thank you, Madam Chair. For the Committee on Budget and Government Operations, the
chair recognizes Chairman Ervin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for your Committee on the Budget and Government
Operations, so we held a committee meeting on March 11th.
The committee has a series of reports recommending passage of the following items.
Item number one is a communication recommending the proposed ordinance concerning
an appro- annual appropriation ordinance year 2026 amendment
within Fund 925, which was a direct introduction.
I move passage of this item by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on
Finance and associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Alderman Lopez, you on this one?
Very good. Hearing no objections, so ordered.
All right, cool. We're just want...
Uh, item number two, pursuant
to, pursuant to Rule
33, I move to accept a substitute ordinance
that essentially adds Alderman Ramirez, to this,
to this item. Uh, she wanted to be added to this after we,
had committee. So pursuant to Rule 33, I move to accept the
substitute that has been circulated, by, Alderman Ramirez,
on today.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
All right. Uh-
Now I move, move passage of, I move passage of the
proposed ordinance concerning an annual appropriation ordinance year
2026 amendment regarding wards r- wage allowance
amounts.
Very well. Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Item three is a communication recommending a proposed ordinance concerning a
redevelopment agreement with Food Love LLC to provide neighborhood
opportunity fund assist- assistance for improvement of Evelyn's
Food Love at 5522 South State Street in the
20th Ward. I make the same motion if there is no objection.
No objections. Seeing none, so ordered.
Uh, items four through seven are a series of four fund transfers
within Wards 1, 29, 41, and
45, all for year 2026. I make the same motion if there is no
objection.
Hearing none, so ordered.
Mr. President, that concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Economic, Capital, and Technology-
Technology Development, the chair recognizes Chair
Villegas.
Good afternoon, Mr. President-
Good afternoon
... members of the City Council. Reporting for the Committee on Economic, Capital,
and Technology Development, which met on Thursday, March 12th.
Committee held a meeting and recommends passage of the following items.
Items one through three, five, seven through 12 are reappointments of
the following people to the following special service areas.
John Ratzenberger, SSA number 21, Megan Schneider and Charles
Stewart, SSA number 27, Caroline
Oschonenberger, SSA number 48, Saima
Kosovic, Andrew S. Levine, Sarah T.
Lopez to SSA number 60, N. Marcia Ja-
Jimenez to SSA number 62, Carlton F.
Daniels Metz and Kirby Kaiser to SSA number 18.
I move for pass of these items by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on
Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Items four and six are appointments of the following people to the following
special service areas. Tatiana Williams, SSA number
32, David Rudd, SSA number 56. I move for
pass of these items by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on Finance
and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Item 14 is an ordinance for a Class B tax incentive for property at
501 North Sacramento Boulevard. I
move for pass of this item by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on
Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President. I wish to be recorded as a no on this
item. But I don't, as we discussed in
committee, I don't think that proper
u- this is a proper use of a tax incentive, and I don't think that we got the
justification that we expected when it was held in September.
And while I generally would always support efforts to keep jobs in
communities, this doesn't address the underlying circumstances which compelled the
owners and the tenants to come to seek financial assistance
for the next several years. And for that, I need to be recorded as a no.
Very well.
Despite the division, hearing no other objections, so
ordered.
Mr. Pres- h- Mr. President, that concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy,
chair recognizes Chair Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, reporting for your Committee on Environmental
Protection and Energy, which held a committee meeting on March 3rd, 2026.
The committee held one subject matter hearing on People's Gas Pipe Retirement
Program updates and its rate increase filing before the Illinois Commerce
Commission. No votes were taken on this item. Mr.
President, this concludes my report.
Thank you, Madam Chair. For the Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight,
chair
recognizes Chair Martin.
Thank you, Mr. President, and members of the council.
Reporting for your Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight, which held a
committee meeting on Monday, March 16th, the committee recommends passage
of the following two items. Item number one is appointment
2026-0023419,
which is the appointment of Esther Nieves as a member of the Board of Ethics.
The item passed human- unanimously amongst all members present.
I move for passage of this item by the first most favorable roll call vote on the
Committee of Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Item number two is appointment
2026-0023420, which is the
appointment of Bob Glaves as a member of the Board of Ethics.
This item also passed unanimously.
I move for passage by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on
Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Thank you. The committee also held a subject matter hearing on two reports
published by the Office of Inspector General. No votes were taken.
Thank you. That concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. For the Committee on Health and Human Relations, chair
recognizes Chair Rodriguez Sanchez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for the Committee on Health and Human
Relations, which met on March 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM, the
committee reports the following recommendations.
First, the committee consider a resolution calling on the United States Congress to
pass Med- the Medicare For All Act of 2025.
This item received a do pass recommendation, and Alderwoman
Ruth Cruz would like to offer remarks.
Very well. The chair recognizes Alder Cruz.
Thank you, Mr. President. Today, together, we are sending a strong
message to Congress that the people of Chicago want and deserve
a health system that puts them first.
And as we all say, healthcare is a human
right. And I want to thank the advocates for coming forward with this
resolution, and I also want to take the opportunity to thank, State Senator
Graciela Guzman and our Congresswoman Delia Ramirez for continuing to f-
put the fight
f- at the beginning of everything they do, and whether it
is in at a federal level or a state level.
But I just want to say thank you, and also to your administration for also keep
uplifting this message. And again, together, we're sending a strong
message. So, thank you.
Thank you, Alder Cruz.
Mr. President, I move passage of this item by the first most favorable roll
call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to
reconsider.
Hearing no objection, so ordered.
Next, the committee consider, the appointment of Susan Capello to the
position of Director of Animal Care and Control.
This item received a do pass recommendation, with the exception of Alderwoman
Cruz, who recorded herself as a no vote.
And I believe,
Alderman Villegas wants to say some words.
All right. I have Alder Sposato first, and then I'll make sure I get back to Alder
Villegas. The chair recognizes Alderman Sposato.
Thank you, Mr. President. I wa- wasn't sure if I wanted to go first or last,
though, but I appreciate it. Um,
look, people, this is a really tough job.
We don't give them enough money. I know things are tough.
When people need money and animals, most people are gonna pick
humans over animals. So Sue's got a tough job.
Sue could have resigned three years ago.
Sue stayed the course. I've been beating her up for three years on this.
Sorry, Jim, you're probably really p****d at your wife for working for
free the last three years, but she could have stayed home and made as much money,
but she stayed the course for this, I like to call it, a heartbreaking
department. It's a, it's a tough place to go, people.
You go there, you see all those animals.
Y- y- and, well, the animals are bad enough, but they literally get 50,
50, five zero, surrenders a day of animals.
Uh, I, I just couldn't imagine that seven days a week.
I don't know if it's 365 days a year, but certainly seven days a week,
you know, averaging 50 surrenders a day.
So we need to help this lady. Um, I know some people were
critical of some stuff. Some questions got answered.
Um, she needs our help big time as far as rescues are concerned,
as far as supplies. Uh, I do a daily
supply drive for animal care and control, and Sue will tell you,
me or my staff is there, you know, once a month.
Um, people on the northwest side, and I'm sure throughout the whole city, come up
big for animals. So you wanna look good in front of your
constituents, do an animal drive. Believe me, they will come.
And with that, I just ask everybody to please support this.
How often does the, uh... how often do you ever see the,
Madam Chair and myself agree on something?
But this, this may be history today, so I'm asking you all to
consider, supporting Sue on this, very important
appointment. Thank you-
Very well
... Mr. President.
Chair recognizes Alderman Villegas.
Thank you, Mr. President. And I wanna thank the administration
for quickly putting a meeting together yesterday, along with my colleague from
the 38th Ward and my colleague from the 30th Ward, just to talk about some of the
concerns that were up, that were brought up.
Listen, the whole meeting was not about being adversarial.
This is, this is a department that we've learned is
underfunded. There are a lot of people from the not-for-profit
side that wanna see these, see this department succeed, and that's what we want
as a city is to see this department succeed.
And so, we're gonna support the nomination of Sue and looking forward to
working with her via the working group so that way we can collectively f-
find some ideas, both from a budgetary standpoint, but also from a
not-for-profit standpoint, to figure out how we can make sure that your department
succeeds. So just wanted to say, Mr.
President, thank you for, and your, and your team, for getting that meeting
together. It was very important that we had an opportunity for, for all the voices
to be heard at the table. So thank you, and with that, I would urge a s- a yes vote
on this nomination.
Thank you. Alderman Quinn is recognized.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Sue, on behalf of all the residents of the 13th
Ward, thank you for the work that you've done.
More importantly, thank you for the work that you'll continue to do.
Uh, Jim, welcome to the council chamber.
Congratulations, Sue. Thank you.
The chair recognizes Alderman O'Shea.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too stand in support of this decision and,
good call on your part, sir. Um,
I can't believe I'm saying this. I completely agree with what my colleague Alderman
Sposato said. Ladies and gentlemen, having been
down here 15 years, how many times when we're in a budget crisis
have we as a body said, "Take a little bit more.
Take a little bit more. Take a little bit more from animal care and
control"? When we cut the
funding, this is what we
get. Now, having been down to the
facility, being a dog lover myself,
and being frustrated at times when something goes on in my neighborhood, and,
and, Sue, you and I have talked many times,
we've gotta do a better job. Uh, Nick, you mentioned
you host
collections for animal care and control.
Well, what if every one of us did something in our ward?
What if everybody stepped up and did something to help ease part of the burden?
I think this is a great selection, and I'm glad title's finally with you.
Thanks for all your hard work and all you've put up with.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Alder
Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I too rise to support this appointment.
Hello, Sue, and hello team.
I'll be brief. Um, I'm gonna plus one, all my
colleagues who have spoken so far.
Um, this does land squarely with us.
I, I know that there's not a single department in the city that isn't important
and not a single department in the city that doesn't have a direct impact on the
lives of our constituents. In this department,
we also directly have an impact on the lives of
creatures who don't have any volition or can't take care of themselves,
right? We're talking about animals, animal care, avoiding animal
cruelty, and when we cut budgets, when we do not provide
adequate resources, that equals lives
lost.That's lives lost,
that's, you know, treatment that's less than, ideal.
Um, so I want to say, I'm glad we've gotten some funding to
you. Um, I know I'm committed to make sure that we make sure that funding
continues and that we empower you and your team
to... Let's be the best at what we
do. I know we go back and forth, about what we should do
and different departments that we want to collapse, but if we've got this
department and we're taking on this responsibility, we should look to national
standards. We should look to best practices.
We should be the best example because we're
Chicago. So thank you. Look forward to supporting you and your team and bringing
this department and its standards up so that we are serving, our
community. Thank you.
Thank you. Um, Alderman
Curtis.
Thank you, Mr. President. I too rise to support this appointment.
Um, I have-- This has been a long time coming,
actually. I... And,
for the last few years, I've had
mega,
events, animal, events in my ward, and Sue has always
been on the front line with us. Thank you so much.
We always talk, and I thank you, for all your
help. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Alderman Lopez is recognized.
Thank you again, Mr. President. Good afternoon, members of the City Council.
I rise to support
your selection today,
and thank
all of my colleagues who
have shown a growing interest, growing concern
for what happens at Chicago's Animal Care and Control Commission
shelter. As an open admission
shelter, CACC does not have the luxury of
turning pets away.
Many of you
have said that it-it's been your first time or you're looking forward to your
first time, and I welcome all of you to come down.
But get ready to have your heartstrings pulled
upon. How we treat animals is a
reflection of how we treat each other.
I've said that numerous times here.
And what we've been able to do together
under Sue's leadership, even in a temporary
way, is nothing compared to what we can do
tomorrow
when she is officially in this seat working
with hundreds
of delegate partners and breed-specific partners
at the shelter to help keep pets and families
united. Roughly ten years ago, this
chamber passed a resolution declaring the city of Chicago a no-kill
city. And by no-kill, which is what I shared during committee, isn't
necessarily that you're not ever going to euthanize animals, but that you're going
to take steps to ensure that we limit how many animals come in, that we
do things in our communities.
I'm happy to say that I feel as though we are hitting almost
every single one of those metrics when you look at the global
totality of animal welfare here in the city of
Chicago. Not just with what we do with animal care, but what we do with
our partners,
like Don Levin of Chicago Wolves, who literally sponsors several
hundred free rabies and vaccination clinics at every single police
station in the city of Chicago. PAWS, which
helps do spay and neutering for our animals, particularly
in those zip codes where we have seen time and time again an explosion of
breeding, particularly among the Chicago pit bull breed, and all
the other organizations that work to divert or help our
own constituents when they don't have the food or can't afford the care or
don't know what to do with their pet and are at their last
straw. We have worked together
to address many of the issues in our communities, whether it's return to owner, the
feral cats, keeping animals where they belong, or even returning
them so that they never have to see any of these wonderful
faces. That is what we need to
continue. That is what has been the hallmark
of our efforts, and I look forward to working, as I
said, with many of you on the committee, and I'll say gladly to every single one of
you here today, on addressing those things that we could do
together
to help reduce the population that crosses our
paths. Yes, some of it is money. There's just no
way of getting around that. To say Animal Care and Control
has been the miracle workers of our bureaucracy would be an
understatement, considering how often they are in our
communities addressing the situations in our neighborhoods
with one of the smallest budgets
in the sixteen point six billion dollar bureaucracy that we
manage. Also, while being one of the most FOIA'd departments
in the city of Chicago, almost beating police
sometimes.
But what I want to also address is something else,
and that is there are things that we can do here that do not
cost money
but do require us to change mindsets.
We can address the issue of backyard
breeding here in the city of Chicago.
Later today, in the Committee on Public Safety, we are going
to address animal cruelty and tethering and other issues
where we've seen animals left in yards that are not breed
specific. And I'm not even just referring to cats and dogs.
I'm referring to when people have horses, pigs, and alligators in
their backyards because they think it's fun.
These are the individuals that have to address those concerns when we find
them, when there's a Shetland pony
on a 10-foot square cement pad in someone's
backyard.
The work begins now, ladies and gentlemen, to address these
issues, and I look forward to the leadership and the
stability
that decades of perseverance has p- has
sh- ensue. And together we will
make sure that, yes, Chicago will be the envy of the nation
as a municipally run
institution that remains open and a- accessible to all of its
residents without sending anyone away. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Uh, the chair recognizes Alderman
Hopkins.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of this appointment and I
commend you for making it. Uh, it, it turns out we don't need a
national search. Uh, we have the talent and the leadership right here in
Chicago. Uh, and any time that's the case, no matter what the appointment
is, I think it's incumbent upon us, to mine the talent that
we do have here in this city, and this is no exception.
Uh, and I agree with my colleague Alderman Lopez, we don't need a
national search for the answers to the problems that
were identified at Animal Care and Control that the v- the volunteers and the
advocates have told us about in the previous weeks.
It's, it's quite obvious. The answers are threefold.
Number one, they need more resources. It's that simple.
And it's incumbent upon us as a body to provide them with the resources they
need to do the job effectively. Number two, as Alderman Lopez mentioned, it's
incumbent upon us to come up with a much better
comprehensive program to crack down on the problem of illegal
backyard breeding, which has grown exponentially in recent years.
It's out of control. It won't solve itself.
We have to be proactive. We have to seek solutions for that.
And third, we have to do a much better job
promoting low-cost spay and neuter programs,
and where necessary, providing free low-cost spay
and neuter programs to communities that don't have the resource to do it.
Those are the three things that can solve the problems at Animal Care and
Control. If we fail once again to provide those three
things, we'll be right back here, no matter who the leadership i- is of that
organization. They can't do it without the support of this body.
So we need to look in the mirror for these solutions because we, ladies and
gentlemen, are a part of what needs to happen to make some changes
over there. And congratulations on your appointment, Sue.
Thank you, Alderman Hopkins.
Alderman Waguespack is recognized.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, first I want to commend Alderpersons
Cruz and Villegas for getting to this compromise,
for this working group that will hopefully move forward
and, also your appointment. You know, work, work together on
that. Um, but out of this, there needs to
be an understanding that there has to be a change in culture at
the ACC facilities. And this goes back many years since I
started where we have continually heard from volunteers year
after year after year who are upset,
with the way that ACC operates. Aldermen are upset over
the years with the way ACC operates, whether it's response to
dog bites, violent dogs or animals that,
don't seem to get reined in or their owners reined in because,
again, it's the responsibility of owners, but it takes ACC to really enforce
that. Um, and I have a lot of respect for the volunteers who've come
into my office and called and emailed over all of these
years just trying to do better, by the animals at
ACC. When I hear the stories about dogs not being walked and
left in cages for three days, that is...
It's very clear that, that is happening at times
because a lot of us have been there ourselves, and we see and we walk around
and, and recognize that there are problems there.
So I'm hoping that you can, work very closely with
this working group that my colleagues have helped put together.
And Mayor, I understand you were helpful in that.
Um, but we have to change it and bring in
best practices. I am tired of hearing about how
Chicago just doesn't rise to the level of these other cities
that are out there in terms of the,
data, but also in terms of how we respect
volunteers and how we treat the animals that come into
ACC. So, I wish you all the
success that, you will need there.
Um, and please, as you did before, reach out and hopefully we
can start to make the significant changes that we need to see for the
betterment of, the animals, but also for the entire population of
the city. Thank you.
Thank you. Chair recognizes Aldermen
Tabares.
I also rise in support of this appointment.
Sue, thank you for your leadership.
Thank you for all your hard work and what everything that you have done for this
department, for Chicago Animal Care and Control.
This is long overdue and very well deserved.
You have decades of experience working in this department, and
so I want to congratulate you, want to congratulate your husband Jim,
and I look forward to working with you in this new role.
Thank you. Alderman Robinson is
recognized.
Uh, Mr. Mayor, thank you. I, rise to, support
this appointment.
And it's one of the reasons that I'm, I'm happy to be in this
body
because the issues in this department did
not start a year ago, two years ago, or
three years ago. These are issues that have been plaguing this
department for several years. And Mr.
Mayor, I want to commend you for-Putting resources
into this agency and Sue, it says a lot
about your leadership
that
all the differences in this body, you can come and diffuse those
differences. And so Sue, we need you to come down more often
because again, it is your leadership, that shows
the support of today, and that this body stands with
you to
be a, a beacon for other cities to do
right by not only the
two-legged citizens, but the four-legged citizens.
And so thank you for the work that you're doing.
Um, you got somebody in the box that I reach out to on a regular
basis, and that's Armando. Um, and I know that you have
several Armandos, in your
organization, Sue, because you can't do this work alone.
Uh, so thank you for, for answering the call.
Um, and again, I think it's well noted that you have our
support. Thank you.
Thank you, and thank you to all the alders who have spoken to this,
item. Alder, or Chair Rodriguez
Sanchez, could you just restate your motion for the record?
Mr. President, I move passage of this item by the
same motion as item number one.
Thank you very much for that motion.
And, hearing no objections, seeing no other hands, congratulations, Sue.
So ordered.
Madam
Chair.
Uh, next, the committee considered a series of twelve mayoral
appointments to advisory councils, including three appointments to the
Advisory Council on Equity, six appointments to the Advisory Council on
LGBTQ+ issues, and three appointments to the Advisory
Council on Veterans. The full list of appointees can be reviewed on
the meeting summary posted to the city clerk's website.
These appointments all receive a do pass recommendation from the
committee. Mr. President, I move passage of these items by the
first most favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated
unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Thank you, Mr. President. That concludes my report.
Madam Chair, for the Committee on Housing and Real Estate, the chair recognizes
Chair Sigcho-Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President and members of the City Council.
Reporting for your Committee on Housing and Real Estate, which held a meeting on
March twelfth, twenty twenty-six.
The committee has a series of reports recommending the approval of one appointment
and the passage of eleven ordinances, which include an aldermanic
introduction, one land acquisition, a lease renewal, and
various land sales. Item number one is appointment
twenty twenty-six dash zero zero twenty-three four two one for
appointment of Alyssa Sanchez Rodriguez as member of the Chicago Low
Income Housing Trust Fund Board. I move passage of this item by the first most
favorable roll call vote from the Committee on Finance and associated unsuccessful
motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number two is an aldermanic introduction from Alderwoman Rodre- Rosana
Rodriguez Sanchez. Ordinance twenty twenty-five dash zero zero nineteen nine nine
one, establishmen-establishment of a proactive rental inspection working
group to regulate inspection certifications and testing criteria
and to establish registry to track data for rental housing in
Chicago. I move passage of this item by the same
motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number four on the summary report is an aldermanic introduction from
Alderman Burnett, ordinance twenty twenty-six dash zero zero twenty-three three
four nine, designation of fourteen fifteen North Dayton
Street as low affordability community in the twenty-seventh Ward.
I move passage of this item by the same motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
The next two items are from the Department of Fleet and Facility Management.
Item five, ordinance twenty twenty-six dash zero zero twenty-three three
two four, acquisition of property at seventeen twenty-five North
Harland Avenue for use as Chicago Public Library, as a
Chicago Public Library branch in the twenty-ninth Ward.
I move passage of this item by the same motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number six is ordinance twenty twenty-six that dash zero
zero twenty-three three two three, first amendment to lease agreement with
Archer Avenue LLC for property at fifty-six seventy-two South
Archer Avenue in the twenty-third Ward.
With exception Alderwoman Taylor and Alderman Sigcho-Lopez, who wish to be recorded
as no, I move passage of this item by the same motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
The remaining items are from the Department of Planning and Development.
Items seven through ten are the market rate sale of city-owned property under Chic
Block Builder Platform in the third and fourth wards.
The ordinance numbers are twenty twenty-six dash zero zero twenty-three
three O eight dash zero zero twenty-three three O nine dash zero zero
twenty-three O six and zero zero twenty-three three one
zero. I move passage of these four items by the same motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Items 11, 12 and 14 are grouped together for convenience
for the sale of city-owned property under open space and side yard
programs on the Chi Block Builder platform in 11th, 15th and
third, 30th Wards. The ordinance numbers are ordinance
2026-0023314,
0023315 and
23317. I move passage of these three items
by the same motion.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Mr. President, this concludes my report.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Committee on Licensed Consumer Protection, the chair
recognizes Chairwoman Silverstein.
Thank you, Mr. President and members of the city council.
I'm reporting for the Committee on Licensing Consumer Protection.
We held a meeting on March 12th 2026, and the following items were
passed by the committee.
02026-0022510,
Amendment of the Municipal Code Section
4-156-962,
modifying license requirements regarding lawful sports
wagering.
The chair recognizes Alderman Villegas.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, Alderman Beale and I move to defer and publish this
item.
All right, Alderman Beale. This item will be deferred and pub-published.
Chair recognizes Chairwoman Silverstein.
Three ordinances regarding liquor moratoriums in the 15th, 16th and
32nd wards.
02026-0023381,
0023144 and
0023219. I move passage of these items
by the same motion if there's no objection.
Hearing none, so ordered.
S02025-0021968
and
02026-0023351
were recommended do not pass by the committee.
Chair recognizes Alderman Ervin.
Um, yes. So Alders, Fuentes,
Burnett, Hatton, Quesada
and, Rodriguez Sanchez and I move to defer and publish those items.
Very well. Hatton,
Rodriguez Sanchez, Quesada, Burnett is not here.
Those other names will be added as recognized
for the deferring and publishing of those items.
Very well. Thank you. The chair recognizes Chair
Silverstein.
02025-0019931 and
02026-0023188
were held in committee. Mr. President, this concludes my report.
Thank you, Madam Chair. Next up is Committee on Pedestrian
and
Traffic... Sa-sa... Yeah,
Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. Um, the chair is online and the vice
chair will report out on this committee.
The chair recognizes Vice Chair Cruz.
Thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for the Committee of Pedestrian Traffic Safety,
for which a meeting was held on Tuesday, March 10th,
2026. Before the committee, there were 302
routine traffic items, all which passed.
If there are no objections, I move passage of these items by the
first most favorable roll call from the Committee on Finance and
the associated unsuccessful motion to reconsider the
vote.
Hearing none, so ordered.
That concludes my report. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. For the Committee on
Police and Fire, the chair recogn- uh...
We'll come back to that one. The committee, for the Committee on Public
Safety.
Oh, are you prepared to do that? Oh, my apologies.
So the chair is not here, but the vice chair is prepared to report on the, on this
committee. So for the Committee on Police and Fire, the chair recognizes Vice
Chair Robinson.
Mr. President and members of the City Council, reporting for Committee on Police
and Fire, for which a meeting was held on March 13th,
2026. There were two items before the committee for which the
committee recommends passage. Item number
1A,
2026-0023341,
the appointment of LaKeena White as Chief
Adminis-Administrator of the Civilian Office of Police
Accountability.
And item number 2,
A2026-0023417,
the appointment of Chris
Papianno-
Papianno
... Papianno, thank you, Mr. Mayor, as a member of the Chicago
Emergency Telephone System Board. Mr.
President, if there are no objections, I move the passage of these
items by the first most favorable roll call vote in
Committee on Finance and the associated
unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
That concludes my report.
Very well. Both of these item has been, items have been lumped for
convenience. Are there any alders that wish to speak to either of these
items?
Very well. The motion has been made for the passage of both of these
items. Hearing no, chair recognizes Alderman
Ervin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, first, I just want to congratulate you, on
your appointment. Uh, listening, during the hearing, just couldn't
help but, listen to your story about how
you, started as a young, teenage mother and
have ascended to this level of leading a department of our
city. Uh, I think your, your story and your work is to be
commended, and, we need more young women like you.
And as we make this appointment during Women's History Month, I think
that, you're the type of person that when we look in our community and
seeing the life story and seeing the work that you put in, and this is what
it can lead to. So congratulations and thank you for your service
Very well. Congratulations. Hearing no objections, so
ordered. Congratulations, Ms. Sway.
Mr. Vice Chair, that concludes your report.
Thank you for the Committee on Public Safety.
The Chair recognizes Chair Hopkins.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. Reporting for your Committee on Public Safety, which
held a meeting on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026.
In addition to approving the Rule 45 report for February, the com- committee
recommends passage of the following item as amended.
Uh, ordinance number 15393, amending Municipal
Code Section 712290 regarding cruelty to
animals, and increasing fines thereto for $5,000 per each
offense. If no one wishes to speak, I move passage of this
item by the first favorable roll call of the Committee on Finance and associated
unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Uh, furthermore, the committee attached a do p- do not pass recommendation
to the following item. Proposed ordinance
5298, amending the Municipal Code Chapter
816 to establish prohibitions and penalties for
minors who violate curfew, engage in drag racing, flipping of
cars, or use of paintball guns. Uh, and to hold parents
accountable for their minor children's illegal actions.
Uh, if no one wishes to speak, this recommendation will be submitted as part of the
committee report.
Chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.
Good afternoon, Mr. President, and again, members of the committee.
Yeah.
Uh,
Alderman
Tabares, Quinn, Napolit- Napolitano, Gardner, and myself wish to
DNP this item.
Alderwoman Tabares,
Napolitano to Gardner. All right, all four of
those aldermen have requested to DNP that
item. That item will be DNP'd.
Chairman.
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. That concludes my report.
Very well. For the Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and Recreation,
Chair recognizes Alderman Chairman Sposato.
Thank you, Mr. President, members of the City Council.
Uh, reporting for your Committee on Special Events, Cultural Affairs and
Recreation, also known as the Happy Committee, which held a committee meeting on
March 13th, 2026. The committee recommends passage of the
following items.
O2026-0022518,
expenditure of open space impact fee funds for development of
turf field at Frank W. Riley Elementary School,
3650 West School Street. I move passage of this item by
the first favorable roll call of the Committee on Finance and the associated
unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number
O2026-0022519,
expenditure of open space impact fee funds for outdoor space
improvements at Disney II Elementary School,
3815 North Kedvale. I move patches of the-- I
move passage of this item by the first favorable roll call vote
of the Committee on Finance and a associated unsuccessful motion to
reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Item number three, O2-
2026-0023318,
expenditure of open space impact fee funds for outdoor space
improvements at Nettlehurst Elementary School at
3252 North Broadway. I move passage of this item by
the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated
unsuccessful motion to reconsider.
Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Thank you, Mr. President. That concludes my report.
Thank you. For the, for the Committee on Transportation and Public
Way, the chair recognizes Chairman Mitchell.
Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President and members of the City Council, reporting
for your Committee on Transportation and Public Way, which held a meeting on
February 11th, 2026. The following item was passed by the
majority of the members present. Pages two and three include
fifteen ordinances from miscellaneous items introduced by the local
alderman from Wards 21, 24, 26, 27,
29, 32, 36, 47, 48, and
50. Page four includes item Substitute Ordinance
2026-0023068, which is a
repeal of taxicab stand number seventeen located in the Second
Ward. Pages five includes items Substitute Ordinance
2026-0023201,
a subdivision located in the First Ward, and items Ordinance
2026-0022543, a
subdivision located in the Tenth Ward.
If there is no objection, I move passage of these items by the first most favorable
roll call vote of the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful
motion to reconsider.
Hearing none, so ordered.
Mr. President, that concludes my report.
Very well. For the agreed-upon calendar, the chair recognizes Alderwoman Harris.
Thank you, Mr. President. I've received from the city clerk, Andrea M.
Valencia, a total of a hundred and seven items proposed for the agreed
c-ah, calendar consisting of congratulatory, commemorative, tributary
resolutions from the following alderpersons: Alderperson Dow,
Alderperson Harris, Alderperson Chico, Alderperson Lee, Alderperson
Quinn, Alderperson Lopez, Alderperson Coleman,
Alderperson Moore, Alderperson Rodriguez, Alderperson Cecil
Lopez, Alderperson Talaferro, Alderperson Metz,
Alderperson Nugent, Alderperson Vasquez, Alderperson Gardner,
Alderperson Clay, Alderperson Anna Hoppenworth, Ald- and
Aldermanperson Patton. Um, I move these in the omnibus.
Very well. Hearing no objections, so ordered.
For new business, we will begin, the clerk will, with the First
Ward.
Alderman Espada has an order for issuance of permits, signs, signboards at nine
oh one North Ashland Avenue. Alderman Hopkins has an ordinance,
amendment of mu-municipal code section four dash sixty dash zero two
two to disallow additional alcoholic liquor licenses on portions of
West North Avenue.
Referred to the Committee on License.
Sorry, and Espada's ordinance was referred to the Committee on
Zoning. Alderwoman Dow has a order for issuance of
permits and signs, signboards at forty twenty-one South State Street,
referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Alderwoman L- Dow has a ordinance for amendment of annual
appropriation ordinance to transfer funds with Committee on Finance
year, for year twenty twenty-six, referred to the Committee on
Budget. Alderman Robinson has an ordinance for the amendment of Municipal
Code Section four dash sixty dash zero seven three, increasing the
number of maximum lake vendor liquor licenses issued
during any license period from t- from twenty,
twenty twenty-nine to twenty thirty-one, referred to the Committee on License.
Alderman Hall and others has a resolution calling on the Chicago Police
Department and Department of Assets Information and Services to the, to
rename Third District Police Station as Police Officer Darrell
C. Brandon Third District Station, referred to the Committee on Police and
Fire. Alderman Beale and others has an ordinance amending
Municipal Code Chapter four dash one five six regarding
prohibition of penalties for violations of sweepstakes machines, referred
to the Committee on License. Alderman Quinn has an ordinance
for honorary street designation as Enrique Martinez Boulevard,
referred to the Committee on Tr- Transportation.
Alderwoman Coleman has a resolution for the Carla Board of Trustees of Comm-
Community College District number five oh eight to rename Kennedy
King College to Kennedy King Jackson College, referred to the Committee on
Education. Alderman Moore has an ordinance for honorary street
designations as Dr. Reverend Robert E.
Booker- Booker Sr. Way, referred to the Committee on
Transportation. Alderman Rodriguez has an ordinance for amendment of
Municipal Code Chapter seventeen dash nine regarding waste-related
uses, recycling facilities, container storage, freight
terminal, outdoor storage of raw material, composting,
and manganese-bearing material, referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Alderman Burnett has an ordinance amendment of the Municipal Code Chapter
six dash one oh five modifying timelines for employer
allowance minimums in hourly wage occupations
receiving gratuities, referred to the Committee on Workforce Development.
Alderman Burnett has a order
for various signboards and permits in the twenty-seventh
Ward, referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Alderman Burnett has an ordinance establishing of interactive digital
wayfinder pilot program, referred to the Committee on Economic and
Development-- Economic Capital Development. Thank you.
Alderman Irving has an order, various orders f- for
issues of permits and signboards to various locations in the twenty-eighth
Ward, referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Alderman Waguespack has an ordinance designation of twelve
twenty-nine West Courtland...
Um, I'm sorry,
nineteen forty North Kingsbury
and twenty twenty sixty-eight
Southport Avenue, fort- the block of fourteen hundred West
Dickens, the block of twenty eighty-four through
twenty-one sixty-six North Dominic, the
blocks of seventeen thirty-six
through two thousand North Troop, and fourteen
hundred block of West Armitage, fifteen hundred block
of West Webster, eighteen hundred block of West Elston as a low
affordability community, referred to the Committee on Housing.
Alderman Waguespack also has a order for issuance of permits and signboards at
seventeen fifty-five West Fullerton, referred to the Committee on
Zoning. Alderman Aw- Waguespack has a ordinance amending the Municipal
Code Chapter four dash one fifty-five by adding new section
s- four one fifty-five zero three five regarding conditional
approval of video gaming terminal licenses, referred to the Committee on
License. Alderman Casada and others has a
resol... Okay, two committees recalled.
That's going to
Rules.
Good. Alderman Casada has a
resolution-- Alderman Casada and others has a resolution called for
US Congress and President Trump to abolish
I-Immigration Customs and Enforcement and to expand legal
pathways for interest in lawful permanent status, referred to the Committee on
Immigrant and Refugee
Rights.Alderman
Beale withdraws his recommendation.
The ordinance from Alderman Raggesback and Lawson will now go to
license. Alderman Villegas has an
ordinance amending municipal code section four dash sixty dash
zero two three by modifying subsection twenty-six point eight three and
adding new subsections twenty-seven point nine seven and thirty-six point three
seven to allow to disallow additional package goods
licenses on portions of West Grand Avenue.
Referred to the Committee on License.
Alderman Villegas has a resolution to call on Trump administration to fully and
immediately issue refunds for Trump tariffs.
Referred to the Committee on Economic and Capital Technology
Development. Alderman Villegas and Alderman Lampada has an
ordinance for the Commissioner of Fleet and Facility Management to
identify sustainable... I'm sorry, suitable location for new
satellite police station within the 12th Police District.
Referred to the Committee on Economic, Technology and Capital
Development. Alderwoman Nugent has an ordinance for honorary street
designation it's as Honorary Jacqueline "Jackie"
Costrest- Costrestra Way. Referred to the Committee on
Transportation. Alderman Vasquez has a resolution to call on
President Trump and administration to end aggressions toward Iran.
Referred to the Committee on Image- Immigrant and Refugee
Rights.
Two committees have called. It will go to budget.
That's the resolution from Alderman Vasquez.
I'm sorry, two committees were called. It's going to rules.
Alderman Vasquez has a ordina- an ordinance amending the annual
appropriation ordinance to transfer funds from the 40th Ward
Aldermanic Expense account to wage allowances account for year twenty
twenty-six. Going to the Committee on Budget.
Alderman Vasquez and others has a resolution to call on US President Trump and
Congress to end direct and indirect use of taxpayer money
on regime change in Iran. Referred to the Committee on Immigrant and
Refugee Rights.
Two committees were called. This is now going to rules.
Alderman Riley has various orders for issuance of permits and sign
boards to various locations in the 42nd Ward.
Referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Alderman Knuson has an ordinance for honorary street designation
as Mabel Hawkins Way. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.
Alderman Gardner has an ordinance, vacation of public alleys in areas bounded
by Malvina, Higgins, Mobile, and Foster
Avenue. Referred to the commission on...
I'm sorry, referred to the Committee on Transportation.
Alderman Gardner also has an ordinance for honorary street designation as
Bernadette Colletti Way. Referred to the Committee on Transportation.
Alderman Clay has an ordinance to amend Municipal Code Section
four dash sixty dash zero two three to allow additional package
goods licenses on portions of North Sheridan Road.
Referred to the Committee on License.
Alderman Clay has an amendment to Mudici- Municipal Code Section
14X dash eight dash eight zero
two point two point two to modify dates for minimum temperature
requirements in dwelling units and sleeping units.
Referred to the Committee on Housing.
Alderman Martin has an ordinance amending Municipal Code Chapter
two dash eighty-four by adding new section two dash eighty-four dash
five three zero to h- prohibit use of artificial intelligence in
creating written police reports of, or law enforcement
records. Referred to the Committee on Police and Fire.
Alderwoman Manaa Hainworth has an amendment of Municipal Code Section
four dash sixty dash zero two three
to allow additional package goods licenses on West Divine
Avenue. Referred to the Committee on License.
Alderman Manaa Hainworth has a resolution calling for the hearing on
Waymo technology and proposed plans for operation in Chicago.
Referred to the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety.
Alderman... Two committees were called.
That's now going to the Committee on Rules.
Alderman Hadden and others has an ordinance amending Municipal Code Title
13 by adding new chapter dash thirteen...
Chapter 13 dash one fifty esther- establishing
bird-friendly, bird-friendly building design.
Referred to the Committee on Zoning.
Two committees were called. It's going to rules.
Your Honor, that's the end of new business.
Thank you very much, Alderman Mitchell, for the approval of the
journal.
Uh, Mr. President, I'm aware-- I am not aware of any corrections to the journal
from the February 18th, twenty twenty-six meeting, and move that it be approved.
Hearing no objections, so order for unfinished business, Alderman Mitchell.
I'm aware of one piece of unfinished business, which was filed by Alderman
Fuentes, and I defer to her.
Chair recognizes Alder
Fuentes.
I have one piece of unfinished business, which is to allow the consideration of the
ordinance carrying city clerk reference number O two zero
two five zero zero two zero zero four, which amends
Section two dash seventy-eight dash one twenty of the Municipal
Code of Chicago, which authorizes the Civilian Office of Police
Accountability to conduct investigations into complaints against
members of the police department that allege a violation of the Welcoming City
ordinance. This matter was deferred and published at the February
18th City Council meeting. I now move for the passage of this
ordinance by the first favorable roll call vote of the Committee of Finance and its
associated motion to reconsider.
Chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President. And again, good afternoon, members of the committee.
I don't think any of us in this room
oppose ensuring that our employees, our officers, or
anyone for that matter, is following the
law.
We know what the municipal code states.
We know what the law allows and what it doesn't allow
But what we have before us in this moment,
which is exactly why it was deferred and published by myself and
others last meeting,
was that we have a contradiction in what we're
asking to be done. On one
hand, we say that the Welcoming City bars
our officers from being involved anywhere near immigration
enforcement activity. But at the same
time, we want them to be involved enough
so that we can use their body cam footage and record what's going on,
particularly when there are issues such as creating
perimeters
to main public safety.
I believe that is at the crux of what some of the
conversation and alleged evidence
of these violations was during this hearing, and what members of this body
have said to the press.
So the question
for us today is, which is it?
Are our police officers supposed to be there, or are they
not?
Now, I know what the law says.
The law says that we shall have
no part in immigration enforcement, that we will not
report
information or gather information about
citizenship or residency. That's the law.
But when we are putting forward policies and, and
changes to our law such as this
that are gonna be in direct
contradiction, we have to take a step
back and s- ask what exactly are we trying to accomplish
here.
We know that there's a, a mayoral executive
order that requires
officers to be present
so that they can record.
We are setting ourselves up
not only for failure,
we are setting our officers up for
lawsuits.
Lawsuits, ladies and gentlemen, that we cannot
afford.
This matter
should be fully vetted
not only with the law department, but with our own
police department, which did not even
understand that the executive orders that they've been
given may put them in contradiction to what this law is
trying to do.
I believe
that our officers are following the law,
and I would gladly put any accountab- ability on
them to prove that, because our officers are
not reporting the
undocumented. Just as I
supported when our officers were told they had to wear body
cam video,
and everyone was waiting for the proof to show how bad our police were, only
to find out our police were actually doing their job constitutionally
and legally
99.99% of the time.
We need to go back to the drawing board on this.
We need to have better discussions, and we
need to get this right
so that we are not putting our men and women
in jeopardy by trying to both be somewhere and not
be somewhere simultaneously, to watch but not
involve themselves when something happens.
Because those individuals who we are hoping to catch
take an oath to preserve, protect, and defend this
city, and they will at some point have to step
in to protect people,
even if it's those that are protesting, which we've saw
time and time again.
So, Mr. President, I would actually move to re-refer
this item to the Committee on Police and Fire
so that we can have our superintendent and our law
department
give their opinion, share their thoughts, and come up with a more perfect
version of this, one that is more suitable for the entire
city council.
And I would ask for a roll call on that.
Chair recognizes Alder Fuentes.
Mr. President, I motion to lay that motion on the
table.
All right, for the motion to be... for this item to be re-referred...
Thank you. For the motion on the floor to re-refer this
item, to a committee, that motion has
been responded with a motion to lay that motion on the table.
And there's a roll call vote that is being requested for the,
laying on the table of the motion to
re-refer.
Alder Fuentes.
J- just before the, the roll call vote, I spoke to Superintendent
Snelling minutes before calling this Rule 41, and I don't want us
to conflate two separate issues. There are concerns around the executive orders,
and members of this body have those concerns.
Superintendent Snelling is very clear that this ordinance here
today and concerns around the executive order are two separate
things entirely. What this ordinance does today, it
says who is investigating, not what we are investigating, just
who. The OIG was here months
ago in the Committee of Immigration and said, "We
do not have the infrastructure nor the means to be investigating this."
Yeah. Thank you.
Yes?
Al- Alder Fuentes, thank you for offering up the...
Th- th- very first, Alderman Hopkins.
Alderman Hopkins, you have not been recognized, first of all.
I understand that, but just you don't have to shout.
Thank you for offering up the clarification.
There's a motion on the floor to lay it on the table.
If you vote yes to lay this, the item on the table, it w- means you wish to move
forward with the origin- original motion for the
passage of the item by the most favorable roll call vote in the f-
in the Committee on Finance and the associated motion to reconsider that
fail. It is a roll call vote.
Then the voting is now open on the motion to table.
Please cast your
vote.
Okay.
I will now, call on those who have not yet cast their vote.
Alderman LaSpada.
Yes.
Alderman LaSpada is a yes.
Alderperson Robinson. Alderperson Robinson is
a yes. Alderwoman
Harris. Alderwoman Harris is a
no. Alderman Curtis.
Alderman Curtis is a no. Alderwoman
Taylor. Alderwoman Taylor not present in
chambers. Alderwoman Rodriguez Sanchez.
Alderman Rodriguez Sanchez not pr- present in chambers.
Alderwoman, uh... And that is it. Voting
is now closed.
There are twenty-eight yeas, twenty nays.
The motion has passed. Chair recognizes Alderman
Conway.
Chairman. Um, I rise in
support
of Alderman Fuentes' motion here.
I've been, uh... You guys may have heard me say it.
I've, I, have been a lawyer for almost twenty years in this town,
and doesn't take a whole lot of legal knowledge for me to get up and look at
this ordinance, and it says
all it does is simply add to the powers and duties of COPA, that it
allows them to conduct investigations into complaints against members of the
police department alleging violation of Chapter two dash one seven three of this
code, that being the Welcoming City Ordinance.
Alderwoman Fuentes, I wanna thank you for making it so simple, literally one
sentence addition to that.
And I also just don't see how dealing with,
requiring a perimeter to ICE enforcement as well as forbidding
assisting ICE is, is conflictory.
Now, I know there are folks in this chamber who disagree with the
Welcoming City Ordinance, and many have broader questions
about, about immigration enforcement.
But frankly, that debate has, has really already been had.
The Welcoming City Ordinance, like it or not, is the law of the land,
and we are here to discuss a common sense clarification
of COPA's ability to investigate violations of that law on
the books.
Now, when I served as a, as a prosecutor, I had
the pleasure of working
with hundreds of great Chicago police officers
who put themselves on the line every day to protect the public safety of this
city. However, I also had the responsibility when the fact and the
law required it to charge, try, and, and, and convict
officers who violated the law and their duties and did so on three
occasions. And in that role, I worked closely
with Internal Affairs and with IPRA, who was the, the
predecessor to COPA, which you may, you may recall.
And COPA itself is, is a bit of a unique instrument in the sense
that actually the results of it find their way to the superintendent.
So this actually does require, allow for a little bit more oversight from the
superintendent.
Now, as you all know, COPA was explicitly
created
and expanded upon IPRA to strengthen civilian oversight,
and our municipal code is clear about its
purpose. Section two dash seventy-eight
one ten states that COPA's mission is to, quote,
"Provide a just and efficient means to fairly and
timely conduct investigations, including investigations
of alleged police misconduct." It doesn't have the
vagueness perhaps that, that involves, Office of Inspector General's,
investigatory aims. It goes to COPA, which has a specific
purpose. And misconduct at its
very core is the deliberate violation of law or
established standards, particularly of a government
official. So the question before us
is not whether everyone in this chamber agrees the Welcoming City
Ordinance. Even if there is some vague notion of that, we
should simply just change the ordinance itself.
But the question
is, do we believe in enforcing the laws that are on the books
of this city? And in this case, we have settled
law in the Welcoming City Ordinance and a duly established
agency in COPA that is tasked with investigating police
misconduct. And so for that reason-I think it's
pretty clear that COPA should have the ability to investigate alleged
violations of the alleged, of the, Welcoming City ordinance, and therefore I
ask you all to support it. Thank you very much.
Mayor, you're welcome. Thank you.
The chair recognizes Alder Sigcho-Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I've seen a lot of things in my life,
but the level of lawlessness
and atrocities that we saw
during the Chicago Midway blitz,
talking about violation of due process, which is
very different
than enforcement of immigration laws.
We are normalizing kidnappings.
We are normalizing false information.
We just saw the testimonies of the federal government,
how one of our neighbors in Brighton Park, and I was there, nobody told
me,
shot five times. Five
times a neighbor of ours was shot while many of us were
teargassed, including the Chicago Police Department.
So we are not gonna normalize that kind of behavior
and lawlessness
against those constituents who actually also pay
taxes.
I am sick and tired
of the normalization of terrorism in our city.
Those same mercenaries were saying to the Chicago Police Department that they
were shot at
by Marimar Martinez. Shot five
times. She's fortunate to be alive and
telling the story.
This level of lawlessness
cannot be normalized and will not be
normalized.
Terrorizing parents, children.
We have seen children being left out in their cars.
That is child endangerment.
So I dare that we're talking about law enforcement with no judicial
warrants, no identification. We are nor-nor-we're now
normalizing impers-impersonification.
These people are falsely saying that they are
conducting immigration law. They are
not. And they're providing false
information. So therefore, this
definitely must be investigated.
And there will be lawsuits,
yes, from their victims to the
perpetrators. We have people in badges who
are rapists,
convicted by that. Are we allowing our families to be
victims of that?
How dare you tell me that's law enforcement.
That's a level of lawlessness that should never be
allowed.
Never. I tell you today, the
city council has a very simple decision.
We are allowing, we're allowing chaos,
or we are once and for all allowing true
investigations.
And we can laugh all we want.
You can laugh all you want. Your constituents will see where your actions
are. It's not a laughable
matter. We see an eleven-year-old child
almost kidnapped from our neighborhood before what we saw
in Minneapolis.
I'm not afraid of speaking up because we are defending our
constituents on a constitutional right to due process.
And these individuals have not given permission to terrorize
with impunity. Two hundred and sixty elected officials already
demanding from the state's attorney to investigate this.
And this body must create a process to investigate
misconduct.
This is the time for action. No
platitudes.
I am thankful for Alderperson Jesse Fuentes
for speaking up
and be the voice who don't have a voice.
But I'm not going to be in this chamber
telling me that what we saw is law enforcement.
That is terrorism, what I saw.
So I am raising in support of this and asking our
colleagues, especially those who have immigrant
communities, to stand up for their
constituents and speak up now before it's too
late. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. The chair recognizes Alder
Vasquez.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. Um, I just want to clarify things.
Uh, our colleague was definitely conflating separate matters.
We had a hearing, a joint committee of the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee
Rights and Committee on Police and Fire, related to an incident that occurred
on June 4th of last year, where, an undocumented neighbor
doing things, quote, unquote, by the law, went to check in at a
center, as one would, and was confronted by ICE at that
moment. Um, it was an unprecedented moment, it had not occurred
before, where ICE, CPD at that point showed up.
Uh, there were concerns about a level of coordination, which is what this is
about. It's not about being on site or not being on site.
It is about coordinating with ICE or DHS or Border
Patrol, which is explicitly not allowed in the
Welcoming City ordinance. Uh, subsequent to that incident, we had a
hearing. Um, a couple of things came to
lightOne, although different bodies
can do the investigation, there was not clear, again, who should do the
investigation. So it could be the Bureau of Internal Affairs at
CPD, one would argue that's not the most accountable as it is the department itself
holding itself accountable. It could also be Office of Inspector
General and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Uh, the different bodies could look at it.
It was not clear then who should. Uh, what we then, did in that
moment is push to get that information.
Uh, I'm, I'm glad that my colleague mentioned body cameras, that is part of what we
got based on June 4th. And what we found
was actual coordination. Uh, in that time and that incident,
CPD showed up, they spoke to ICE, who was on site, and
directed them on where they could park their vehicles so that the public would not
interfere as they were trying to abduct somebody, put them in a vehicle and take
them away. The officers, CPD commanding
officer, told, border patrol,
ICE, that they should park on private land, park in the parking lot
so no one could interfere. If that ain't coordination, I don't know what
is. There's a level of help there. Not doing their job,
not about just being on site. There's a step beyond that that came up because we
pushed to get that information. That is not something we get in
every incident. It's something we're pushing to get in every incident.
We have legislation for working that, for that, on that as well.
Um, I'm grateful for Alderperson Jesse Fuentes, who pushed forward
to establish clarity on who should investigate. COPA.
It makes perfect sense to do so. So if someone's for body cameras
because officers are gonna most likely do the right thing, they should equally be
for the clarity on who should do investigations.
Because if 99.9999, whatever the number was,
they're doing everything right, then you might wanna catch the times that they
don't. Or in incidents where the legislation is too ambiguous because we've never
had situations like this, one would wanna find clarity as to who would
investigate the situation.
So this is not about anything that's in conflict.
It is about the kind of clarity necessary to make sure that the laws are
being upheld. That's order, last time I checked.
Uh, again, two committees, which I think comprise,
if I'm correct, more than a super majority of this council, actually
talked through it.
Then when it came for the council vote, there was a defer and publish.
Typically, defer and publish happens, so you've got a month to continue talking
about it before the vote comes up. So to then make further attempts to try to
continue to stall it
is disingenuous at best and
embarrassing at worst. So looking at the matter and
just identifying who should investigate is not controversial
at all. Lord knows if it was about trying to get things
right and worrying about lawsuits, we might worry about police chases more so we're
not paying 27 million bucks the way we ended up voting on today.
So I would ask our colleagues to support the clarity
on who should investigate when things go wrong or when somebody did the right
thing, to be able to clear that up as well. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. You're welcome. The chair recognizes Alder
Quezada.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I just wanna really implore my colleagues to really
consider, what we're talking about here.
Um, I know that for a lot of the conversations that we have, the votes that we
have, could really easily be misinterpreted as your
association of one political leaning or the other, but this is
truly such a non-political issue.
Like, this is not about... Voting for this will not make you be perceived as
anti-police or anti-ICE. There's nothing wrong with
that. I, I really implore you to really consider the substance of
this piece of legislation. All it is doing is
clarifying the investig- investigatory process
and making it more transparent in the event that there is a
violation of the Welcoming City ordinance. We're not saying that that's happening.
We're not accusing anybody of anything.
We're not saying that the police are, are corrupt or bad or anything.
We are literally saying that in this event where we are seeing much
more ICE presence in our communities, and that there are these contradictions
where local police and ICE are interacting with one another, we wanna make sure
that when our community says that something wrong happened, we have
the tools to investigate. That's all this is.
This is not a political issue. So, and I, I also wanna commend the fact that
we had this conversation collectively. We brought our community members.
There are residents in each of our wards who are concerned and
worried about what's happening, and they wanna make sure that our government and
our local police department are following the law that we have instituted.
So please, I urge you to vote yes on this. Let's put this behind us.
This is not a political issue. Thank you very much.
You're welcome. Alderman Sposato is recognized.
Thank you, Mr. President. Uh, Anthony, I actually agree with you.
So I, I supported this in committee. I thought it was a big nothing burger.
I did talk to the superintendent about it.
But then, once again, here we go. Drama,
drama, drama. Bill, I don't think you're the only guy here with a 20-year,
law degree. I didn't realize we had other people with 20-year law degrees.
I'm very proud of my 50-year high school diploma, I'll tell you
that. 50 years ago I graduated this May,
everybody. That's as high as my education is.
But it's funny how some of the stuff we bring up, twisting everything around,
accusatory tones, r- wreaking havoc, trying to create
problems. I didn't hear anything from anybody.
Of course, doesn't have anything to do with this, but I heard a lot of stuff does,
doesn't have to do with this. We didn't hear anything about Laken.
We never talk about Laken Riley or Rachel Martin.
I don't understand why we, we never had any hearings about that.
Most of you don't even know, don't even know who the individual is that
murdered that beautiful nurse, wannabe nurse, I believe, Laken
Riley. I mentioned her name to some of you before, and you guys were oblivious.
Anne Grails, I'm sorry. Okay, so I was originally a yes,
but with all the drama here, you put so much pressure on a guy like me.
I agree with you, Anthony, nothing burger, not a big deal, but I
just don't understand this. I just don't understand why we just can't leave some
things alone, have a simple vote every once in a while, stop bringing up
pedophiles and murderers and lawbreakers and
twisting things around. So with that, I'm a no. Thank you, Mr.
President.
Alder Fuentes, on your initial motion.
Thank you. I just quickly, wanna say this was cleared by the
law department. The OIG office has also recommended the COPA be the
body to investigate. Uh, we received letters of support from
CCPSA board members, and again, the superintendent
supported this a couple months ago, and he doubled down on that support in a phone
call right before this vote. Uh, so I renew my motion, to
move for passage of this ordinance by the first most favorable roll call vote of
the Committee on Finance and its associated motion to
reconsider.
Very well. If there are no
objections, so ordered.
Very well, this item passes.
Alderman Mitchell, are you aware of any further pieces of unfinished
business?
Hmm.
I'm not aware of any more pieces of unfinished-
Very well. Now, what about for mi- miscellaneous business, Alderman Mitchell?
Yeah, I am aware of one item of miscellaneous business filed by Alderman Nugent,
and I defer to her.
Very well. The Chair recognizes Alderwoman Nugent.
Thank you, Mr. President. Pursuant to Rule 41, I move to
discharge, a matter from further consideration by
the Rules Committee, and that would be
02025-0017549,
amending Section 6-105-030 of the Municipal
Code to allow employers of occupations where gratuities are
customary to an allowance for gratuities as part of hourly wage rate
not to exceed 32% of the minimum wage.
Should be 24%, sir. Excuse me.
Very well. The motion to discharge the committee
on committees on rules from further consideration for that
item,
02025-001749,
that's the item that is being motioned to
discharge. All right, all those in favor of the discharging of
this motion, signify by saying "aye."
Any opposed say, "nay." Any opinion to the chair, the ayes have
it.
So, this motion has been discha-- I'm sorry, the motion to discharge from this
committee, has passed. Um, the matter that is now before
us, Alderwoman Nugent, would you wish to offer up more
details around your item?
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
Pursuant to Rule 33, I move to accept the substitute attached to
the Rule 41 notice circulated to my colleagues, and if I may just give a
brief description.
Of course.
The ordinance puts a freeze on the current tipped wage at twenty-four percent of
the minimum wage. Under this ordinance, no tipped workers can earn less than
minimum wage. The law remains. If a worker tips and base pay
do not reach the minimum wage, the employer is legally required to make up the
difference. This legislation will help protect servers and back-of-the-house jobs
and keep small, independent restaurants operating.
I ask my colleagues for their favorable consideration. Thank you, Mr. President.
Very well. There's a roll call. Before we
call the roll, does anyone wish to speak to the item?
The Chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I, I'm a little,
perplexed. Um,
this item has
major implications not only for businesses, but
for our employees.
And for this, a matter of this magnitude not
to go through a process, for committee
where there's debate, where we hear from,
sides on the matter, construct something that, through
the process of us legislating to, to get
to. Um, I don't think that this,
moving in this matter is, is in, not only in the council's best
interest, but, I think that we, going
through our committee process, learn some things.
We have not had that debate. We have not had those types of conversations.
And I, I really, would implore us to go through a committee process
because, again, nothing in this particular ordinance has
any effectiveness that's gonna hit us in the next thirty
or sixty days. And if this matter gets referred to committee and nothing happens,
then too, it, it would bear the opportunity for, for
discharge. So again, I, I don't think this is in our best interest to
move in this direction this way. Now granted, we may end up at the same
pace after having a debate, but again, I think that we need to
avail ourselves of the committee process in this.
And I would move that this matter be referred to Committee on
Workforce.
Very well. There's a motion on the floor to refer this
substitute
to a commit- to the Committee on, did you say
Workforce?
Yes, Mr. President.
Yes. Okay, the Chair recognizes Alderman Bill.
Mr. President, the duplicity
that is coming out of this body is amazing.
When this ordinance first passed, we sat in
committee, and I asked the
commissioner at the time, which was Ken
Myers, that was there
a feasibility study done on this ordinance
before it was put before us. And he sat in that
box and said, "Absolutely not. There was
no feasibility study done on how this
ordinance was going to affect the businesses here in the city of
Chicago." And I said at the
time, "Well, why are we voting on something
before we do a feasibility study to see how it affects the
city, whether it be good or bad?"
And we were told, "You know what? This is an agenda
item that we fought for. We're gonna push it through, and we'll figure
it out later."Well, here we are later with
less businesses, less employees
because people are closing their doors because of the harm that this
ordinance is doing here in the city of Chicago.
And so
it's okay to admit we were wrong in this body.
It's okay to admit that something happened and it's affecting the
businesses. Well, we have a right to correct that.
So that's what this ordinance does.
It's trying to correct the wrong vote that was taken in this
body to help save the businesses here in the city of Chicago who are already
on life support. And so
I just encourage you all... And there's already a motion on the floor,
and that motion to refer back to committee is out of order,
so we need to vote on making sure that we preserve the businesses
here in the city of Chicago. Thank you.
You're welcome. The chair recognizes Alderman Quesada.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, I remember attending the meeting
of this vote on one fair wage a couple of years back when
I was a county commissioner. And I, I attended these
chambers, because I
was a, a, a sub-minimum wage worker.
My first jobs were working in the restaurant industry.
Both my parents worked in the restaurant industry. My father was a chef.
My mother was a waitress. Um,
I know how humiliating it is to make $2.75
an hour. I know how humiliating it is to
work 60 hours a week and not be able to pay your
bills. I know how enraging it is and how
humiliating it is for working class mothers, who are
predominantly Black, brown, and immigrant, to work so
hard and not have enough to get by with the dignity they deserve.
And the vote that this council took was a
victory, and a dignified victory, for
workers. I just heard one of our colleagues just say that
we made a mistake in investing in people.
At a time where we're living in a second Gilded Age, where
billionaires and corporations are making record profits, we can't
pay people a living wage, the bare minimum, which is
already a starvation wage. This minimum wage should be $20
an hour. That's what this council should be talking about.
Not rolling back wages for workers, but increasing wages for
workers. So there is real rage, and real, honest
rage, that is coming from working class people, and they don't have the
opportunity to be in these chambers because they're working.
They're serving food. They're taking care of their kids.
They can't be in these chambers.
So that is why it's important that we have working class representatives in this
cl- council who are gonna uplift their needs and their struggles.
So I think this is a huge mistake, you all.
We have a president that is enacting tariffs, that is impacting our
farmers, that is impacting trade, that is impacting raw materials, that
is impacting food. What is this council doing to stand up to a president
that is destroying our economy? That's what we should be talking
about. The first people that should be f- sacrificed should not be
workers. It should be the billionaires.
It should be the corporations. There should be a massive
redistribution of wealth from the top to the bottom.
But you are talking, we are talking about putting workers, the, the most
vulnerable workers in our communities who are struggling to pay rent,
property taxes, bills,
medication. That is a shame, y'all.
That is, that is not something that we should be hanging our head low in this
moment in history.
So I ask you to really consider deep in your conscious...
And I understand the business community.
I under- I talk with my business community. I speak with my business corridors.
I speak with my chambers of commerce.
Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me. Order. You're out of order.
Hey, it's, it's-
I'm saying, I speak with-
Thank you
... my chambers of commerce.
Alder Quesada-
Th-
... direct your comments to me, please
... thank you, Mr. President.
There will be order in this chamber.
Do not get out of order.
That's a m- incredible-
It's unnecessary, Alderman.
Yes, sir.
You may continue.
Thank you, Mr. President. I speak with my chambers of commerce, who are the
lifeblood of my community. I work with them intentionally
to make sure that they have all the investments they, that they need and deserve to
thrive, and to ensure that our workers have great jobs in our communities and
living wages. But this move is not the right move,
y'all. This is not the right move. We have a lot more work.
We have so much creativity in this council.
Let's come together and figure out how we make our small businesses
operate more affordably. But that should not come at the cost
of the dignified wages and li- livelihoods of workers
in our communities. I please urge a no vote on this item.
Thank you. The chair recognizes Alder Hadden.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Um,
2:44. So I think my first comments today,
were with respect to the
departed Reverend Jackson, and to, to
reflect back on those and talking about how we
have examples and opportunities to,
be better and do better. Um, I wanna
echo
Alderman Irvin's concerns about how this item has been brought
before us. I appreciate the concerns
we're hearing, and I voted to, to support
this originally, and I know that we didn't have full consensus.
And I know that time has passed, and I know that we're dealing with different
economic circumstances, and I wanna hear
from my restaurants, my businesses, my organizations, my
chambers. Can I tell you, I didn't have an opportunity to do
thatAnd, even my colleagues who are
supporting this, not a single one of them reached out to me to
say, "Hey, we're looking to change this thing. We're looking to pause this thing.
We're looking to freeze this thing, and here's why." Um, I didn't hear from any of
the industry groups either, but we've got time.
This is city council. We have processes.
We have processes, and we have committees so that we can do
the work of the people in a transparent and accountable
way. And when our body is broken, then
people try to get the work done because they need it, right?
"Hey, we've got concerns. We've got issues.
We wanna see things move forward." I know I get frustrated too in this
body, when I haven't been able to get an item in
committee or when something's been sent to Rules and we haven't had a
Rules committee meeting. Right? I had an item sent to Rules today, and
the only way I currently have to get that item heard before you all
is gonna be to do a Rule forty-one, which is what we're hearing today.
So I appreciate the, the situation my colleague Alderman Nugent
is in. And we end up having these marathon meetings where
members of the public don't really have the benefit of
considering anything, and neither do we.
We need to do better. We need to have Rules committee meetings.
We need to maybe stop sending each other's items to Rules because some
outside group doesn't like it, and then we wouldn't
have to deal with that in the first place.
But we need to hear this in committee.
And so I make a motion to lay Alderman Nugent's motion on the
table
for, for this so that
hopefully we can make a motion to send it back to committee.
So I make a motion to lay the current motion on the table.
No, actually, Alderman Nugent had moved to pass and then just-
We got it
... called for a roll call.
Just a second.
Alderman Irvin made a motion, uh-
Alder Ha-
... to send it to-
Alder Ha-- I, I got it. I think we have it,
so...
All right. So Alderman Bill raised that Alderman Irvin's
motion to refer, to refer it into committee for
Workforce was out of order. It is out of order.
But the motion to lay the initial motion for the passage of the
substitute to lay that item on the table, that is in order, and it is not
debatable. Very well, and I would imagine we want a roll call on this one.
All right, so there's a roll call vote to lay the item, the substitute
item that Alderwoman Nugent has put forward to lay it on the table.
So if you wish to l-lay her item on the
table, you would vote yes, which means this item
then will not be heard today.
If you vote no, you wish to proceed with Alderwoman Nugent's
original motion, which was for the passage of the substitute item
zero two zero two five dash zero zero one seven five four
nine.
This is the old one, sorry.
No, it's okay.
This is the, the COPA. We didn't use that one.
We just need a motion to table. Do a motion to
table.
Uh-
No, you're fine. Just do a motion to table.
Sorry, this is not the right... We're, we're redoing it now.
Thank you.
Oh.
Don't worry. It's okay. Take a minute.
We'll take a breath. It's all good. Okay.
So now we're just gonna do a regular just motion to
table. All good. We're good.
Calm, cool, and collected.
You're doing a good job. Don't worry. Motion to table.
All right. So again, if you are a yes on the motion to lay it on the table, you
wish not to proceed with the substitute.
If you vote no on laying this item on the table, you wish to
proceed with the substitute motion
to-- with, with the motion to, to pass the substitute
item.
Okay.
Is it open?
Okay. The motion to table is now open.
Please use your
devices.
Right? 'Cause that's what we have.
I will now call on those who have not yet cast their vote.
Alderman Lospada?
Yes.
Alderman Lospada is a yes. Alderperson
Robinson? Alderperson Robinson is a
yes. Alderman Curtis?
Alderman Curtis is a no. Alderwoman
Taylor? Alderwoman Taylor is not in chambers.
Alderman Burnett? Alderman Burnett, not in chambers.
Alderman Riley?
Alderman Riley is a no. Okay. Voting is now
closed.
Thank you. There are eighteen yeas, thirteen nays.
The motion to lay the item on the table has failed.
Chair recognizes
Alder Sposato.
Uh, yes, we, we did talk about this before.
I talk about working documents that we have.
Well, we realize this working document was a mistake.
I'm proud to say I wasn't one of the individuals that made a mistake.
I believe I was one of the 10 people that thought this was a terrible idea.
I'm hearing from my businesses by it.
I'm hearing from my tipped workers about this.
So
I don't know-
Just a second. Usually Alderman Sposato finishes thought-
Okay, great
... for the laying on the
table, for the item delayed on the table.
Okay.
We don't-- I mean, we can. A motion to reconsider, signify by saying
aye. Uh,
oppose say nay.
Nay.
Motion fails. Please continue.
All right, thank you. So back to what I was saying, I was one of the 10 no's I
believe, so I'm not, not bragging, but I'm bragging, okay?
Um, this is a terrible idea, people.
They still get minimum wage. If you are a tipped worker and
you make whatever you make, and you have a terrible day, we give you the
minimum wage, plain and simple. Businesses are getting killed.
I don't understand why some of you are not hearing from your businesses or some of
your tipped workers. Let's face it everybody, we can't compare a
person that works at Denny's to somebody that works at Gibson's.
There's no comparison, okay? You can-- can't compare the Cadillacs to the, to the
Volkswagens nowadays, and that's what basically we're doing.
So it's, it's a terrible idea. It's been terrible.
It's been destroying businesses. It's been killing employees.
Uh, my first job, I was a tipped worker. Guess how much I made? A dollar an hour.
I was fourteen years old in 1973, I was a busboy. A dollar an hour.
But you know what? The dollar an hour wasn't the big deal, it was the, the two or
three dollars an hour I made in tips, which was-- would've made it, made it a
pretty good day. So I, I just think it's time to fix this.
It went on too long. Here's our opportunity. Let's get this over with.
Let's rip the Band-Aid off and then, and let's, let's move forward with this.
Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you. Alderman Sigcho-Lopez is recognized.
Thank you, Mr. President.
I've spoken with, several, several workers
in our community. In fact, one of them is a, a tipped
worker, had now to enter a fourth
job. Fourth. So tipped
workers now have to work
till cannot even hold time with their families.
They have to work under conditions
that are truly unacceptable, yet workers show
up. I appreciate the small businesses that have come
to the city council,
but the diagnosis of the problem, it is
wrong. We cannot allow or as
small businesses are struggling, to say that the workers
who make the least
are to be blamed for that.
That is, that is simply not true.
Look at the job report every month that we get.
You know it's so bad, the job report that the federal government puts out, they
don't even publish it anymore. Forty thousand jobs lost
every single month.
Is anybody representing Amazon here?
If you can, raise your hand.
Right. Because if there was a mistake here in this city council, was actually
not to charge those corporations
and billionaires who actually have so much money that they can actually play around
with the city council.
They're pitching as small businesses are struggling against
workers. Unbelievable. Unbeli-- The
audacity of these billionaires.
Unbelievable that we've been discussing this.
Have you seen what inflation looks like for a tipped
worker?
We're getting people even poorer in these conditions where people can get the
tenth yacht, the twentieth yacht.
This is not the small businesses that, that are here.
We are paying more because those billionaires and big large corporations, Amazon
just laid off another thirty thousand workers.
We gotta do more for small businesses, but not at the expense
of the most vulnerable workers, and worse, to pitch them against each
other. That is shameful. It is
shameful. One of the best things that this city council has done
is actually support these tipped workers, so they
have a dignified wage that even then cannot keep
up with inflation. Who is to blame for
inflation? The same guy in the White House who told us that he was gonna
address inflation.
Look at gas prices. Everything goes up.
Look what's going on in our country,
and then we're gonna blame the tipped
workers.
Unbelievable. Unbelievable. I understand the
pressures, and I know who funds those pressures,
and shame on those billionaires hiding in attics in Wilmette,
wherever they are.
Those are the people funding this.
Those are the people funding this, and we call it out in the next
budget. These same workers may get now debt collectors going
after them.
That's the city that we are
in right now.
I should become a comedian at this point.
It's not so bad. It's laughable.
So we're not gonna blame tipped workers for their very little gains they make
that is still not enough,
and still not enough
while we have a billionaire class
unhinged. Unhinged.
I ask city council members,
look at your tipped workers, talk to them.
They're leaving the city
and small businesses are leaving the city because the rich don't pay.
The corporations don't pay.They didn't even wanna pay the $100
million. That is pennies for them.
Don't wanna pay. But they will use you to pit them against their
workers. I ask you, I beg
you, let's just stop, let's just stop with the
theatrics of this. These workers, they deserve to
be paid, they deserve to be paid even more.
But we are not going to blame them for this.
Let's blame those who promise so many things and deliver
violence and wars that we all have to work to deal
with. But do not blame these workers. That I ask you.
Do not blame these workers. These workers deserve...
That's the one thing that the city council has done that I can say was a united
front. Don't take that back. Progressives, they wanna
use the same thing to blame you, those very
same little gains. Today, please stand with your
constituents and stop the billionaire class,
the only minority destroying our cities.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Yes, Alderman Sposato?
So much about billionaires, Mr. President.
There's less than 1,000 billionaires in America, and 21 in
Illinois, and we know who four of them are. Thank you, Mr. President.
Thank you for that information. The chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.
Thank you. Uh, thank you, Mr. President.
Uh, I want to thank my colleague, from the 9th Ward for correcting
my parliamentary error. Uh, so therefore at this point I, I move
to refer this matter to the committee on,
workforce.
Um-
Do a roll call. By roll call. I
mean, once, once debate completes.
Not, we don't have to do it right now, but once debate completes.
So, Al- Alderman Irvin, f- per the rules,
the item on the floor
of the substitute that's being debated, before you
can make a motion to refer to committee, we have to
take up the first motion, which is the passage of the
substitution. So your motion can still take place, but it would have
to take place after we move on the
item that is currently being debated.
Chair-
The i- the first vote was to bring the item before us, is that correct?
So, right. That's, the first vote was to discharge it, that is correct, and the
second vote was for the passage of the item that was
discharged. In order... The substitute, thank you.
In order to
r- refer it, you would have to wait until the substitute
item is taken up first.
But theoretically the item that's before us is
the, is the ordinance
itself.
So because the item has not been accepted yet, that is the
rationale. Once the item has been accepted, th- at that
point you could make a motion to refer it.
Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President.
You're welcome. The chair recog-
chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President. Um, just as a question of, for
the point of order.
Yes?
So the, the substitute was presented and
accepted.
Al- Alderman Lopez, thank you. You're directing your questions towards me.
But, but, but so f-
It has, it has been discharged, but the item-
The original item was discharged.
Yes, and now we are debating the item-
The sub-
... that has the substitute that is now before us, but we
have not voted on the substitute. That would be the second-
Okay
... vote. All right? Thank you. Just...
Yes, the chair recognizes Alderman Rodriguez.
Mayor, are, are you suggesting that at this point,
this item needs to now be accepted as a
substitute before an eventual passage with a third vote?
Exactly.
Okay, thank you.
That is exactly right. That is very good.
Yes, Alderman Lopez, for more clarification.
No. Just speaking.
This is just to speak to the item.
Yeah.
To the item. Alderman Lopez is recognized.
Thank you, Mr. President. Then I would make a motion to accept the substi- to pass
the substitute.
I believe that motion has already been made by Alderwoman Nugent, and so that's
why-
That, well, that was-
... we're debating it. Yes.
Then I call the question on the item.
Okay, the item has been called. Very well.
So the item has been called. Um, I would...
The original call for this substitute item was for a roll call.
Uh, we would ask that our clerk prepare the e-vote application so that our
council
can... Yes, Alderman Irvin?
Hey, thank you, Mr. President. Uh, the alderman
from the 15th Ward's motion was to call the
question.
That is correct.
Are we, I mean, if we're... Just I don't wanna confuse
the, what we're voting on. We're voting to end debate, not voting on the
substitute. Just for clarity.
No, no, he asked to call the question.
Yes. The, the question before us is the, the motion
by Alderwoman Nugent for the passage of the
substitute. So he's calling to question on the motion, which was
the motion was the passage of the substitute.
To acce- I'm sorry. There's a difference between passage and acceptance.
To accept
the substitute. That is the motion.
So he is calling the question on the acceptance of the motion, of the
substitute.
Which is to close debate.
You call the question is... Okay.
I understand that.
All right, that's fine. As long as we understand, are we done with the debate?
Is the d-
The de- the debate is d- the debate is almost over, technically.
All right. That's fine.
And the roll call vote, the e-vote application will be made available at th- at
this time. Uh, the s- the acceptance of the substitute
that is before us.
Hey, voting is now... Oh, almost. Hold on.
Preparing. Voting is now open. Please use your
e-device.
The motion to substitute.
It's the motion... Yeah, the motion to
substitute. But we should just say
motion to substitute, not the whole thing.
Because it's just motion to substitute, but it should say exceed twenty-four
percent. Yes. So sorry, that was an error on our part. The...
It should say Amendment and Municipal Code Section six dash one zero five dash zero
three zero, entitling employers of occupations where gratuities are
customary to an allowance for gratuities as pow-part of
hourly wage rate not to exceed twenty-four percent of minimum
wage rate. That is the
substitute.
I was just clarifying 'cause we left thirty-two percent.
The substitute states twenty-four.
We will now call on those who have not yet cast their vote.
Alderman Lospada?
No.
Alderman Lospada is a no. Alderperson
Robinson? Alderperson Robinson is a no.
Alderman Moore?
Once I call on you, I can't pass you.
I'm sorry. It's per the
rules.
So.
Thank you, Alderman Moore. Alderman Curtis?
Alderman Curtis is a yes. Alderwoman
Taylor? Alderwoman Taylor is not in
chambers. Alderman
Burnett?
Alderman Burnett is a yes. Alderman Irvin?
Alderman Irvin is a yes
on acceptance, to clarify, but that's what this vote is.
Um, so Alderman Irvin is a yes.
Once we have that in. Okay, voting is now
closed. We have
thirty-three yeas, sixteen nays-
There are thirty-three yeas, sixteen nays.
The substitute has been accepted.
The chair recognizes Alderman Irvin.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that we refer this matter to the
Workforce Committee.
Very well. There's a, there's a motion on the floor... I gotcha.
There's a motion on the floor to refer the, the acceptance of this
substitute to committee. The chair recognizes Alderman Bill.
I move to lay that motion on the table.
All right. There's a motion on the floor to lay the
motion to refer this acceptance of this substitute
on the table, and it's a roll call vote
requested.
By roll call.
Okay. Do another just straight motion to table, and we'll
add to it afterwards.
You guys are keeping us on our toes. I like it.
Without Peter here. Without Peter, you're keeping me on my
toe.
Peter. We're doing great. Okay. Mo-voting is
now open. Please use your e-device to cast your
vote. Motion to lay on the
table.
Yes.
I
will now call on those who have not yet cast their vote.
Alderman Lospada?
No.
Alderman Lospada is a no. Alderwoman
Gutierrez? Alderwoman Gutierrez is a
no. Alderman Curtis? Alderman
Curtis is a yes.
Alderwoman Taylor? Alderwoman Taylor is not in
chambers. Alderman Mosley?
Alderman Mosley is a no. Alderman
Villegas?
Alderman Villegas is a yes.
Okay, voting... Okay, voting is now
closed.
There are twenty-eight, there are twenty-eight yeas, twenty-one nays.
The motion to lay the item on the table has passed.
Um, just for continuity, is there a motion to reconsider?
There's a motion to reconsider. All those in favor of the reconsideration of this
vote, signify by saying aye. If you...
All those opposed, say nay. S- Motion fails.
Alderwoman Nugent, do you wish to make a motion?
Uh, thank you, Mr. President. I renew my ma- my motion for passage of this
substitute ordinance by a roll call vote.
All right, now there, the, there's a motion on the floor for the passage of the
acceptance of the substitute, and that motion has been made with
a roll call provision.
Members, please use your e-vote application to record your vote as this
time.
It's a motion to cast that item now that it's been substituted. So is it... Yes.
Please open it.
Okay.Voting
is now open. Please use your e-device to
cast your vote. And again, this should say twenty-four
percent of minimum wage rate, not thirty-two
percent.
Yeah. That's okay.
We are, we are. We're gonna fix that.
We can't do it in the middle of the vote, so that's why I'm, I'm saying it
right now. We are working on making sure that is changed in the
future.
Oh. Oh, it's fixed. Sorry, we have fixed it.
Twenty-four percent.
If you hit refresh, it does say it up there.
It'll say twenty-four percent of minimum wage rate.
Thank you very much.
Okay, I will now call on those who have not yet cast their vote.
Alderman Lospada?
No.
Alderman Lospada is a no. Alderman
Hopkins? Oh, thank you.
Alderwoman Ramirez? Alderwoman
Ramirez is a no.
Alderman Moore? He cast it, okay.
Alderman Curtis? Alderman Curtis is a
yes.
Alderwoman Taylor?
Not present in chambers. Alderman Burnett cast his vote.
Alderman Irvin? Not present in
chambers.
Alderman Martin? Not present in
chambers. Alderman
Martin? Alderman Martin is a no.
Alderman Irvin? Making sure I'm not missing
... Okay. Voting is now
closed.
Thirty to eighteen.
There are 30 yays, 18 nays. This motion
passes. On the motion to reconsider, Alderman,
Alderman Mitchell.
Motion to reconsider the vote.
All those in favor of the reconsideration of this vote signify by saying
"I." All those opposed say nay. This
motion fails. Alderman Mitchell, anything else?
Let's see. Let's see.
Let's see. Well,
except for the ordinance stating the date and time of the next meeting, I'm not
aware of any further miscellaneous business.
Very what? Very much. For the date and time of the next meeting, sh-
Be it ordained by the City Council of the City of Chicago, the next regular
meeting of the City Council of the City of Chicago shall be held on April
15th, 2016, beginning at 10:00 AM in the Council
Chamber on the second floor of City Hall, 121 North
LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois.
Could you all just, could you all not shout just for a second, Alders?
Just for a second. We are about to adjourn.
We done been here for five hours now.
Let's just get through these next 30 seconds, please. Madam Clerk.
The ordinance shall take effect and be enforced from and after its
passage. Signed by
Alderman Gregory Mitchell of the Seventh
Ward.
Pass this and move-
Very well
... passes in the omnibus.
Thank you, Alderman Mitchell. Hearing no objections, so ordered.
Now for the omnibus, Alderman Mitchell.
I move that matters in the omnibus be passed by the first most favorable roll call
vote by the Committee on Finance and the associated unsuccessful motion to be-
Hearing no objections, so ordered. Alderman Mitchell on a motion to adjourn.
There being no further business before this body, I move that we adjourn.
Hearing no objections, so ordered. The meeting is adjourned.
Thank you
all