Good afternoon, everyone. The council will come to order. Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call, please.
The voting is now open. The voting is now open. Please use your e-device and log in for the quorum roll call.
If you need support, please raise your hand. The voting is now open.
All right. I will now take a voice vote for anyone who has not used the e-device.
Alderman LaSpada, not present in chambers.
Alderwoman Dow.
Here.
Dow is present.
Alderman Robinson, not President Chambers.
Alderman Hall.
Present.
Present.
Alderman Mitchell.
Present.
Alderwoman Ramirez.
Present.
Alderman Quinn.
Present.
Alderman Moore.
Present.
Present.
Alderman Curtis, not President Chambers.
Alderman O'Shea.
Alderman O'Shea is here.
Alderwoman Tabaras. Tabaras is present. Alderman Burnett. Burnett is not present. Alderwoman
Rodriguez-Sanchez. Not present. Alderman Conway. Present. Alderman Villegas. Not present. Alderwoman
Metz. Present. Alderman Sposato. Sposato is present. Alderman Riley. Present. Your Mayor
we have a quorum very well thank you there are 44 members that are present so
we do have a quorum there are a number of alders that wish to participate in
today's meeting remotely for reasons stated in rule 59 and they are as
following LaSpada the egg is Burnett Curtis Rodriguez Sanchez as well as
Rodriguez can I get a motion to approve their remote participation and have them
added to the roll call it's been moved um can we confirm their yes i will now call on the city
council members for their presence on virtual alderman lesbada present lesbada is present
alderman curtis present curtis is present alderman burnett present burnett is present
Alderman Rodriguez-Sanchez.
Here.
Present.
Alderman Villegas.
Present.
Alderman Villegas.
Present.
I think that was a present.
Okay, Villegas is present, and I see Alderman Rodriguez is in chambers.
Mayor, we have a quorum.
Very well.
Just to make sure we complete, all those in favor of these individuals being able to participate remotely,
Please signify by saying aye.
Any opposed, say nay.
This motion passes.
Please rise 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.
Would you please remain standing for the invocation, which will be delivered today by Pastor Rand Tucker of the Vineyard Church of Hyde Park?
Good afternoon, council members. Thank you, Mayor Johnson.
Good things are happening in the city of Chicago.
Just one testimony this last Sunday.
New Life Little Village took over our facility.
They had started a church in a Chinese Reformed Christian church in our neighborhood,
and 24 newly arriving couples got married in our sanctuary altogether.
And before I pray, I just want to thank you all for making this a welcoming and sanctuary city, and God is doing great things here. Let's pray.
Father, you are always present, and we pause to invite your spirit to be present here today to lead and guide at this time.
Lord, we know that civil service is sacred because we are gifted to lead and bless those who are under our leadership, and we seek to serve them.
We pray that your kingdom would come here in Chicago, on earth, just as it is in heaven.
I pray in the place of fear, anger, sadness, that you would bring love, joy, and peace.
That you would provide for each person in this city.
You would provide food, shelter, education, health care, safety, and the opportunity not just to survive, but to thrive.
I pray that you would make this city prosper, provide safety, strength, and success to public servants, industrious workers, and the private sector.
Bless small business owners and entrepreneurs who create jobs to employ others
and bring not only small business but big business, but only those who would leave a positive legacy.
Father, help us to be a city of forgiveness rather than of violence,
a place of unity in the midst of diversity, a place of cooperation where we have differing agendas.
I pray today that this city council would make godly decisions
and good ones for the sake of the people.
Lord, may this city that has historically been divided by race
be a place of reconciliation.
And as Jesus said, may this be a place that we could love our neighbor as ourself.
And Lord, I pray that you would protect us from evil,
for our battle is not ultimately against flesh and blood.
It's not ultimately against other human beings.
The battle is against principalities and powers of darkness in this world.
Help us to resist evil with good and help us to shine light into darkness.
Thank you for the leadership that is represented in this room.
And I pray that you would guide each one of them and all of them together in major decisions and mundane activities.
Thank you for their sacred service.
May your blessing be upon them to serve and lead.
And, Lord, our prayer is that the wind of your spirit might bless the windy city, and may it prosper.
Lord, may it be so.
Amen. You may be seated.
Thank you.
Madam Clerk, please read the call of today's special meeting.
Yes, the chair recognizes Alderman Hopkins.
On a point of personal privilege, I just wanted to state that wearing these glasses due to a medical condition,
I'm at no disrespect to have them on during the prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.
Thank you.
Very well noted.
Madam Clerk, please read the call of today's special meeting.
Call for special meeting.
The following call for a special meeting of the City Council was filed in my office on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at 1.28 p.m.
Clerk Valencia Wee, the undersigned members of the City Council of the City of Chicago,
do hereby call a special meeting of the City Council of the City of Chicago to be convened on Thursday, November 14, 2024, at 2 p.m.
The special meeting is for the following purpose, no other purpose whatsoever.
For the immediate consideration of the 020-024-001-3679, an ordinance authorizing the fiscal year 2025 property tax levy, on behalf of the City of Chicago, signed Raymond Lopez, Alderperson 15th Ward, Marty Quinn, Alderperson 13th Ward, Savannah Tavares, Alderperson 23rd Ward, Scott Wagespeck, Alderperson 32nd Ward, Matt O'Shea, Alderperson 19th Ward, Monique Scott, Alderperson 24th Ward, Michelle Harris, Alderperson 8th Ward,
Peter Chico, all the person 10th ward.
Brennan Riley, all the person 42nd ward.
Bennett Lawson, all the person 44th ward.
Pat Dow, all the person 3rd ward.
Nicole Lee, all the person 11th ward.
Emma Mitz, all the person 37th ward.
James Gardner, all the person 45th ward.
Anthony Napolitano, all the person 41st ward.
Nicholas Posato, all the person 38th ward.
Very well. Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.
This is the portion of the meeting for public comments.
The Council will now begin the public comment period,
which is limited to a maximum of 30 minutes.
Each speaker is limited to three minutes.
Speakers cannot yield or transfer their time to another speaker.
Any written comments that have been made or submitted will be posted and made available for automatic review.
Our first speaker today is Gina Getty.
Hello, am I coming through?
Yes, good afternoon.
Good afternoon.
Thank you very much.
Hello, City Council.
My name is Gina Getty.
I live in the 41st Ward.
Thank you for the opportunity to address City Council today.
My purpose for speaking today is the bill banning the sale of new fur in Chicago.
I'd like to thank my alderman, Dr. Lutano, and the other alders who have already co-sponsored this bill.
And today, I am asking for the rest of city council to support and pass this bill to ban the sale of new fur.
It has come to my attention that fur farms are breeding grounds for viruses such as or worse than COVID-19.
I'd like to share some concerning information from a September 2024 article published in The Telegraph.
virologists involved in the study of fur farms are very concerned with what they call a zoonotic
soup of viruses in farmed animals here is what one virologist had to say what this study tells
you is that these species are also full of viruses and some of these viruses are jumping species
boundaries this fur trade is a roll of the dice we're exposing ourselves to viruses that come from
wildlife which is an obvious route for the next pandemic to occur. Another researcher said the
conclusions aren't specifically virus x was found in mink or raccoon dogs and therefore is a direct
singular pandemic threat but more this practice seems to bring lots of divergent unusual viruses
together from wildlife and farm sources which creates a mixing pot for virus evolution and
emergence, end quote. I know none of us want to see another COVID-like pandemic, and as COVID
tragically taught us, whether a virus comes from a fur farm in China or Europe or the U.S., it can
spread to the whole world. I don't want to roll the dice on that, and this is why I'm calling on
City Council to make Chicago a leader in pandemic prevention and to ban the sale of new fur. Thank
you very much thank you thank you very much for your comments please our next speaker is joy bunton
joy please press star six to unmute oh can you hear me yes we can good afternoon joy
good afternoon hi i'm joy bunton born and raised in chicago as were my parents
they myself and my siblings all went to chicago public schools i went to whitney young my late
father, a black man like the mayor, was a CTU member. He went to U of I at Champaign-Urbana
and Northwestern for his bachelor's and master's. He taught at Englewood, where his choir was the
first from a black school to receive superior ratings at state competition. He was later
promoted to an admin job as vocal music coordinator for CPS and conducted all-city high school course
for many years. He was the epitome of black excellence. I'm often greeted by people who
were his former students and loved him very much, many of whom have gone on to do great things.
I'm grateful he had good benefits and a decent pension.
Long after he retired, he survived a heart attack, but his health further declined.
He got a form of Parkinson's and dementia, which was very painful to watch.
Thankfully, my parents were able to get a caregiver for him, and after he died, my mom didn't have to move.
We still have alders in office who were a rubber stamp for Rahm Emanuel, who ruled carte blanche.
They let him close black schools and fire black teachers, which led to a $9.25 million settlement.
There was no request to meet with the school board, which he appointed.
No questioning of the CEO.
Dallas was allowed to take on payday bond loans to the tune of $650 million.
Chief Administrator David Battelle issued $1 billion in toxic swaps.
I partly blame Obama for endorsing Rahm in the first place,
and other Dems like Dick Durbin, who endorses re-election even after he boxed the Laquan McDonald's case.
And David Axelrock kicked Rahm for recommending Rahm be DNC chair.
Where were the Alders who said nothing while Rahm Emanuel screwed students, teachers, and principals over, especially in the black community?
Since Mayor Washington, we finally have a mayor who wants to fully fund public schools and pensions.
But now there's an issue. There's resistance.
He and CTE went to Springfield in May to try and get the state to pay the $1 billion it owes to avoid raising property taxes.
This mayor decided to forego a raise, but the Alders who co-signed Rahm Emanuel's actions aren't doing that.
Are y'all's pensions fully funded?
How about firemen, policemen?
All city and municipal employees should have their pensions fully.
funded, including CTU. I read the last property tax hike was under Rahm Emanuel, and those
alders who are still here voted for it. This mayor is trying to take care of the city's
employees, not demanding CPS take out a high-interest loan anymore. Some of you have your six-figure
incomes, raises, benefits, and pensions, want to let other employees lose their jobs. The
double standard is disgraceful. Those who are fine with mismanaging CPS and demonizing
CTU, which is member-led, are fighting to give all students resources they deserve,
and you're co-signing their pensions, not be fully funded, ripping them off.
You should be ashamed of yourself being independent now under Johnson,
but not then under Ron.
Do the tips or whatever, but start fully funding pensions that teachers and staff earn.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Tawan Sims.
Apologies.
Our next speaker is Taiwan Sims.
You have a moment to settle a score.
or divide the people or just get to the bottom of it.
But you, Brandon Johnson, have ignored every plea, call, cry
that I or any individual have come in this room and made.
I called about my child, 23D-79597.
Yasuke Roosevelt Sims told you about the attack that's been taking place.
I came in here and told you that I'm homeless.
My HMIS number is 355061.
I came in here.
But I came in here because I wanted my life back.
And lo and behold, wow, the answers that I've gotten.
But you, sir, said also the other day that the presidency or Trump disrupts black Americans.
It doesn't.
You disrupt black Americans.
You, your workforce development scheme with Michael David Rodriguez, your immigration scheme with Vasquez, and your housing scheme with C.J. Lopez.
You a criminal.
You should be investigated by the IG, who I was glad who was in here the day that Maria Haddon was in here, the gangster girl who ran me up out of my neighborhood.
I've been shot five times, six times. I've been persecuted, followed over a case, CV, no, 22CV, 5691, that was in the Northern District.
This took place in 2020, July 22nd.
I told him about a young man named Brian Carrion who was murdered in the street, chased around like as if he was a Maude Arbery.
I told y'all so much, but I know it's a gangster in this room, a criminal, one that thinks that he is above the law, that he can dictate the law.
Mr. Katanzara, Mr. Katanzara, the man who argued with you because y'all want to be relevant.
But I'm telling you, the people in the city of Chicago need good representation.
They need a representation that don't lean towards corruption.
They need a representation that don't use people because they think they can.
And you and them people over there, y'all that, I've been running from cowards.
They want to show me as a weak man.
I'm not a weak man.
My child, Ian Walter Oba Sims, I want to be back with him.
Y'all put an order of protection.
All of these papers is the ways that y'all have tried to what?
Criminalize me, villainize me, all the ignoring of it, Cornerstone, Miss Clay.
This is a room full of criminals, y'all.
This is a room full of criminals, and they don't want this man up here.
Because I don't look.
Y'all can bird dog me all y'all want, but if it's relationship over duty, then y'all don't serve the blue.
And y'all don't pledge the oath.
Y'all pledge to serve us, not Cotton Zara, not a personal interest, but y'all do.
And you can smirk all you want.
Mr. Sims, direct your attention towards me, please.
You a criminal. Why do I got to address you?
The fans need to address you. DOJ need to address you.
And hopefully Donald Trump will address you because you're going to protect the undocumented.
Why are you going to allow for the citizens in Chicago to suffer under your, what, 33 percent?
UNC Joe Lopez cooked that 3 percent up a long time ago.
Y'all call it a circuit breaker. Y'all been choked about it.
Remember, before you came in here and gave that jovial speech, you need to be inspected.
Mr. Clerk, we'll just take a moment here.
We have the former alder of the 40th Ward, 1979 and 1983, Mr. Ivan Rittenberg.
Thank you, Alderman, for joining us today.
Can you all just please give a quick acknowledgement to the alderman?
Thank you very much.
Thank you for that salute there.
Please, Mr. Clerk, please continue with our public speakers.
Our next speaker this afternoon is Dan McNamara.
Sergeant-at-arms, please restore order, please.
All right, please.
Thank you.
Mr. to our Sergeant-at-arms, could you all please make sure that this gentleman is removed?
Thank you.
It's okay.
Just patient, you all.
They're handling it.
It's all right.
Thank you.
please continue to move Mr. Simms out of the chamber. Thank you, Sergeant-at-Arms, for
restoring order. Mr. Clerk, could you please continue with our public speakers?
Our next speaker this afternoon is Dan McNamara.
Good afternoon.
Good afternoon, sir.
My name is Dan McNamara, Mayor Johnson, City Council. The reason for my being here today—
Excuse me for a second.
Listen, listen, please do not want to cast any judgment on Mr. Sims, but we are fully aware of that disruption and what happened there.
I would kindly and respectfully ask that this body and those that are here to observe government,
to come back to order and allow the police and anyone else who can help address that situation and bring it under control.
In the meantime, order has been restored.
Dan, you may begin again.
Okay.
My name is Dan McNamara.
I've been a citizen of the city since 1979.
My purpose in being here today was that I was hoping to begin a dialogue about a strategy that could effectively put over $100 million back in the city budget without cutting costs, services or employees and without raising taxes.
Mayor, on September 24th, I sent a letter to your office.
And with your permission, I'll just read a portion of the letter and it might explain why I'm here.
It says, Honorable Mayor Johnson, I'm writing you about the urgent matter facing your administration in the City of Chicago budget.
There was considerable stress in the news recently about looming deficits, both operational and legacy.
If there was a way to restore over $100 million annually to the city coffers without cutting services or raising taxes, how would you prefer to learn about it?
In the simplest terms, the city can achieve $2,500 to $7,500 per employee reduction per year in quantifiable health care cost reductions.
By the way, the unions, many of them, are already on board with this kind of strategy.
But here's the catch.
It takes a certain amount of backbone to get these kinds of initiatives past the entrenched status quo.
While Mayor Lightfoot initially showed enthusiasm for this,
nearly all of the lower-level administrators dropped the ball
and failed to follow through on even giving this course of action a proper vetting.
I'm hoping that now your administration is up to the task.
And then it goes on to ask that you have your budget director or CFO get a hold of me to further this discussion.
First, I'd just like to confirm that you got this letter, and do you recall reading it?
I don't know if I'm allowed to ask questions or not.
If so, what will it take to begin a discussion about this kind of initiative in your administration?
So the thing that I'm hoping for is to get some eyes and ears looking at this as a possible strategy.
Thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker this afternoon is Jessica Jackson.
What you just saw with SAMS is where you want all of us to be.
You want all of us to be stock rate out of our minds.
You want us to feel pressed against the wall.
You want us to feel helpless.
You want us to feel hopeless.
You want to see us turn on one another.
But there's some real ones out here.
And we're going to stick together.
But when it comes to people like you, Brandon Johnson, black people like you, who sit up here and think you're going to bully us,
That's why everybody's coming after you now, including Kwame Raul.
But we're going to come for him because he ain't doing what he's supposed to do.
He's not helping us the way he's supposed to help us.
You want to sit here and watch us be aggravated like that.
You, that lady next to you, what is it, Mary Richardson, Lori, her too, not doing her job.
You too, not doing your job.
acting like, you know, you're just going to bully everybody.
You got people, what, officers who families don't even want you to come to the funeral.
You're just like a schoolyard bully that at some point,
and you might not know nothing about it because you grew up in Elgin,
but those of us who grew up on the south side and west side of Chicago,
we all know at some point that bully gets cornered in an alley,
and everybody come at him
and he ain't going to have
nobody to help him
that's you
that's you
keep thinking you ain't going to
you ain't going to abide by what the president
of the United States said
everybody know better than that
I see you Anna Valencia in your red
you know what it is
it's the second time you showed up in city council in red
you know what it is
yeah
so you and the rest of them
that know what time it is, y'all come on. You leave that loser where he is. He's a loser.
He's a loser. No, me and Zoe, we ain't doing nothing for nobody except for ourself.
We got you, loser. Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Jody Wiedeker.
Good afternoon, Mayor Johnson and Chicago City Council. I know that today's meeting is focused
on the city's budget, but if a pandemic hits our city
or the country, Chicago will have even bigger financial worries.
That's why I'm urging you to please support, co-sponsor, and pass
02023-2983, the humane measure to ban the sale of new
fur in Chicago. Here is another excerpt
from another scientific journal article about these serious threats dated September
8, 2024. A recent study has identified 125
viruses circulating in animals from fur farms in China, raising concerns about the potential
spillover into human populations.
Led by Chinese researchers and co-authored by virologist Edward Holmes,
the study emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced virus monitoring.
Among the viruses discovered, 36 were previously unknown
and 39 were deemed high risk for crossing species barriers, possibly infecting humans.
Published in Nature, the research spanned from 2021 to 2024, examining 461 animals,
primarily minks, foxes, raccoon dogs, rabbits, and muskrats from fur farms,
with some from the food and traditional medicine industries.
About 50 animals, I'm sorry, around 50 wild animals were also included.
The viruses detected included hepatitis E, Japanese encephalitis,
and 13 newly identified ones, underscoring fur farms as potential hubs for virus transmission.
Holmes and other experts stressed that without proactive measures,
fur farms could spark the next global outbreak.
Holmes warned the fur farming trade could easily lead to another pandemic virus.
Scientists are urging global governments to take the warning seriously
and implement policies to mitigate the risks posed by fur farming, end quote.
So banning the fur of fur in the second city won't stop pandemics,
but we will be doing our part as a progressive city to end the immense suffering of beautiful wild animals
and prevent the real risks of dangerous viruses jumping from wild animals
who are tightly confined and languishing in filthy, disease-ridden cages to humans.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration today,
and I hope that this common-sense ordinance advances and passes very soon.
And I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday with your loved ones.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Tyler Cruz.
Good afternoon, City Council.
I'm a concerned citizen who's in his mid to late 30s working in finance.
and I've called Illinois home for my entire life.
I grew up in the suburbs, went to school down in Champaign,
and I've called Chicago's north side my home for the last 15 years in the second ward, Mr. Hopkins.
I'm married with no kids yet and one dog, and we are property owners.
We bought our home in 2021 when everyone else was flocking from the city,
and it's sad to say that I used to be proud of calling myself a Chicagoan.
Despite being a white male, I did not vote for Donald Trump, and I did not grow up privileged.
My mother was a school nurse, and my father worked in the trades.
I had to get a full-ride scholarship to college in order to pay for my education.
I am devastated to see what has unfolded over the last 18 months under the current mayor.
We are living in a kleptocracy.
As we stand at a critical juncture in Chicago's future,
it is essential that we hold our leaders accountable
and address the pressing issues that affect every single resident of this city,
not just the unions and not just the new arrivals, as the mayor refers to them.
Today, I'm here to express serious concerns about Mayor Brandon Johnson's leadership
and the direction that he is taking Chicago.
Under Mayor Johnson's leadership, Chicago's pension crisis has only deepened.
We have over $30 billion of unfunded pension liabilities.
Our city is facing a financial burden that threatens to cripple future generations.
The pension obligations are destroying the city and squeezing people out of the city,
and yet nothing has changed.
Chicago's pension debt has soared by over $2 billion in the last year.
One week ago, the mayor tweeted that the budget we unveil today is furthering our investment towards a better, stronger, and safer Chicago.
The plan to fill the budget shortfall included raising taxes on property owners after numerous attempts in the past that have all been shut down by voters and cutting spend for police reform.
Neither of these initiatives will result in a stronger and safer Chicago.
The bond rating agency, KRBA, recently put Chicago's bond rating on watch downgrade,
indicating it will be downgraded if the budget does not sufficiently address the structural deficit.
The inability to support headcount reductions by the current mayor is lunacy.
I myself was unfortunately a part of a reduction in force in October,
which is why I'm here at 2 o'clock on a Thursday.
It happens, and people will survive.
It happens all the time in the private sector.
Instead of making the difficult but absolutely necessary cuts to government spending,
it continues to push for tax hikes.
Our infrastructure is a mess.
The bridges are a disaster.
The roads and traffic is a joke.
Servicemen, I have several friends on the force, and they are exhausted.
We have a lack of fire trucks, a significant amount of overtime spent, and it is ridiculous.
We're relying on casinos.
We're relying on property tax increases.
instead of addressing the true issue, which is we have an addiction to spending.
We do not have a revenue issue.
We have an addiction to spending.
I know I have two seconds.
I urge my fellow Chicagoans to continue pushing for response.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired.
Our next speaker is Mrs. Lawrence.
I'm going to start off with talking about the budget and the real estate and all these things.
And I'm going to get it out in three minutes.
14% rating is what you appear to have, Brandon Johnson, across the United States, or how they see you.
But 14% rating.
Now, I'm going to talk about all those known donations of $11.5 million that came from places like the CTU, the SEIU, the American Federation of Teachers, Illinois Federation of Teachers.
And then someone got the nerve to get on there and talk about cutting their pensions.
What about our real estate?
Because, see, we paid for these properties for a purpose and not for you to go touching it with $300 million that you want to siphon out of the citizens' pockets.
Get rid of the illegals and got to take your money right back.
Start it off with that.
Now, let's go to a lot of the people here, these aldermen.
We had 31 aldermen, and we got one that's playing on the fence about protecting the citizens and their real estate.
in these property tax increases.
But let's also talk about these aldermen that we got 15 of them
that's getting money from the CTU since 2009.
Oh, yeah, I'm bringing the facts.
The facts is only what I'm going to talk about.
And let's also talk about the five aldermen who are not supporting the citizens
but also are not supporting and receiving money from CTU as well.
So you five, you know who you are.
and so do I. List right in my hands. Also, let's talk about the 4.1% increase of salary for 2025
starting from $123,000 to $152,000. So I mean, this is all public information. It's not like
it's something that's hidden. So because us as citizens, we need to know what's going on because
All of you all are called mini-mayors, and the mini-mayors are responsible for the citizens within your wards.
You are accountable, not just responsible, to be able to speak up on our behalf and not sit here weak and not stand up for us.
But the 31 that has stood up, thank you.
For the one that's riding the fence, who don't want to sign the letter, but says that he's not going to vote for this, have thank you.
because a man gonna stand up and we know who all of you are because again it's in my hands
so don't think you're not known because this is public so when you collect the money from
somewhere just know that uh people like me research and find out and expose speak up for
your citizens thank you very much for your comments our next speaker is dennis our next
speaker is Dennis White. Good evening everybody. Good afternoon. I want to know how does it feel
that Trump is in office right now? You see the Mayor Brandon Johnson, you underestimate us.
You underestimate the black people and you underestimate Chicago Red. We're the thorn in
your side and we're going to be in the thorn on everybody else in this council member's side too.
If you don't stop what you're doing, we're going to take matters in our own hand and we're going
stop it. When you took ShotSpotter off after the DNC and stuff, more shots have
been committed. Do you know how many people got shot and killed? 20. One was a
police officer and he was doing his duty. And then some maniac over here wanted
to shoot him dead, cold-blooded and stuff. So my thoughts and prayers to the
family of that Chicago police officer, Ralph Hand. But Brandon Johnson, I'm going
to say this to you once, I'm not going to repeat myself again. If you don't stop this madness,
Not only we're going to come after your seat, but guess what?
The worst news is Trump signed Matt Gaetz as the AG.
Once he come in after you, he's going to sit up here and audit all this money that you've been spending on these illegals
at the barbershop on the south side that didn't have no money so far from you and stuff.
So why?
I know what's going to happen.
You're going to go down to the press conference
Beat your chest up
And then you're going to talk all that smack
And then you're going to say
If a black man
Has not had an opportunity
Like a white man
But guess what
I'm a black man and I don't see at you
I see through you
And I see the lies that you have been saying
Since you became office
We had enough problem with Lori Lightfoot
And now she's out because of racism
So when we vote you out
Which racism are you going to address? White racism or black racism?
You cannot figure out what the lesson of the two evil will be.
So guess what's going to happen?
You know that Trump had pulled 45% of the voters in the state of Illinois, 37% in the city of Chicago.
That's the statistic. That means Illinois is turning purple.
We're going to turn red.
And for the city council member, I'll warn you, do not sit with Brandon Johnson.
We're going to get them seats.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Our next speaker is Zoe Lee.
I'm going to start with what you said, what, Tuesday?
People of this city.
Because, look, his attack, let's be very clear, the president-elect, former President Trump,
his threat is not just towards new arrivals and undocumented families his threats are also
against black families he has a vision to destroy public education so when he talks about project
2025 and dismantling public education we're talking about a system that has been designed
to create leveling opportunities for families who are descendants of slaves
you always want to use black people in your press conferences but don't do nothing for black people
in chicago you already know why i'm here and i've been coming here for a year before i even knew who
you was as a mayor you was dipping off going to sides when i was out there protesting you have
corporate counsel right next to you mary richardson lowry who has no idea what she's doing because if
she would she would have told you to settle my case okay so yeah you can look the other way and
roll your eyes and do all that stuff but you do not care about the black chicago citizens
okay you're trying to push this socialist agenda in this capitalist society in 2019 when you was
leadership head leadership with ctu y'all did a little go fund me and went over to venezuela
because y'all already knew what y'all were going to do with bringing them all over here right
so you're pushing so you're pushing this agenda with the illegal immigrants because y'all done
stole all their money because you thought that after that 51 million dollars that the feds gave
you back then that uh biden was going to keep sending out money but as you know biden is the
real racist the one that y'all say trump is biden been racist biden been racist for a long time he
just popped up with obama as the vice president and everybody just forgot okay you have again you
have no idea how you're how to govern 2026 2027 we're going to get you out tony preckwinkle out
jb pritzel out kwami raul out and probably half of the disgrace 50 out too and the just disgrace
50 is the alderman, okay? My case should have been settled. They're stealing black people's
property and land in the city of Chicago, and they've been doing it for a very long time,
okay? Majority of the people that work for the city of Chicago and Cook County are realtors
or part of real estate agents. That is a conflict of interest, so that's why y'all keep stealing
our property and our lands, and y'all think that it's going to be okay and it's going
to keep happening. It's not going to happen. It's not going to keep happening. We have
a new Department of Justice.
And at the end of the day, we have people that are running for office.
Thank you very much for your comments.
Your Honor, there are no further speakers who have timely signed up for the public comment period.
Very well. Thank you, Mr. Clerk.
This concludes the public comment period.
For the special meeting agenda, as set forth in the letter calling for the special meeting,
The only item up today for consideration is item number 02024-0013679, an ordinance authorizing the fiscal year 2025 property tax levy.
Chair recognizes Alderman Mitchell.
Good afternoon, Mr. President.
Good afternoon.
In order that we may consider this item today, I move to suspend the rules by roll call vote.
Very well.
Madam Clerk, could you please make the e-vote application available for the suspension of the rules vote?
Members, please use your e-vote application to record your vote at this time.
The voting is now open.
The voting is now open.
Please use your e-device.
The voting is now open.
I will now take a voice vote for any of those who did not use the e-device.
Alderman Laspata.
Yes.
Laspata is a yes.
Alderman Hall. Alderman Hall is a yes. Alderman Curtis. Yes. Curtis is a yes. Alderman Burnett. Yes. Burnett is a yes. Alderwoman Rodriguez Sanchez. Aye. Rodriguez Sanchez is a yes. Alderman Villegas. Yes. Villegas is a yes.
The voting is now closed.
Farewell. There are 50 yeas, 0 nays.
This motion passes and the rules are suspended.
As we prepare, if there are any individuals that wish to speak to this,
I do know that there are a variant thoughts and expressions around this particular item.
We would ask that you all respect each other's time and contain your comments to a minimum.
As I've said before, I remain committed to being a true collaborator during this budget process.
I do appreciate the seriousness of the members of the City Council who are, again, rolling up their sleeves,
working with our team as well as me to secure a balanced budget that works for all of Chicago.
This budget must reflect our values, including directly investing into the people of Chicago.
We remain focused on ensuring our budget has progressive revenue sources at its core.
As I've stated from the beginning, I will negotiate the details of this budget, but I certainly would not negotiate my values.
Again, are there any members who wish to speak to this item?
The chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President, and good afternoon, members of the City Council.
So first, I would make a motion to approve, I move to approve 02024-0013679 ordinance authorizing the fiscal 2025 property tax levy and call the question on the motion.
Well, there's a motion to call the question.
All those in favor of calling the question, signify by saying, Chair recognizes Chairman Irvin.
Thank you, Mr. President.
If none of us are going to speak, I do want to say a few things to this ordinance specifically
and kind of explain a couple things.
I know you called the question, sir.
Or I'm just, we generally have, we generally allow for comment before we do call the question.
I thought that you were raising your hand to give comment, not to call the question.
Just hold on a second.
I'll recognize you in just a second, okay?
I promise I'm pretty good at that.
Yeah, so the previous question of calling the question, the motion, rather, is not debatable.
So with that, all those in favor of calling a question, signify by saying aye.
Any opposed, say nay.
In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.
The chair recognizes Alderman Lopez.
Thank you, Mr. President, and I would ask for a roll call on the original motion.
Very well.
So there's a motion for this ordinance to be completed with a roll call vote.
So with that, members, please use the e-vote application to record your vote at this time.
Madam Clerk, if you would. Thank you.
The voting is now open. The voting is now open.
Please use your e-device. The voting is now open.
I will now call on those who have not cast their vote for a voice vote.
Alderman Laspata.
No.
Laspata is a no.
Alderman Curtis.
Curtis is a no. Alderman Burnett?
No. Burnett is a no. Alderman Irvin?
Irvin, you can't abstain.
Not in the rules. You have to take a vote.
Or you take a walk.
No, you have to take a vote. If you're in your seat, I can't move past you.
I don't ever know.
Jeff, you have to take a vote.
if you're present. You have to take a vote if you're present in chambers.
Okay, so first of all, let's not shout across the room, you all. Just
bear with us. So the rules were suspended just
for the enabling of this vote and not for all purposes.
And so therefore, all members in the room have to cast a vote.
Alderman Irvin is no. Alderwoman Rodriguez-Sanchez?
No.
Rodriguez-Santos is a no.
Alderman Villegas?
No.
Villegas is a no.
The voting is now closed.
There are zero nays, 50 nays.
This matter has been voted down.
Alderman Mitchell, on a motion to adjourn.
Mr. President, if there's no further business before this body, I move that we adjourn.
Hearing no objections, so order this meeting is adjourned.