Chicago Politics

Update From City Hall 1.21.26

Chapters

Legislation

Description

Mayor Johnson hosts a media availability.

Transcript

2:04 Thank you for taking the time out to be with me today. The City Council passed a measure banning intoxicating hemp citywide. I continue to have serious concerns about this measure. This proposal that was brought before us, as we've seen in the past with alcohol and marijuana prohibitions, when you make something illegal, you inevitably create a black market.

2:34 This makes the sale completely unregulated and uncontrolled. We don't want children to have access to intoxicating hemp, and we don't want to have an underground market that punishes small businesses who have been operating within the law. We don't have the infrastructure to test at the level that the ordinance calls for. We have concerns around the language, and overall we feel this ordinance needs significantly more time and more conversations.

3:08 Today, the City Council also approved the land sales and bond funds for 80 new units across 27 different sites. These will be homes for families, two flats, three flats, neighborhood-scale developments across the south side of Chicago. We also approved nearly 350 new units, including more than 100 affordable units, office-to-apartment conversions in downtown.

3:39 This is part of our ongoing project to revitalize downtown and adapt to a changing economy. These projects are another step in our mission to make Chicago the most affordable big city in America. When we talk about community safety, we are also talking about affordable housing. We cannot disconnect the ability for Chicagoans to find stable, dignified places to live with our efforts to make our city safer. We will continue to push to build more affordable homes across our city as part of our ongoing work to drive down crime and ultimately to eradicate violence.

4:18 With that, thank you for your time, and I'm happy to answer any of your questions. Okay, testing. We have a full house, so we're just going to do one question, but we can start with the TVs if you guys want. Maybe that's easier. You want to just do Chris, Marianne, and Craig? Chris, you want to start? Sure. Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon. I'm wondering if you can react to the Inspector General's report today that $26 million of over time went out over four years' time. have been eligible for it.

4:49 Members of Council say that your administration and past administrations have fallen short of putting mechanisms in place to stop this. Residents might say, how can that go out unchecked? What do you say? Well, look, the Department of Finance is aware of this issue and is already taking corrective action to ensure that folks are not paid more than what they should be. You know, obviously it's critical that we eliminate any of the redundancies or any repayment errors to ensure that every single tax dollar is accounted for. Mayor, could you give us your view on what you're going to do about the hemp sales ordinance?

5:24 Well, look, as I said before, as, you know, we've seen this ordinance that passed today, I have some serious concerns about. I'm going to continue to have conversations with a number of members of the city council. Look, the ultimate goal, of course, is to make sure that we are regulating a product that doesn't harm our children. But at the same time, we don't want to exclude small businesses from participating in an economy

5:55 that, quite frankly, not only requires more regulation, but an industry that has proper enforcement measures but that doesn't exclude our small businesses from participating in it. Like what we've seen in the past, particularly around marijuana and the legalization of marijuana, a number of small businesses were excluded and left out of the process. So there are still scores of individuals who were not a part of the conversation, and their considerations need to be brought to the forefront.

6:28 Hi, Mayor. Hiding behind the tall guy in front. Oh, there you are. I wanted to raise the issue of the pension payment with only one payment made and another one coming later on. A number of elders expressed concerns today saying we passed the budget, it required that the payment be made. And they also, and I guess also wondering, what are the cash-strapped issues that prevented the city from making that full pension payment? Yeah, as many people know, there are cash flow challenges for bodies of government all over the country.

7:02 And we have structured our payments to be in line with not just the enforcement of the budget, but to ensure that we're structuring the payments in a way that essentially are reacting to the cash flow challenges that we do have. Annette, would you like to add anything else to it? So I would say there are less problems and more about timing.

7:34 So the city of Chicago, we work really closely with the treasurer's office around our distributions throughout the year, And we make a number of very large distributions at the beginning of the year, especially around pensions. And as you know, at the end of last year, we were actually fronting a number of payments to the pension funds in particular because of the delay in property tax. So while those pension funds would normally get their statutory contributions directly from property tax contributions,

8:09 we were actually providing that so they wouldn't have to liquidate assets, which would ultimately prove costly and continue to reduce the funded ratio of those pension funds. So the timing of the property tax distributions, which we would normally get in August of last year, didn't start coming until the end of December and are steadily coming in as the year progresses. But we still have not fully received all of our property tax contributions,

8:41 which go to paying our pensions. But I would also say that, again, at the beginning of the year, we make very large distributions to our pension funds at the beginning of the year, and we are being prudent at this time as it relates to our cash management. Good afternoon, Mayor. Good afternoon. And just as an addition to what our budget director indicated, the discussion around how we structured this payment came up during the budget hearings, of which multiple alders asked and raised the question around the type of structure,

9:15 essentially, that we are implementing. So this should not come to a surprise to anyone because this was literally what they asked for and what they brought up. So they were fully aware that this is, again, a structural element that, quite frankly, I think all of us had some insight to anticipate such a delivery of funds for this particular payment. Good afternoon. Did your administration work with Alderman Hopkins in crafting this revised version of his curfew ordinance, and is that something that you'd be more agreeable?

9:46 Or do you agree that it addresses some of the constitutional questions that have been raised? Well, first of all, you know, as we've always said, that our number one priority is to keep people safe. Right. But we also wanted to ensure that whatever policy we put in place, that it that it had obviously a constitutional framework that would not subject us to litigation and ultimate harm for people. I've been in multiple conversations and my team has been in multiple conversations with a number of elders, including Alderman Hopkins, to be able to achieve what we're ultimately trying to get at, which is to keep people safe and to ensure that there's accountability in place if people are working outside of the structure of the law.

10:32 But also, again, to ensure that we're not putting ourselves in a position where we would be subject to litigation. So, as I've said from the very beginning, I will continue to have conversations with alders to ensure that we continue to drive violence down in the city of Chicago and that we keep all of our residents safe. How are you doing, Mayor Johnson? Doing actually pretty good. bally's has asked for an extra year on the license for its medina temple casino as it anticipates construction delays at the new location how concerned are you about those

11:06 delays and whether bally's will be able to open the permanent casino on time well you know of course we want you know our development to happen timely obviously i i am concerned about you know delay but it's important that we get the work done and we get it done right and you know I'm going to continue to have conversations with with Bally's and their leadership to ensure that we are maximizing this development but you know in terms of how concerned I am you know

11:37 from a scale from 1 to 10 about as concerned as perhaps we were on 4th down and 10 when Caleb threw that last touchdown So, Alderman Lawson introduced a resolution today, essentially naming him chair of the zoning committee. Yesterday, you said he's done an exceptional job in the acting role. You haven't publicly at least supported him taking on the full-time role. Are you doing that now?

12:08 And if not, why not if you believe he's doing such a good job? Well, I want to reiterate the fact that he has done an exceptional job. You know, as we work to continue to build more affordable homes and create more development in our city, the zoning committee plays an essential role in doing that. You know, today, another good announcement, building more affordable units as we revitalize our downtown, while also ensuring that our neighborhoods outside of downtown are not ignored. And I appreciate what the vice chair has done throughout my entire time as mayor.

12:41 He really essentially has held the position as acting probably longer than anyone who actually had it as the permanent chair. I'm going to continue to have conversations with individuals to ensure that not only do we have the right person there and that we have to consider other elements. So, for instance, perhaps vice chair and other considerations. But, you know, by by no stretch of the imagination, he has definitely stepped in in a way that I'm greatly appreciative of.

13:15 Hi, Mayor. For those at home who are trying to wrap their head around the curfew and what happened today in council. Can you explain the rationale for your administration codifying CBD policy that technically already exists? Yeah, one of the things that was important was that we make a clear distinction between, you know, individuals who are gathering for pleasure and those who are interested in causing harm.

13:47 To be able to make that policy into municipal code, you know, I believe that it sets the city up for, you know, a stronger, more consistent enforcement. So, again, the conversation is ongoing, but I just want to make sure that we're absolutely clear. The ultimate goal is to make sure that we're keeping people safe. And in the event that there are individuals who are interested in causing harm, that we can have a tool, quite frankly, that prevents that

14:21 or strongly enforces the ability to reduce the likelihood of that occurring. Hi, Mayor. Hi. When it comes to Cook County's delay in property tax bills, you know, in the past, we've seen all three entities who are part of the process kind of point the finger at each other. Do you have more specific thoughts on whether you think it's the assessor, the board of review or the treasurer who should wear the hat for this delay? Well, you know, both the budget director and myself have served on the county side.

14:52 I mean, you know, look, I think all of those entities play a part in ensuring that the delivery of government is done in a way that is not just equitable, but, you know, it's balanced. You know, as far as, you know, getting into the habit of pointing, you know, a finger at any entity or level of government, you know, I don't find that to be productive. I think there's an old adage that if you point a finger at someone, there's like a bunch of them pointing back at you. So I don't want any fingers pointed back at me.

15:23 Thank you for taking the question, Mayor. Of course. I wanted to ask you about the debt collection piece. That's something that you've been concerned about since the budget was proposed by Alderman. Where does that stand? Is there an RFP in the works, or is that something that, you know, right now you're not undertaking in terms of what was passed by the Alderman? I am concerned about it. Annette, would you like to add to it? Thank you, Annette Guzman, Budget Director. So, you know, we are reviewing our options as relates to the sale of debt.

15:55 It's extremely complex when it comes to how would we choose what debt to sale. We already have an executive order from the mayor that was signed in January that prohibits the sale of medical debt. So there's a lot of considerations that go into putting together sort of a bucket of debt that can be sold. And we've been meeting all the interested departments, Department of Finance, Department of Law, my office, the CFO's office,

16:27 have all been meeting and will continue to meet regularly to move something forward in alignment with what City Council has proposed. And we will, you know, hopefully have something more later, you know, in the couple of months that we'll be able to report back on. But it is extremely complicated, which was something that we highlighted to city council and will be very complex to achieve because we have not seen a city that has done something of this nature with the type of debt that we have available to sale.

17:04 And I want to make that really clear because there's been a lot of conversations about, well, other cities do debt sales. Other cities do property tax lien sales. That is not what we have available. That is not what was contemplated by this budget. And the type of debt that we have to sell is complex. It is likely of very little interest to those who, you know, buy debt from municipalities. And we have a lot of concerns about whether or not we'll be able to achieve what city council has proposed.

17:37 Thank you. Hi, Mayor. Hi. Hi. Going back to the curfew, it looks like the 12-hour buffer is no longer in the latest language. So I just want to clarify if that is out of there. How did taking that out assuage any concerns that you and your administration had? So that's correct. It's no longer in there, you know, another important measure. that is also being discussed is how we hold the social media companies accountable as well for their act or their responsibility and role in promoting what could inevitably, in some cases, be violent gatherings, right?

18:21 But as far as the removal of that particular line, again, we were incredibly concerned about the constitutionality around how the initial proposal went forward. And then, quite frankly, what we were also concerned about was this idea that just simply doing something and establishing an arbitrary time, that that would prove to be effective. What we have seen repeatedly is that curfews alone don't just simply prevent that type of behavior or interactions from occurring.

19:04 So, again, this proposal that's being discussed now is, one, how do we ensure that we keep people safe, too? How do we ensure that the constitutionality of the ordinance is in existence? Good afternoon, Mayor. As you may know, Elgin recently started giving out water filters because they found that 70% of the homes they tested had high levels of lead. They check 100 homes every six months, whereas Chicago has historically checked just 50 homes every three years.

19:37 Chicago has just started to test 100 homes every six months. But given that Chicago is 26 times larger than Elgin, Elgin, would you ask your water department in the name of protecting our most vulnerable children's brains to test at the same ratios as Elgin voluntarily, you need 2,600 tests in six months? Well, as you know, obviously we are, you know, moving forward with the replacement of lead lines. It's been a problem, of course, for decades in this city. You know, as far as the pace and the rate in which, you know, we should do it,

20:10 But, of course, we want to do as much as we possibly can, you know, the context of Chicago versus a municipality that is, I don't know, a fifth of our size. 26 times smaller. 26 times more. Right. But we could test more. Totally could. I mean, again, of course, we want to make sure that we keep people safe. And we are moving with expediency to replace the lead service lines, something that has not been done.

20:40 and, you know, ever, right? And so that work will continue. So that's a yes or a no on we will voluntarily test better? We're going to continue to make sure that we build a safe infrastructure to keep, you know, the residents of this city protected from any damage that that lead, of course, causes. Okay, in the Cauldron of Sources Department,

21:12 it's come to our attention that Judicial Watch is suing the city of Chicago over its reparations task force saying that it's discriminatory by race when you said that it wouldn't just benefit blacks, especially foundational black Americans. So the question is, doesn't deviation from the recently supported case law, I think the biggest one being, I think, in 2023 with two institutions of higher learning where Clarence Thomas laid out a legislative package for that, make the program unnecessarily vulnerable to sabotage by the court's race, status by race versus status by injured class.

22:06 Mm hmm. Yeah, I'm not not aware of anything that Clarence Thomas has ever done that has benefited black people. I'm just not aware. Well, I just told you. Yeah, well, that's I mean, you read something, but there's there's no evidence that anything that the justice has ever done on behalf of the interests of black people or even marginalized people in general. Well, it's in his current opinion. But anyway, we got it. But as far as, you know, any lawsuit against the city of Chicago as it relates to reparations,

22:40 the whole point of reparations is to repair the harm that was done to black folks. That's what it's designed to do. As you might know, is that the Department of Justice under the leadership of Donald Trump is also suing the city of Chicago because of our efforts to right the wrongs of the past, particularly as it relates to descendants of slaves. So, you know, look, they can't have it both ways, right? They can't, you know, accuse the city of Chicago of focusing solely on black folks while at the same time trying to make a claim that somehow we're doing the opposite of that.

23:18 So, in a nutshell, is that an answer to... Thank you, Mark. We're going to go to Mariah now. Thanks. I mean, yes or no, it was a bad tool. Hi, Mayor. On the curfew ordinance, do you have concerns about the provision that allows Snelling to essentially predict with evidence, though, that disorderly conduct is going to occur and then apprehend teens based off that when they haven't been arrested for a crime? Well, that's not what the ordinance states. In fact, if there's evidence that, you know, through social media, and this is how these gatherings tend to take place, that the gathering in and of itself is designed and purposed to invoke violence.

24:06 What the ordinance would allow for is the codification of a policy that calls for individuals to disperse, and then there's a time frame in which that dispersal order is allowed to materialize. In the event that individuals refuse to disperse as the policy is in place now, the police department would have essentially the same authority that they've always had, which is to detain individuals.

24:44 The ultimate goal is to strengthen our ability to protect the people of this city without violating anyone's constitutional right. And so do you support the ordinance as it stands currently, or do you think that some things need to change before you're willing to stop? Well, clearly the city council wanted to have more discussion. I think it's always good when we have more discussion. Hi, Mayor. Hi. Good. Very well. Thank you. It's been a while. It's good to see you again. Thank you. I wanted to, like, piggyback on the curfew thing again, but more so from the perspective of young people.

25:20 I can't help but think about the dozens of them that came out in the spring to, you know, speak out against the curfew. And I understand there's been provisions made essentially with or revisions made to it. But I guess, like, how would you explain this newest iteration to them and also, like, address concerns they may have about the news that's going to be coming out of City Hall today? Well, conversations are still ongoing, and I just want to make something absolutely clear. What we opposed, rightfully so, was a snap curfew.

25:50 This is not a snap curfew. It's not. We already have a curfew in place. It's 10 p.m. during the week, and we saw an effective use of communication during the New Year's Eve celebration. the policy that the police department adheres to now is that they have the authority to call for individuals who are gathering that could potentially be harmful to disperse what this

26:22 does is it codifies that policy but it also provides pre-warning right because look it's It's about keeping people safe. But, you know, this notion that you can just snap your finger and enact a curfew. Of course, you know, I oppose that and I continue to oppose that. This measure, of course, is providing a lot more consideration around the protection of our young people, both their constitutional rights, but their safety as well.

26:55 Hi, Mayor. I just want to clarify, you're not pledging to veto the intoxicating hemp ban, but you haven't ruled it out. Is that correct? Yeah, look, as I said, there are some real serious concerns about this ordinance. I'm not the only one that has these concerns, and I have not made a decision yet. But, you know, I think it's important that when we enact policy that we do it right, that we do it well.

27:28 There were a number of city council members that admitted that not only did they have concerns going into this structure, but that they recognized that the concerns that other alders had, that there was a willingness or some level of desire to continue to cooperate to make the document better. And on a completely different topic, the Chicago Board of Ethics has been without a chair for more than six months. It has had to cancel two meetings since then because of a lack of quorum.

27:58 Why haven't you named a new chair to the Ethics Board? And does that signal that ethics are not a priority for you going into the last year or so of your term? No, it doesn't signal that. You know, ethics are important. And my chief of staff, Ms. Pacione Zayas, is here. I don't know if you want to speak more to that, but we have an entire process that we go through to vet individuals. It's about getting the right people in place, but absolutely ethics are important to us. Do you want to talk a little bit more about it?

28:30 Thank you, Tina. Sure. Christina Pacione Zayas, chief of staff. So just to put things into context, the ethics board has seven members. There's one vacancy and there's one expired term. I've actually been in quite a bit of communication with the Better Government Association because they've been watching this very closely. For us, you know, there are over 100 boards and commissions. We have to, as the mayor said, go through an extensive vetting process, right? We need to ensure that individuals are residents of Chicago, they are not indebted to Chicago,

29:03 that they do have the requisite experience or expertise to be able to serve in this capacity, and that they're willing and available to serve. Triangulating all of those pieces sometimes take a little bit longer. We do have some folks in the pipeline, and we're working to get that together. Now, what you have noticed is that there hasn't been quorum because we do have that rule where you have to have a certain amount of individuals in person in order to allow the online participation. And we've had, due to the flu season, a couple people at the last minute not able to join, and that's why we haven't had quorum.

29:35 but we are still prioritizing this board along with all of our boards and commissions to make sure that we have them fully seated. Thank you. Thank you, Tina. Very nice to see you. It is. Nice to see you as well. Absolutely. It's always nice to see me, isn't it? Me too, I would say. So what's kind of your message to hemp businesses who may be confused today about whether they need to start pulling these products off their shelves? Is there a fight over? When could they expect a decision? And if this ban does pass, what will be done for those businesses that are at risk of closing?

30:08 Well, as I understand it, at the ordinance that was passed today, I believe the inaction date was for April 1. So that's the absolute deadline. In the meantime, of course, again, there are concerns that have been raised, and I think it's paramount for the good of our city to regulate, have the ability to actually test, to actually regulate what was passed, and to keep people safe, but ultimately to make sure that we're not driving small businesses out of it.

30:46 Hey, man. Hey. Where are you going today? Job interview. No, I'm just kidding. It's a joke. No, I'm joking. In other potentially unfinished legislative battles on video gambling terminals, your administration has suggested that it wants some changes before legalization moves forward, before licensing moves forward. What needs to change for you to move ahead with that licensing? Yeah. I mean, there are a number of things, you know, as you all know, and I'm not, you know, trying to obfuscate here.

31:21 You know, I don't like to negotiate, you know, details in public. You know, I'm not the only one that has, you know, raised concerns. I mean, I think one of the things, of course, that we've talked about repeatedly is just the capacity to be able to build and operate, you know, that these, as I understand it, and look, I'm not a gambler, but I understand that these machines are sizable, the infrastructure to be able to hold them up, the ability to do it at the pace and rate that, you know, folks have suggested, you know, so I mean, I think those are just, you know, a few concerns that I do.

32:00 And I believe that there are some industry demands and elements that are centered around gambling and who gets the benefit from the gambling industry to make sure that we're not unnecessarily harming those who are also a part of the infrastructure of gaming. So, again, those are just to name a few. But in the meantime, you know, I wish you well on your job interview. Thank you all very much.

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