Committee on Finance meeting, February 11, 2026
- When: Wed, Feb 11, 2026, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Finance
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928482?video=1163741392
- Transcript: full text (23,173 words, automatic captions)
Meeting notes
AI-written from the transcript. Speakers are inferred from cues in the recording, so treat names as estimates and check the video at the linked time.
The Committee on Finance heard four public commenters, then took up legal settlements, Department of Finance ordinances, development financing items and a resolution on video gaming terminals. A $1,962,000 class settlement over the towing and disposal of vehicles with expired plates was recommended for passage, while an $8,250,000 settlement in a fatal police-pursuit crash case failed on a roll call announced as 15 ayes to 18 nos. Four settlements in wrongful-conviction cases involving former detective Guevara ($800,000, $4.85 million, $6.95 million and $16.6 million) were each recommended to pass. The committee also advanced the 2026 municipal depositories ordinance, a change to rule publication requirements, a HUD Section 108 loan and amended TIF agreement for the Congress Theater, and two affordable housing sale-and-transfer ordinances. Alderperson Anthony Beale resolution asking the City Clerk to send the Illinois Gaming Board a certified copy of the ordinance allowing video gaming terminals passed after extended debate about the administration's absence, a possible subject matter hearing, and policy concerns.
Topics: legal settlements, vehicle towing, police pursuits, wrongful convictions, municipal depositories, Congress Theater redevelopment, affordable housing, video gaming terminals, budget implementation, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 14:14 Public comment
- 27:18 Monthly Rule 45 report for January 2026: passed
- 27:40 Department of Law report of verdicts, judgments and settlements for January 2026
- 28:16 Settlement: Santiago v. City of Chicago and Fitzgibbons v. City of Chicago (vehicle towing class action), $1,962,000: passed
- 47:07 Settlement: Rogel, special administrator of the Estate of Dominga Flores Gomez v. City of Chicago (police pursuit crash), $8,250,000: failed
- 1:13:17 Settlement: William Negro v. Guevara (wrongful conviction), $800,000: passed
- 1:18:24 Settlement: Ariel Gomez v. Guevara (wrongful conviction), $4,850,000: passed
- 1:22:09 Settlement: Angel Diaz v. Guevara (wrongful conviction), $6,950,000: passed
- 1:25:27 Settlement: Demetrius Johnson v. Guevara (wrongful conviction), $16,600,000: passed
- 1:30:00 Designation of municipal depositories for the City and Board of Education for fiscal year 2026: passed
- 1:32:37 Amendment to Municipal Code 2-32-096 on publication requirements for Department of Finance rules: passed
- 1:34:16 HUD Section 108 loan guarantee and loan agreement for the Congress Theater rehab, 2135 N. Milwaukee: passed
- 1:34:40 Substitute ordinance amending the Congress Theater TIF redevelopment agreement: passed
- 1:55:12 Loan assumption, subordination and sale of Renaissance St. Luke, 1501 W. Belmont: passed
- 2:00:30 Loan assumption, subordination and sale of Wicker Park Renaissance SRO, 1527-1531 N. Wicker Park Ave.: passed
- 2:04:48 Resolution calling on the City Clerk to provide the Illinois Gaming Board a certified copy of the ordinance allowing video gaming terminals: passed
- 2:39:23 Payment of various small claims
- 2:39:41 Denial of various small claims
- 2:39:57 Charitable solicitation on the public way permit
Alderpersons who spoke
- Pat Dowell (chair): Asked that the line of questioning on vehicle disposal proceeds be taken up privately with the Law Department rather than in the meeting. (45:02); Asked whether the Law Department had checked the driver's assets; staff said he had none. (1:04:17); Asked whether any physical evidence connected Demetrius Johnson to the crime; staff said there was none. (1:29:22)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Said he intended to support the towing settlement and asked what happens to vehicles that are not picked up from the pound. (39:14); Asked whether proceeds from selling disposed vehicles are applied to the owner's outstanding tickets and storage fees, and said this could lead to another lawsuit. (41:59); Asked whether this financing would allow Congress Theater construction to begin and about past Section 108 loans and contractors. (1:44:24)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Thanked Streets and Sanitation and the Law Department, said he supports the towing settlement and will bring additional legislation. (45:21); Said many members do not support video gaming, raised concerns about minority participation, addiction and revenue, and said the policy should be reconsidered. (2:31:22); Said the Illinois Gaming Board has a long application backlog and argued that expecting gaming revenue this year is not realistic. (2:33:28)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Suggested that before towing abandoned vehicles the city knock on the door of the last known address, since owners are often on the same block. (45:49); Said he supports paying the pursuit settlement but noted the officers worked in a busy district and were doing their job. (1:03:12)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked whether the city had paid in other lawsuits involving the officer, who had been suspended several times. (54:32); Asked whether a settlement vote goes on an officer's record and noted the officer remains on the force. (55:10)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Asked whether the committee should take a recess while a fire alarm was sounding. (40:46); Asked about the meaning of hijacking, where the vehicles were taken, and the condition of the owners. (56:04); Asked who represents the plaintiff, what the driver was charged with, and whether officers' past incidents appear to supervisors during dispatch. (1:07:42)
- Chris Taliaferro (alderperson): Asked whether the pursuing officer was in an unmarked vehicle and whether remaining the primary vehicle violated general orders. (1:01:00)
- William Conway (alderperson): Said he did not view the officer's conduct as willful and wanton, asked to be recorded as no, and urged investment in helicopters or drones to reduce pursuits. (1:02:03); Shared concern that business affairs and liquor officials did not attend and asked about their plans for certifying the ordinance. (2:08:11); Asked whether the business affairs department had given any reason for not filing the notification. (2:38:36)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Asked whether the driver was observed or only suspected of the hijacking and whether the pursuit occurred after the city changed its pursuit policy. (1:04:58); Said the redevelopment agreement legally requires affordable commercial space to be marketed first to nonprofits, arts groups and local entrepreneurs. (1:47:14); Said his ward's transit-served venues operate respectfully, described the project's community benefits, and asked for the committee's support. (1:51:23)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Asked whether a traffic study was done for the Congress Theater and where parking would be for up to 4,900 attendees. (1:42:56); Criticized the absence of the two invited commissioners and said the resolution is a formality to notify the state that the city accepts video gaming applications. (2:05:47); Said he already has a certified copy from the Clerk's office and colleagues' signatures, and will file the notification with the state himself. (2:07:15)
- Anthony J. Quezada (alderperson): Described his ties to the Congress Theater and asked how storefronts will be marketed to local businesses and about the housing unit breakdown. (1:45:43); Pointed out that the presentation showed the wrong location map for Renaissance St. Luke. (1:59:31); Called for discussion of the mental health, addiction and public health impacts of video gaming in lower-income communities. (2:24:51)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Drawing on a theater project in her ward, encouraged a parking and ride-share drop-off plan for the Congress Theater and citywide planning for large venues. (1:48:58); Supported the video gaming resolution as a first step but said it does not mean the city will rubber stamp licenses. (2:17:25)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Thanked the Department of Housing analyst and asked for favorable consideration of the Renaissance St. Luke ordinance in his ward. (2:00:01)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Said he had unanswered questions about video gaming, that one day's notice to departments was unfair, and asked whether the sponsor brought subject matter experts. (2:09:15); Said gambling policy, such as ward-level restrictions, deserves discussion like other regulated vices. (2:26:02); Expressed concern about growing division between the council and administration and called for codifying budget processes and an independent budget office. (2:26:37)
- Samantha Nugent (alderperson): Supported the resolution, noting 44 days had passed since the budget without administration communication on moving video gaming forward. (2:11:57)
- Matthew J. O'Shea (alderperson): Said the administration had not worked with the council in the six weeks since the budget passed and called for communication and collaboration. (2:12:39)
- Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Asked which industry representatives the sponsors had consulted and requested a subject matter hearing with the Gaming Board before, not after, a vote. (2:22:32)
Exchanges between members
- 40:46 Lopez asked the chair whether to take a recess during the fire alarm, and the chair declined.
- 45:02 The chair suggested Villegas discuss vehicle disposal proceeds with the Law Department after the meeting.
- 1:47:08 La Spata answered Quezada's question on how commercial space will be marketed to local groups.
- 1:49:12 Lee said she spoke because of Beale's point about parking for a large venue.
- 1:49:48 Lee offered La Spata lessons learned on traffic and parking around a large theater.
- 1:51:23 La Spata responded to Lee's parking point, citing other transit-served venues in his ward.
- 2:08:11 Conway said he shared Beale's concern about the commissioners' absence.
- 2:08:35 The chair told Conway the invitation was sent late the previous afternoon.
- 2:10:12 Beale answered Vasquez that no outside experts were invited because the item is a formality.
- 2:10:34 Vasquez responded to Beale that non-sponsors still have questions without anyone to answer them.
- 2:11:57 Nugent said she was happy to support Beale's resolution.
- 2:12:39 O'Shea built on Nugent's point about the time elapsed since the budget passed.
- 2:13:49 Villegas asked Beale whether the notification would be enough for the Gaming Board to begin licensing.
- 2:14:32 Beale answered Villegas that the Gaming Board's rules require only notification.
- 2:17:00 Villegas thanked Beale for taking the first step.
- 2:18:14 Lee pushed back on Beale's description of local approval as a rubber stamp.
- 2:18:17 Lee agreed with Villegas that more conversations are needed.
- 2:20:30 La Spata asked Beale for the list of video gaming operators and their MBE/WBE status.
- 2:20:37 Beale answered La Spata that no manufacturers in the pipeline are minority-certified and agreed to provide a list.
- 2:21:24 Beale asked La Spata to hold a subject matter hearing on La Spata's own gaming-related ordinance.