Committee on Public Safety meeting, July 11, 2023
- When: Tue, Jul 11, 2023, 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 Public Safety
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928579/video/843946413
- Transcript: full text (5,221 words, official 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 Public Safety considered two items; a registered virtual public speaker could not be connected. The committee recommended approval of Annette Guzman's appointment as member and chair of the Emergency Telephone System Board after she made brief remarks. Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. presented an ordinance clarifying election rules for Police District Councils, including the signature requirement and the ability of candidates to run as slates, and the committee corrected a clerical underlining error on its face. After Alderperson Raymond A. Lopez proposed capping the number of required signatures, the committee recessed to draft a substitute, then accepted the substitute and recommended passage.
Topics: Police District Council elections, Petition signature requirements, Candidate slates, Emergency Telephone System Board, Police district boundaries
Agenda items discussed
- 10:37 Appointment of Annette Guzman as member and chair of the Emergency Telephone System Board: passed
- 12:30 Ordinance amending the Municipal Code regarding elections for Police District Councils: passed
- 22:13 Amendment on its face to underline the slate language in section C: passed
- 58:14 Substitute ordinance capping Police District Council petition signatures: passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Brian Hopkins (chair): Said that the new police superintendent's comprehensive resource study should include a review of police district boundaries. (21:25); Ruled that the underlining correction was a scrivener's error that did not require a substitute. (22:59); Noted that recessing to legislate is unusual but said there was consensus for a relatively minor change. (59:39)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Explained that the ordinance sets the signature requirement at 5% of registered voters who voted in the last presidential election and clarifies that candidates may run as slates. (12:53); Acknowledged that signature requirements vary widely between districts and said there is time before the next election to review further changes. (21:35); Moved to amend the ordinance on its face to underline the words adding slate language in section C. (22:13)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Said he opposed the district council program and read signature requirements by district, questioning why they vary so widely and why clarification was needed. (24:00)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Supported the ordinance and asked to recess to draft a substitute capping required signatures at 250 or the percentage, whichever is less. (29:09); Asked whether citywide candidates are allowed to run as a slate. (33:38); Renewed his request to recess so the substitute could be completed that day. (34:40)
Exchanges between members
- 17:27 Hopkins asked Vasquez whether the entire sentence should have been underlined.
- 26:12 Vasquez answered Sposato's question about why the signature language needed clarification.
- 27:24 Vasquez agreed with Sposato that wide differences in signature counts are not the fairest setup.
- 29:28 Lopez asked the chair to recess so a substitute capping signatures could be drafted.
- 29:57 Vasquez said he was open to Lopez's proposed signature cap.
- 34:46 Hopkins asked Vasquez as sponsor whether he agreed to recess for a substitute.
- 35:09 Hopkins asked Lopez to restate the language suggested for the substitute.
- 59:09 Vasquez thanked Lopez for his work on the substitute.