Committee on Finance meeting, January 13, 2025
- When: Mon, Jan 13, 2025, 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/1045787897
- Transcript: full text (15,683 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 Finance heard five public commenters, including speakers on police misconduct settlements and wrongful convictions, and approved its December 2024 Rule 45 report. It recommended passage of three ordinances amending the Diversey/Chicago River TIF district to include the full Lathrop Homes site for redevelopment of the southern portion, with Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor recorded as voting no, after members questioned CHA's pace of redevelopment and the developer. The committee recommended six lawsuit settlements: $130,000 for a child struck by a police commander's car, $975,000 for a man who died after paramedics did not transport him, $4.5 million for a pedestrian killed during a police pursuit, $7.5 million in a case tied to former Sergeant Ronald Watts, $8.75 million to Mark Maxon and $17.5 million to Thomas Sierra in wrongful conviction cases, with some members recorded as voting no on two of them. It also recommended a two-year building permit fee waiver for MPEA's renovation of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place and placed small claims and a tag day permit on the omnibus or on file.
Topics: Lathrop Homes TIF expansion, Police misconduct settlements, Wrongful conviction settlements, Police pursuit policy, Ronald Watts cases, MPEA fee waiver, Public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 32:21 Approval of December 2024 monthly Rule 45 report: passed
- 33:08 Amendment No. 1 to the Diversey/Chicago River TIF redevelopment plan to expand the area to include all of Lathrop Homes, 32nd Ward (items 1-3): passed
- 53:08 Reports of verdicts, judgments and settlements for December 2024
- 53:52 Settlement: Joseph Williams v. city, $130,000: passed
- 57:43 Settlement: Bertha Carranza, administrator of the estate of Jose Luis Carranza v. city, $975,000: passed
- 1:05:13 Settlement: Patricia Porter, special administrator of the estate of Liezel Thomas v. city, $4.5 million: passed
- 1:20:06 Settlement: Ben Baker and Clarissa Glenn v. city, $7.5 million: passed
- 1:29:02 Settlement: Mark Maxon v. John Duffy et al., $8.75 million: passed
- 1:37:33 Settlement: Thomas Sierra v. former detective et al., $17.5 million: passed
- 1:48:46 Fee waiver for MPEA permits for the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, 4th Ward: passed
- 1:59:58 Payment and denial of various small claims; tag day permit
Alderpersons who spoke
- Pat Dowell (chair): Noted that the Lathrop Homes redevelopment has spanned several mayoral administrations. (42:04); Said three of the six settlements are reversed conviction legacy cases in which plaintiffs received certificates of innocence. (53:32); Asked how many cases involving the former detective in the Sierra case are pending and was told 40 including this one. (1:43:29)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Asked how much of the Lathrop project is funded by HUD or CHA and whether TIF is the predominant source. (38:03); Said he would support the item but criticized CHA for taking about 15 years to deliver housing during a housing crisis. (41:08)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked who the Lathrop developer is, how many units existed originally, whether it is a rehab or teardown, and how many units will be public housing. (42:13); Asked whether only Watts and Muhammad were criminally charged from the corruption investigation. (1:25:15); Asked whether any officers were charged in the Sierra case and what led to the conviction being reversed. (1:43:52)
- Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Supported the Lathrop item, saying the legally binding commitment to replace public housing units off site has been met and the development exceeds its preservation commitments. (45:19)
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Questioned giving money to a master developer that she said does not maintain its other properties, citing Parkway Gardens. (47:16)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Said that after inheriting Lathrop in redistricting he pressed CHA to stop leaving buildings vacant, and described the financing including $25 million in TIF and $100 million in bonds. (47:46); Said the project has taken too long but is finally moving and asked for support of all three items. (50:03)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Asked whether the child and mother were riding or walking their bikes through the intersection. (56:36); Asked why the paramedic lawsuit was filed two years later and whether the family asked paramedics to transport the man. (1:01:06); Asked whether the incident was a chase, pursuit or following and how long it lasted. (1:12:05)
- William Conway (alderperson): Asked what the fleeing driver was convicted of and which judge presided. (1:10:18); Said he begrudgingly supported the $4.5 million settlement given the judge's evidentiary rulings and the state of the law. (1:11:31)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Asked who the trial judge and outside counsel were and who recommended settling the pursuit case. (1:14:14); Criticized CPD's pursuit policy, saying it is used against the city in lawsuits and punishes officers for pursuing offenders, and criticized the trial judge's rulings. (1:15:38); Supported the MPEA fee waiver but said the council should remain a checkpoint on such waivers rather than granting them permanently. (1:55:13)
- Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Asked the top speed of the police vehicle in the pursuit case. (1:18:28)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Asked whether the Watts cases could be resolved collectively to reach finality and reduce legal fees. (1:25:54); Asked how many Watts cases and related cases remain; was told 183 Watts lawsuits would remain. (1:28:03); Asked whether the county or other agencies share liability in wrongful conviction cases. (1:46:53)
- Emma Mitts (alderperson): Asked about the victim's age, the location and time, and the plaintiff's prior record in the Maxon case. (1:34:10)
- Lamont J. Robinson (alderperson): Presented his ordinance waiving permit fees for MPEA's renovation of Hyatt Regency hotel rooms to keep McCormick Place competitive. (1:49:17)
- Brian Hopkins (alderperson): Supported the fee waiver, citing reviews noting the hotel needs renovation and competition from other cities for trade shows, and moved passage. (1:57:52)
Exchanges between members
- 37:55 The chair recognized Villegas for questions on the Lathrop TIF item.
- 42:04 The chair responded to Villegas that the project has spanned several administrations.
- 44:38 Moore asked the chair to help him recall whether TIF had been used in past CHA redevelopments.
- 44:49 The chair answered that TIF had been used for some new construction developments.
- 45:24 La Spata told Moore he was right about the gap in on-site public housing units and explained the replacement commitment.
- 46:57 La Spata credited Waguespack's steadfastness on the project.
- 47:03 The chair thanked La Spata.
- 47:41 The chair thanked Taylor.
- 47:58 Waguespack referred to La Spata's remarks on the site's history in the First Ward.
- 50:31 Waguespack answered Moore that the site originally had 925 units.
- 50:52 The chair thanked Waguespack.
- 57:09 The chair thanked Sposato for his question.
- 1:11:58 The chair thanked Conway for his questions.
- 1:17:43 Reilly said Conway raised good points about the case and the trial judge.
- 1:28:32 The chair called Ervin's question about the number of pending cases an excellent question.
- 1:49:09 The chair recognized Robinson to present his ordinance.
- 1:49:17 Robinson thanked the chair for the opportunity to present.
- 1:50:45 Ervin asked whether the building is owned by MPEA and why a special ordinance is needed.
- 1:51:38 Ervin suggested Robinson look at a long-term change so MPEA would not need to return for each project.
- 1:55:17 Reilly said Moore might be conflating Navy Pier, a nonprofit, with MPEA.