Committee on Committees and Rules meeting, October 31, 2023
- When: Tue, Oct 31, 2023, 12:30 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Recessed
- Committee: Committee on Committees and Rules
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928500/video/879465744
- Transcript: full text (18,497 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 Committees and Rules, chaired by Alderperson Michelle A. Harris, met with 44 members present and heard public comment from supporters and opponents of the Bring Chicago Home proposal, along with a presentation from the mayor's chief of policy on a tiered real estate transfer tax to fund homelessness services. The committee recommended re-referral of a proposed referendum on Chicago's sanctuary city status back to the Rules Committee after a 31-17 roll call to table a motion to consider it immediately, which Alderperson Anthony Beale objected to. It also recommended referrals of a Peoples Gas rate hike hearing resolution, several LGBTQ+ advisory appointments, a Peace Book ordinance (to a joint committee that adds Education), and a shelter notification ordinance. On the Bring Chicago Home referendum question, a motion to substitute the sanctuary city question was tabled, members questioned city staff about the vague use language, existing homelessness spending and the effect on downtown property, and the item passed 32 to 16. The committee then recessed until the next morning before taking up the remaining referendum items.
Topics: Bring Chicago Home, real estate transfer tax, homelessness, referendum, sanctuary city, committee referrals, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 37:49 Public comment
- 1:21:03 Correction of the City Council Journal of Proceedings of September 14, 2023: passed
- 1:22:21 Committee referral of a resolution for a referendum on Chicago's sanctuary city designation (R2023-0004224): passed
- 1:38:00 Committee referral of a resolution calling for a hearing on a proposed Peoples Gas rate hike (R2023-0004577): passed
- 1:38:36 Committee referral of appointments to the Advisory Council on LGBTQ+ Issues (items 4-14): passed
- 1:39:46 Committee referral of the Peace Book ordinance establishing neighborhood and citywide peace commissions: passed
- 1:42:21 Committee referral of an ordinance requiring 30-day notice to alderpersons of temporary residential shelters: passed
- 1:43:28 Referendum question on a new real estate transfer tax to combat homelessness (Bring Chicago Home): passed
- 1:48:13 Remaining referendum questions (items 18 and 19): deferred
Alderpersons who spoke
- Michelle A. Harris (chair): Explained that the sanctuary city referendum was sent to Rules for referral because two committees had been called on it. (1:23:26); Said she generally asks sponsors to send a letter requesting their item be released and to show support from 26 members. (1:28:29); Ruled that the committee would vote on whether to consider the item immediately, since rule suspensions usually occur in full council. (1:31:18)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Objected that the sanctuary city referendum was already in the Rules Committee and called the re-referral a maneuver to keep voters from weighing in. (1:22:52)
- Carlos Ramírez-Rosa (alderperson): Said a majority of members wanted to stop procedural games and moved to table the motion for immediate consideration of the sanctuary city referendum. (1:31:41)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Moved to substitute the Bring Chicago Home question with the sanctuary city referendum resolution. (1:43:49); Said members want to know where existing homelessness funding has gone and asked for public specifics on what the new revenue would fund. (2:10:11); Argued that the resolution's recitals commit the council to specific uses of the fund and asked the administration to state them. (2:15:24)
- Maria E. Hadden (alderperson): Spoke as lead co-sponsor of Bring Chicago Home, said commercial real estate challenges are not caused by the proposal, and asked colleagues to let voters decide. (1:49:43); Criticized the attempt to substitute the sanctuary city question for the Bring Chicago Home item. (1:53:46); Clarified that voters would only authorize the tax and that details would return to the council in a later revenue ordinance. (2:14:00)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Said he co-sponsored the proposal but still had questions about the referendum wording and the full cost of addressing homelessness before a final vote. (1:55:22); Asked whether the council would be bound by the rate in the referendum if needs change. (2:02:02)
- Bennett R. Lawson (alderperson): Asked why the referendum includes the tax reduction and whether it binds the city to a dedicated fund. (2:05:15); Said the language on services necessary to maintain housing is vague and could be misused by a future administration. (2:09:00)
- Nicholas Sposato (alderperson)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Asked how much of the more than $200 million budgeted for homelessness in 2023 has been spent, citing a report that only 15 percent of federal funds had been spent. (2:29:23); Said members should know whether current homelessness spending is working before asking property owners to pay more. (2:34:57)
Exchanges between members
- 1:22:52 Beale disputed the chair's re-referral of his sanctuary city referendum to the Rules Committee.
- 1:31:41 Ramírez-Rosa moved to table the motion for immediate consideration of Beale's referendum.
- 1:53:46 Hadden criticized the motion to substitute the sanctuary city question for Bring Chicago Home.
- 1:55:47 Moore thanked Ramírez-Rosa and staff for answering his questions.
- 2:10:57 Lopez said he shared the concerns raised by his colleague from the 44th Ward.
- 2:10:57 Lopez said he shared the concerns raised by his colleague from the 17th Ward.
- 2:14:00 Hadden offered a point of clarification to Lopez about the referendum process.
- 2:14:00 Hadden offered the same clarification to Lawson.
- 2:29:02 Sposato thanked the chair for allowing questions to continue.
- 2:35:06 Reilly said Moore's questions about spending were rational and should be answered.
- 2:35:06 Reilly said Lopez's questions about spending should be answered.