Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development meeting, December 9, 2025
- When: Tue, Dec 9, 2025, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: 201A, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8928495?video=1144934697
- Transcript: full text (3,310 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 Economic, Capital and Technology Development established a quorum, approved remote participation for three members under Rule 59, and heard one public commenter. The committee approved its November 2025 monthly report. It then took up ordinances for Special Service Area No. 3 (63rd Street) and Special Service Area No. 59-2022 (59th Street), adopting substitute budget-only ordinances that the Department of Planning and Development said would secure 2026 levies while concerns about the current service provider are addressed through an interim provider and an RFP process. Several members spoke about the service provider's performance and relationships with their wards, and both substitute ordinances were recommended for passage, the second with a scrivener's correction.
Topics: special service areas, SSA 3 63rd Street, SSA 59-2022 59th Street, SSA service provider, 2026 SSA levies, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 43:06 Rule 59 requests for remote participation: passed
- 43:44 Public comment
- 47:26 Approval of the November 2025 monthly report: passed
- 47:52 Ordinance regarding Special Service Area No. 3, 63rd Street (budget-only substitute): passed
- 59:31 Ordinance regarding Special Service Area No. 59-2022, 59th Street (budget-only substitute): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Gilbert Villegas (chair): Asked the Department of Planning and Development not to wait until the last minute on SSA issues and said all aldermen in SSAs should be treated consistently. (58:38)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Apologized for the meeting's delay and thanked the department and chair for adding an amendment to accommodate colleagues' concerns. (51:19); Said the service provider has a long history but that responsiveness has changed and SSAs, as an additional property tax, require accountability. (52:06); Said that if the provider does not attend a meeting and reach resolution, the item would not move forward at City Council, and moved to pass the item. (53:28)
- Silvana Tabares (alderperson): Described a close working relationship with the Greater Southwest Development Corporation, including work on businesses, viaducts and community concerts. (54:01); Asked whether projects approved by the SSA 3 commissioners in 2025 would proceed in 2026 under the amendment. (55:02); Said she looks forward to working with the department and colleagues on choosing a provider, whether the current one or another. (56:37)
- Jeylú B. Gutiérrez (alderperson): Described working with the Greater Southwest Development Corporation on events and business workshops and said there may be room for improvement. (57:07); Said the 17th Ward should be included among the six affected wards and stated support for moving the levy forward. (57:57)
Exchanges between members
- 51:31 Lopez thanked the chair for listening and adding the amendment to the ordinance.
- 53:52 The chair thanked Lopez and said the motion would be revisited after another member spoke.
- 54:01 Tabares thanked Chairman Gilbert Villegas and the committee.
- 54:08 Tabares thanked her colleague of the 15th Ward for adding the amendment.
- 57:01 The chair thanked Tabares.
- 58:35 The chair thanked Gutiérrez for her remarks.