Committee on Committees and Rules meeting, March 12, 2024
- When: Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 12:00 PM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Committee: Committee on Committees and Rules
- Video: https://vimeo.com/922519991
- Transcript: full text (6,852 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 approved remote participation requests, heard five public commenters who raised concerns about meeting rules, public comment time limits and other personal matters, and approved the October and November 2023 Rule 45 reports and three Journal of Proceedings corrections. The main debate concerned re-referring the mayor's ordinance for general obligation and sales tax securitization bonds for an economic development and affordable housing program to the Committee on Finance. Some members said it should stay in Rules until Alderperson William Conway ARPA oversight ordinance could be considered alongside it, while others said oversight could be addressed in Finance, where a subject matter hearing was promised. On a roll call read as 29 to 7, the committee approved re-referral to the Committee on Finance, then adjourned.
Topics: bond ordinance referral, ARPA oversight, fiscal transparency, journal corrections, public comment rules, remote participation
Agenda items discussed
- 22:57 Rule 59 remote participation requests: passed
- 23:42 Public comment period: discussed
- 40:48 Approval of the October and November 2023 Rule 45 reports: passed
- 41:15 Corrections to the Journal of Proceedings (items 1 through 3): passed
- 42:36 Re-referral of the mayor's ordinance authorizing general obligation and sales tax securitization bonds for economic development and affordable housing to the Committee on Finance (O2024-0007838): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Michelle A. Harris (chair): Introduced item 4, determining the appropriate committee for the mayor's bond ordinance, and stated the proposed referral was to the Committee on Finance. (42:36)
- William Conway (alderperson): Said a $1.25 billion bond issuance requires significant oversight and that his ARPA oversight ordinance had not been placed on the agenda despite majority support. (43:21); Asked members to vote no on referral so the bond ordinance and the ARPA oversight ordinance could be considered in tandem. (43:41); Said he introduced his ordinance at the prior council meeting and emailed the chair asking that it be placed on this agenda, but it was not. (51:06)
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked members to vote yes, saying the bond ordinance and the grant oversight ordinance are not tied together and oversight can occur through the Committee on Finance. (44:06); Described transparency steps including an aldermanic briefing, a committed subject matter hearing, and discussions with planning and housing departments on ward projects. (46:42)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Said it was ironic to take on a large bond program while a colleague's transparency ordinance was not allowed a vote, and that he would vote no on discharging it from Rules. (44:48); Said he blamed the administration rather than colleagues and hoped it would come to Finance prepared to answer questions. (45:51); Said the proposal leaves much to interpretation and would require substantial taxpayer repayment while bond ratings are faltering, and requested a roll call vote. (46:06)
- David H. Moore (alderperson): Thanked Dowell for noticing a subject matter hearing before any vote, which he said gives time to advocate for Conway's ordinance. (47:57); Said Conway's ARPA oversight ordinance is important and must get out of Rules, but encouraged colleagues to move the bond item along. (48:27)
- Andre Vasquez Jr. (alderperson): Said he was glad there would be a subject matter hearing and was concerned about an influx of general fund money given pension obligations. (49:57); Agreed oversight of ARPA spending is fair and said briefings are internal conversations, not oversight and transparency. (50:18)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Asked Conway what timeline and process he expected for his ordinance. (50:54); Said the briefing on the bond ordinance covered spending but not fiscal impacts, and no Finance staff attended. (51:57); Cited requests for public funding from sports teams and a proposed real estate transfer tax, saying fiscal impacts are not being discussed. (52:25)
Exchanges between members
- 44:03 The chair recognized Dowell after Conway spoke.
- 44:22 Dowell said the oversight Conway seeks can be addressed through the Committee on Finance rather than holding the item.
- 44:45 Reilly acknowledged Dowell's points but said he preferred the proposal remain in Rules, adding he meant no disrespect to her.
- 44:48 Reilly said he understood Conway's intent and supported considering Conway's ordinance at the same time.
- 46:30 The chair asked Reilly to hold his roll call request so Dowell could speak.
- 47:57 Moore thanked Dowell for her point about the coming subject matter hearing.
- 48:22 Moore said Conway's ordinance is very important and should get out of Rules.
- 49:45 The chair recognized Vasquez.
- 50:18 Vasquez said he agreed with Moore that oversight of ARPA spending is fair.
- 50:48 The chair recognized Waguespack.
- 50:54 Waguespack asked Conway what timeline and process he had expected for his ordinance.
- 51:06 Conway answered that he had asked for his ordinance to be placed on this agenda and it was not.