# City Council meeting, December 18, 2025

- When: Thu, Dec 18, 2025, 10:00 AM (Chicago time)
- Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
- Status: Scheduled & Published
- Body: full City Council
- Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/citycouncil?video=1147046803

## 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 City Council met with a quorum and approved remote participation for several members. Ten public commenters spoke, most of them about the 2026 budget, including the alternative revenue proposal, a corporate head tax, police overtime, and a plan to sell debt owed to the city. Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell and Alderperson Jason C. Ervin moved to defer and publish four budget-related items: the 2026-2027 general obligation borrowing ordinance, a bond refunding ordinance, the fiscal year 2026 tax levy, and the 2026 Municipal Code Revenue Ordinance Alternative introduced by Alderperson Matthew J. O'Shea and others. A Committee on Police and Fire item passed on a roll call vote of 49 to 0. The council also passed the agreed calendar and the omnibus, received new introductions, and adjourned.

Topics: 2026 budget, revenue ordinance alternative, general obligation bonds, 2026 tax levy, public comment on corporate head tax, police overtime

### Agenda items discussed

- [33:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=2027) Approval of remote participation under Rule 59: passed
- [35:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=2156) Public comment: discussed
- [1:04:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=3879) Communications from the mayor and other city offices referred to committees
- [1:06:19](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=3979) Ordinance authorizing issuance of general obligation bonds (2026-2027 general obligation borrowing ordinance): deferred
- [1:06:30](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=3990) Ordinance authorizing general obligation and sales tax securitization bonds for refunding outstanding bonds: deferred
- [1:06:48](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4008) Substitute ordinance authorizing the fiscal year 2026 tax levy: deferred
- [1:07:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4022) Substitute 2026 Municipal Code Revenue Ordinance Alternative: deferred
- [1:07:54](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4074) Committee on Police and Fire item recommended for passage: passed
- [1:11:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4318) Agreed calendar of congratulatory, commemorative and tributary resolutions: passed
- [1:12:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4349) New business introductions referred to committees
- [1:14:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4480) Omnibus passed by voice vote: passed
- [1:15:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=4508) Adjournment: passed

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Pat Dowell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/3) (alderperson): Reported for the Committee on Finance and, joined by Alderperson Jason C. Ervin, moved to defer and publish four budget-related items including the borrowing ordinance, tax levy and revenue ordinance alternative. ([1:05:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465?t=3956))
- [Lamont J. Robinson](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/4) (alderperson)

## Roll-call votes at this meeting

- [Grant of goods agreement with Commercial Club Foundation to support Chicago Police Department](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/matter/79CC71D0-FBA9-F011-BBD2-001DD80B7FF7) (O2025-0020484): Passed 49 yea, 0 nay

## Documents

- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/774e5fcc-5c5e-4d22-a694-385c2bf02066.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/97214304-fcd5-f011-8543-001dd8041b30.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/8E55370F-F5D5-F011-8543-001DD8066465 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt