Committee on Finance meeting, October 2, 2023
- When: Mon, Oct 2, 2023, 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/manage/videos/869668843
- Transcript: full text (14,303 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 one public commenter and then took up eleven agenda items. Members recommended passage of an ordinance aligning the municipal code with a new state law on red-light and speed camera citation review, an amendment adding authorized officers for a federal WIFIA water loan, an amended redevelopment agreement for the Imani Village senior apartments in the 8th Ward, a TIF intergovernmental agreement for roof and masonry repairs at McCutcheon Elementary, and TIF agreements for the EG Woodd restaurant incubator and the Englewood Connect firehouse project in the 16th Ward. The committee also approved a resolution creating a Subcommittee on Revenue and re-referred a low-affordability community designation in the 32nd Ward to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate. Small claims payment and denial orders were placed on the Omnibus, and two legal settlements of $300,000 and $750,000 involving police search-warrant and vehicle-collision cases were recommended for passage after questions from members.
Topics: red-light and speed cameras, WIFIA water loan, affordable senior housing, TIF funding, CPS capital needs, Englewood development, Subcommittee on Revenue, low affordability community designation, police settlements
Agenda items discussed
- 12:08 Ordinance amending Municipal Code to align with state law on automated speed and red-light citation review: passed
- 20:08 Amendment to November 7, 2022 ordinance adding authorized officers to execute WIFIA loan documents (Department of Water Management): passed
- 23:33 Amendment to redevelopment agreement with Imani Senior Village Phase 1 LLC, 9621 S. Cottage Grove (8th Ward): passed
- 35:27 Intergovernmental agreement with Chicago Board of Education for TIF funds for McCutcheon Elementary School repairs (46th Ward): passed
- 44:28 Redevelopment agreement and TIF funds for EG Woodd L3C, 1022 W. 63rd Street (16th Ward): passed
- 1:04:49 Amendment to redevelopment agreement with Englewood Connect LLC for historic firehouse at 6205 S. Peoria Street (16th Ward): passed
- 1:16:53 Resolution creating the Subcommittee on Revenue under the Committee on Finance and appointing its chair, vice chair and members: passed
- 1:19:25 Ordinance designating 1868-1878 N. Milwaukee Avenue as a low affordability community (32nd Ward), re-referred to Committee on Housing and Real Estate
- 1:23:44 Order authorizing payment of various small claims against the City
- 1:24:02 Order denying payment of various small claims against the City
- 1:24:32 Settlement: Sharnia Phillips v. City of Chicago ($300,000): passed
- 1:34:18 Settlement: David Hoellein v. City of Chicago and Officer John Craig ($750,000): passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked the comptroller what the city had been paying the private review contractor. (14:42); Asked how many senior buildings the Imani Village developer has across the city. (29:09); Asked where McCutcheon students would go for summer school during construction. (38:03)
- Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Asked how much headcount was shifted to handle camera citation review and whether added staff would appear in the next budget. (17:08); Asked whether the statute would cover planned curbside enforcement and noise camera pilot programs. (18:31); Supported the EG Woodd project but asked that the department share the pro forma with members for TIF requests, noting the hard costs per square foot seemed high. (1:03:18)
- Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Expressed support for the Imani Village senior housing project on Trinity Church's 23-acre site. (26:26); Asked the council to consider rule changes letting the housing and planning departments adjust construction dates without returning to council when nothing else changes. (27:09); Described the Imani Village plan, including single-family homes, a community garden and store, and a future hotel. (29:21)
- Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Praised the Imani Village project and said seniors on fixed incomes across the city need more affordable housing. (32:59); Asked how many layers of funding the project required. (34:28)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Asked how CPS plans to fund its reported $14.4 billion in deferred maintenance and whether it relies on TIF, state or federal funds. (38:33); Said he would support the item but raised concern that CPS repeatedly seeks TIF funds while contributing less than half of repair costs, saying TIF should drive economic development. (40:55); Asked about the current and anticipated property tax bill for the EG Woodd property. (55:02)
- Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth (alderperson): Said neighborhood schools anchor communities, asked for demographic information on McCutcheon students, and said she supports the proposal. (41:40)
- Matthew J. Martin (alderperson): Said he supports the EG Woodd project and asked how many kitchen spaces and stoves are planned. (52:50)
- Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Said she is excited to support the project and asked whether the L3C designation exempts the owner from property taxes. (54:01)
- William Conway (alderperson): Asked how PACE financing would function for the Englewood Connect project and what energy improvements it would fund. (1:12:57); Asked about the amortization period for the PACE loan and commended the use of the tool. (1:15:36)
- William E. Hall (alderperson): Thanked members for appointing him chair of the new revenue subcommittee and said he looks forward to the work. (1:19:12)
- Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Said future low affordability community designations should go to the Committee on Housing and Real Estate rather than Finance. (1:19:50); Explained that the state program gives developers reduced assessments if at least 20% of units stay affordable for 30 years. (1:20:13)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Explained that low affordability designations are site-specific and must come to council with parcel numbers, similar to Class 6(b) incentives. (1:22:33); Asked whether the Phillips search was an erroneous search and whether the problem should have been caught before the warrant was executed. (1:29:26); Asked whether procedures are now in place to prevent similar search-warrant incidents. (1:31:58)
Exchanges between members
- 29:09 Taylor asked how many senior buildings the Imani Village group has, and Harris described the group and its plans.
- 32:59 Burnett praised Harris's work on the Imani Village senior housing project.
- 35:06 Harris responded to Burnett's point about aging residents by citing a 3,000-person waiting list at her last senior building.