City Council meeting, November 18, 2025
- When: Tue, Nov 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=1137802473
- Transcript: full text (6,239 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 November 18, 2025 City Council meeting opened with six public commenters who spoke on federal immigration enforcement, the mayor's budget, and a request that alderpersons honor a letter supporting a TIF surplus for Chicago Public Schools. Finance Chair Pat Dowell reported that the 2026 Revenue Ordinance received a do-not-pass recommendation in committee and was deferred and published. Under unfinished business, the council passed by voice vote Alderperson William Conway item on the historical landmark designation of the Bankers Building at 105 West Adams. Alderperson Anthony Beale sought to suspend the rules to take up a resolution naming Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson permanent chair of the Zoning Committee; Alderperson Jason C. Ervin objected and Alderperson Gilbert Villegas sought to substitute his own name, and the motion to suspend the rules failed 18 to 30. The next meeting was set for December 10, 2025.
Topics: 2026 revenue ordinance, Zoning Committee chairmanship, Bankers Building landmark, immigration enforcement, CPS funding and TIF surplus, public comment
Agenda items discussed
- 33:04 Public comment period: discussed
- 52:22 Communications, including ordinance amending Enterprise Zone 2 and Executive Order 2025-9 on SNAP disruptions
- 53:47 2026 Revenue Ordinance (do-not-pass recommendation in Finance Committee): deferred
- 54:59 New business: aldermanic introductions
- 56:15 Historical landmark designation of the Bankers Building at 105 West Adams (O2025-0020463): passed
- 58:35 Motion to suspend the rules to consider a resolution naming Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson permanent Zoning Committee chair: failed
- 1:10:25 Ordinance setting next meeting for December 10, 2025: passed
Alderpersons who spoke
- Pat Dowell (alderperson): Reported that the 2026 Revenue Ordinance received a do-not-pass recommendation in the Finance Committee and that she and the budget chair would defer and publish it. (53:47)
- William Conway (alderperson): Said the 105 West Adams project would convert 400,000 square feet of vacant space into 400 residential units with 300 union construction jobs and a minority-owned developer, and asked colleagues to pass it. (56:15)
- Anthony Beale (alderperson): Moved to suspend the rules to consider a resolution. (58:35); Said Alderperson Bennett R. Lawson had done a strong job as acting Zoning chair and should be named permanent chair. (1:02:13)
- Jason C. Ervin (alderperson): Asked what resolution was being considered before the rules were suspended and asked that it be distributed. (58:56); Said the resolution would normally go to the Committee on Committees and Rules, objected to suspending the rules, and requested a roll call vote. (1:01:38)
- Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Argued the council could suspend the rules and act immediately because the resolution is an internal matter, saying the vacancy had lasted for months and the body needs a permanent chair. (1:03:24)
- Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Said the budget, finance and zoning chairmanships historically reflected more diversity and moved to strike and insert his own name as Zoning chair, requesting a roll call vote. (1:05:17)
Exchanges between members
- 58:56 Ervin asked what resolution Beale wanted to take up before the rules were suspended.
- 1:03:24 Lopez responded to Ervin's point that the resolution would normally go to the Rules Committee, arguing the council could act immediately.
- 1:04:12 Lopez referred to Beale's point that the vacancy had lasted for months and urged colleagues to suspend the rules.