Committee on Budget and Government Operations meeting, November 4, 2025

When: Tue, Nov 4, 2025, 9:30 AM (Chicago time)
Where: City Council Chamber, 2nd Floor, City Hall, 121 North LaSalle Street - Chicago, IL 60602
Status: Scheduled & Published
Committee: Committee on Budget and Government Operations
Video: https://vimeo.com/showcase/8925576?video=1133243434
Transcript: full text (85,255 words, automatic captions)

Video chapters

7:39 Public comment
55:52 2026 budget hearing: Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection
1:05:33 Debra L. Silverstein: Asked how many positions BACP would lose and whether vacancies were being eliminated.
1:06:50 Debra L. Silverstein: Asked for a summary of the proposed hemp ordinance and BACP's role in enforcing it.
1:11:43 Debra L. Silverstein: Questioned whether complaint-based inspections are sufficient, describing hemp as a…
1:18:13 Anthony Beale: Questioned why the city would regulate and legalize hemp products for revenue after the…
1:19:29 Anthony Beale: Asked why the city does not ban hemp products and noted the state is considering a statewide…
1:20:28 Anthony Beale: Compared the department's argument to the roughly 3,000 illegal gaming machines in the city…
1:22:03 Jason C. Ervin: Asked Alderperson Anthony Beale to clarify which machines he meant by illegal machines,…
1:23:00 Jason C. Ervin: Stated that sweepstakes machines are not illegal in themselves but become illegal when they…
1:32:09 David H. Moore: Asked why sweepstakes machines lacking a license or tax emblem cannot be removed rather than…
1:33:08 Jason C. Ervin: Said licensing, confiscation, and related issues around sweepstakes machines need to be…
1:33:22 David H. Moore: Requested a written listing of what makes these machines legal or illegal, the department's…
1:34:05 Michelle A. Harris: Asked how hemp products would be regulated citywide and where BACP would find the staff…
1:36:10 Michelle A. Harris: Asked how the city could regulate potency in a product not regulated by the state or…
1:37:57 Michelle A. Harris: Expressed concern that hemp would be legalized without the costly licensing process…
1:47:51 Gregory I. Mitchell: Asked whether businesses with existing licenses would be grandfathered into selling…
1:49:49 Pat Dowell: Asked about the hemp testing protocol and the expected response time for hemp complaints, asking…
1:51:54 Pat Dowell: Asked how much is budgeted for hemp product testing and from which line item it would be paid.
1:52:52 Pat Dowell: Asked whether BACP's budget reduction would affect neighborhood business development center…
2:00:56 Marty Quinn: Confirmed that the mayor's hemp proposal would not affect the hemp ban he placed in the Midway…
2:01:24 Marty Quinn: Asked what on-premise hemp consumption would look like and how it differs from cannabis…
2:05:07 Marty Quinn: Asked whether moratoriums could be placed on hemp licenses and whether CPD was involved in the…
2:06:33 Matthew J. O'Shea: Said he is very concerned about the city engaging with hemp, which he considers…
2:09:43 Matthew J. O'Shea: Asked what more can be done for restaurants losing back-of-house workers amid immigration…
2:12:07 Brendan Reilly: Cited a letter from 38 state attorneys general on hemp health risks and asked about…
2:13:40 Brendan Reilly: Said the simplest regulation would be an outright ban and that putting children's lives at…
2:14:54 Brendan Reilly: Said repeated public vehicle violations at the same addresses suggest enforcement is not…
2:19:34 David H. Moore: Asked whether businesses before the license hearing officers could hire the law firms those…
2:24:57 Gilbert Villegas: Thanked BACP for work on tow truck regulation and said he would invite the department to…
2:27:14 Gilbert Villegas: Asked whether BACP is involved in the city's Enterprise Resource Planning system rollout.
2:29:20 Gilbert Villegas: Asked whether the law department has a written opinion on state preemption risk for the…
2:45:50 William Conway: Said he shares colleagues' concerns about hemp and asked what age verification, testing, and…
2:47:00 William Conway: Described his five-year-old wanting hemp products that looked like candy and said he…
2:49:03 Byron Sigcho-López: Asked how the city can help small businesses, especially Latino-owned businesses,…
2:51:25 Byron Sigcho-López: Asked how the council can help street vendors obtain licenses, noting vendors detained…
2:53:08 Byron Sigcho-López: Urged the council to support street vendors and small businesses and not rely only on…
2:57:55 Walter R. Burnett: Asked about the rationale for doubling the limited business license fee and its impact on…
3:01:15 Walter R. Burnett: Asked how BACP engages businesses affected by transportation changes near Chicago Avenue…
3:06:55 Walter R. Burnett: Asked whether BACP has enough staffing to implement new requirements such as hemp…
3:10:00 Nicole T. Lee: Said CDPH had indicated it has capacity to test hemp products but is not budgeted for it, and…
3:10:50 Nicole T. Lee: Asked how much of the citation fines BACP issues are actually recovered compared with what is…
3:11:41 Nicole T. Lee: Asked for the rationale behind doubling and in some cases quadrupling business license fees,…
4:06:25 Nicholas Sposato: Said he thinks the proposed head tax is a bad idea that would drive businesses out of the…
4:06:51 Nicholas Sposato: Said sweepstakes machine operators want to be regulated and the city should license them.
4:07:40 Nicholas Sposato: Asked the department to consider scaling fines and fees so small businesses are not…
4:08:56 Matthew J. Martin: Asked about reductions in contractual services in BACP's budget and the cable fund…
4:13:45 Matthew J. Martin: Asked whether inspector positions are exempt from the hiring freeze and when BACP last…
4:17:10 William E. Hall: Asked how many complaints BACP receives about sweepstakes machines and whether violent…
4:18:53 William E. Hall: Asked about outreach plans for new business owners in 2026 and whether hemp complaints have…
4:20:20 Scott Waguespack: Asked how much hemp licensing revenue would be allocated to fighting youth addiction.
4:21:15 Scott Waguespack: Asked whether the city tracks total business license processing time across departments.
4:22:54 Bennett R. Lawson: Asked about the total number of wage complaints including those filed with the state and…
4:24:35 Bennett R. Lawson: Asked when BACP follows up on businesses operating after their licenses expire.
4:26:00 Bennett R. Lawson: Asked why projected short-term rental revenue for homelessness and domestic violence…
4:36:11 Jeanette B. Taylor: Asked why the hemp ordinance does not limit sales to smoke shops, citing two young…
4:39:36 Jeanette B. Taylor: Said the ordinance does not fix the problem and compared it to the rollout of marijuana.
4:40:00 Jeanette B. Taylor: Asked why businesses repeatedly closed for problems keep their licenses, citing a…
4:52:45 Daniel La Spata: Credited BACP's work with reducing shootings in his ward from 17 to three this year.
4:53:17 Daniel La Spata: Asked whether BACP can do proactive inspections of public place of amusement licenses…
4:55:00 Daniel La Spata: Asked about the status and timeline of a pilot for transporting mobility devices left…
4:58:26 Gregory I. Mitchell: Asked what legislation, policies, or procedures the BACP commissioner had pursued to…
5:00:54 Gregory I. Mitchell: Requested documentation showing how often inspectors visit gas stations.
5:28:15 2026 budget hearing: Department of Planning and Development
6:12:46 Matthew J. O'Shea: Said TIF-funded projects he had pursued for over a year, including park improvements,…
6:37:22 William Conway: Asked why projected net revenue for the LaSalle Central TIF fell about 35 percent in a year.
6:57:57 Anthony J. Quezada: Asked how the $11 million ARPA-related decrease affects DPD operations.
6:59:30 Anthony J. Quezada: Asked about DPD strategies for vacant lots and affordable housing development and…
7:04:08 Anthony J. Quezada: Asked about the timeline and process for requesting land use studies.
7:07:02 Jessica L. Fuentes: Asked how many DPD vacancies are subject to the hiring freeze and the impact on 2026 work.
7:07:54 Jessica L. Fuentes: Asked about the possibility of expanding Neighborhood Opportunity Fund boundaries.
7:58:04 2026 budget hearing: Department of Housing
8:20:37 Emma Mitts: Asked about the status of assistance for 2023 flood victims, noting only about 50 families had…
8:23:10 Emma Mitts: Asked how DOH coordinates with procurement on compliance for contracts such as the casino and…
8:26:12 Emma Mitts: Asked DOH to help a senior in her ward who was denied furnace assistance.
8:50:00 Raymond A. Lopez: Asked how DPD and DOH coordinate their funding pools and whether DOH has representation on…
8:51:58 Raymond A. Lopez: Raised concern that affordable housing rehab costs approach a million dollars per unit and…
8:55:24 Raymond A. Lopez: Said DOH and DPD are picking winners and losers, citing a stalled 100-plus unit project in…
9:00:03 Monique L. Scott: Said Missing Middle infill housing will help her ward, which has over 3,000 vacant lots,…
9:18:38 2026 budget hearing: Chicago Public Library
10:02:14 Samantha Nugent: Praised library programs including book club sets and plans for CPS student IDs to serve as…
10:04:04 Samantha Nugent: Noted the collections budget would be cut in half and that Chicago's per capita collections…
10:06:03 Samantha Nugent: Asked what factors and who led to the decision to cut collections by 50 percent.
10:11:25 Scott Waguespack: Read from a Friends of Edgewater Library letter urging rejection of the proposed…

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.

This was the first part of a November 4, 2025 Committee on Budget and Government Operations hearing on the proposed 2026 budget, chaired by Alderperson Jason C. Ervin with Vice Chair Nicole T. Lee presiding over later portions. Fifteen members of the public spoke on topics including the proposed community safety surcharge and other corporate taxes, rideshare taxes and paratransit riders, library staffing, green social housing, and a rental registry. The committee then heard from the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, where members questioned the proposed hemp and cannabis consumption licensing ordinance, sweepstakes machines, business license fee increases, gas station and liquor store enforcement, and repeat violators. Members next questioned the Department of Planning and Development and the Department of Housing on the proposed TIF surplus, the Housing and Economic Development Bond, vacant city lots, affordable housing costs, home repair programs, and construction compliance monitoring. The final segment covered the Chicago Public Library, where members raised concerns about the elimination of 69 vacant positions, a 50 percent cut to the collections budget, and whether to raise the library property tax levy; no votes were taken in this portion of the hearing.

Topics: 2026 budget, Hemp and cannabis licensing, Business license fees, Sweepstakes machines, TIF surplus, Affordable housing, Vacant city lots, Library collections and staffing, Community safety surcharge, Business enforcement

Agenda items discussed

7:39 Public comment: discussed
55:52 2026 budget hearing: Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection: discussed
5:28:15 2026 budget hearing: Department of Planning and Development: discussed
7:58:04 2026 budget hearing: Department of Housing: discussed
9:18:38 2026 budget hearing: Chicago Public Library: discussed

Alderpersons who spoke

Jason C. Ervin (chair): Asked Alderperson Anthony Beale to clarify which machines he meant by illegal machines, distinguishing video gaming terminals from sweepstakes machines. (1:22:03); Stated that sweepstakes machines are not illegal in themselves but become illegal when they pay out cash, and that a machine without a city amusement license or tax emblem is technically illegal. (1:23:00); Said licensing, confiscation, and related issues around sweepstakes machines need to be discussed with the department. (1:33:08)
Nicole T. Lee (alderperson): Said CDPH had indicated it has capacity to test hemp products but is not budgeted for it, and supported holding a separate subject-matter hearing on hemp. (3:10:00); Asked how much of the citation fines BACP issues are actually recovered compared with what is assessed. (3:10:50); Asked for the rationale behind doubling and in some cases quadrupling business license fees, citing concerns for small businesses and empty storefronts. (3:11:41)
Debra L. Silverstein (alderperson): Asked how many positions BACP would lose and whether vacancies were being eliminated. (1:05:33); Asked for a summary of the proposed hemp ordinance and BACP's role in enforcing it. (1:06:50); Questioned whether complaint-based inspections are sufficient, describing hemp as a potentially very dangerous product. (1:11:43)
Anthony Beale (alderperson): Questioned why the city would regulate and legalize hemp products for revenue after the health commissioner said they harm people. (1:18:13); Asked why the city does not ban hemp products and noted the state is considering a statewide ban. (1:19:29); Compared the department's argument to the roughly 3,000 illegal gaming machines in the city and asked why they are not being shut down aggressively. (1:20:28)
David H. Moore (alderperson): Asked why sweepstakes machines lacking a license or tax emblem cannot be removed rather than fined. (1:32:09); Requested a written listing of what makes these machines legal or illegal, the department's regulatory powers, and any recommendations. (1:33:22); Asked whether businesses before the license hearing officers could hire the law firms those part-time hearing officers work for. (2:19:34)
Michelle A. Harris (alderperson): Asked how hemp products would be regulated citywide and where BACP would find the staff and time to do it. (1:34:05); Asked how the city could regulate potency in a product not regulated by the state or federal government. (1:36:10); Expressed concern that hemp would be legalized without the costly licensing process cannabis went through. (1:37:57)
Gregory I. Mitchell (alderperson): Asked whether businesses with existing licenses would be grandfathered into selling hemp and why the distance restriction would be waived for them. (1:47:51); Asked what legislation, policies, or procedures the BACP commissioner had pursued to address ward-specific issues such as gas stations. (4:58:26); Requested documentation showing how often inspectors visit gas stations. (5:00:54)
Pat Dowell (alderperson): Asked about the hemp testing protocol and the expected response time for hemp complaints, asking for more specificity. (1:49:49); Asked how much is budgeted for hemp product testing and from which line item it would be paid. (1:51:54); Asked whether BACP's budget reduction would affect neighborhood business development center delegate agencies. (1:52:52)
Marty Quinn (alderperson): Confirmed that the mayor's hemp proposal would not affect the hemp ban he placed in the Midway area. (2:00:56); Asked what on-premise hemp consumption would look like and how it differs from cannabis consumption and cigar lounges. (2:01:24); Asked whether moratoriums could be placed on hemp licenses and whether CPD was involved in the rollout. (2:05:07)
Matthew J. O'Shea (alderperson): Said he is very concerned about the city engaging with hemp, which he considers dangerous, and asked whether BACP has enough staff to oversee it. (2:06:33); Asked what more can be done for restaurants losing back-of-house workers amid immigration enforcement. (2:09:43); Said TIF-funded projects he had pursued for over a year, including park improvements, have been on hold, and that he was never informed of the TIF sweep. (6:12:46)
Brendan Reilly (alderperson): Cited a letter from 38 state attorneys general on hemp health risks and asked about projected hemp revenue and dedicated inspectors. (2:12:07); Said the simplest regulation would be an outright ban and that putting children's lives at risk is not worth it. (2:13:40); Said repeated public vehicle violations at the same addresses suggest enforcement is not deterring behavior and asked whether fines should increase. (2:14:54)
Gilbert Villegas (alderperson): Thanked BACP for work on tow truck regulation and said he would invite the department to work with the Secretary of State on licensing. (2:24:57); Asked whether BACP is involved in the city's Enterprise Resource Planning system rollout. (2:27:14); Asked whether the law department has a written opinion on state preemption risk for the hemp ordinance and how the city would unwind it if state policy changes. (2:29:20)
William Conway (alderperson): Said he shares colleagues' concerns about hemp and asked what age verification, testing, and packaging standards exist today. (2:45:50); Described his five-year-old wanting hemp products that looked like candy and said he appreciates the city trying to regulate them despite imperfections. (2:47:00); Asked why projected net revenue for the LaSalle Central TIF fell about 35 percent in a year. (6:37:22)
Byron Sigcho-López (alderperson): Asked how the city can help small businesses, especially Latino-owned businesses, affected by federal immigration enforcement. (2:49:03); Asked how the council can help street vendors obtain licenses, noting vendors detained by immigration agents. (2:51:25); Urged the council to support street vendors and small businesses and not rely only on punitive measures. (2:53:08)
Walter R. Burnett (alderperson): Asked about the rationale for doubling the limited business license fee and its impact on small businesses, urging advance communication with them. (2:57:55); Asked how BACP engages businesses affected by transportation changes near Chicago Avenue and Halsted. (3:01:15); Asked whether BACP has enough staffing to implement new requirements such as hemp licensing and new taxes. (3:06:55)
Nicholas Sposato (alderperson): Said he thinks the proposed head tax is a bad idea that would drive businesses out of the city, particularly in border wards. (4:06:25); Said sweepstakes machine operators want to be regulated and the city should license them. (4:06:51); Asked the department to consider scaling fines and fees so small businesses are not charged the same as large chains. (4:07:40)
Matthew J. Martin (alderperson): Asked about reductions in contractual services in BACP's budget and the cable fund positions. (4:08:56); Asked whether inspector positions are exempt from the hiring freeze and when BACP last analyzed how many inspectors it needs for target response times. (4:13:45)
William E. Hall (alderperson): Asked how many complaints BACP receives about sweepstakes machines and whether violent incidents have been linked to them. (4:17:10); Asked about outreach plans for new business owners in 2026 and whether hemp complaints have increased. (4:18:53)
Scott Waguespack (alderperson): Asked how much hemp licensing revenue would be allocated to fighting youth addiction. (4:20:20); Asked whether the city tracks total business license processing time across departments. (4:21:15); Read from a Friends of Edgewater Library letter urging rejection of the proposed collections and staffing cuts. (10:11:25)
Bennett R. Lawson (alderperson): Asked about the total number of wage complaints including those filed with the state and how many tipped wage complaints were sustained. (4:22:54); Asked when BACP follows up on businesses operating after their licenses expire. (4:24:35); Asked why projected short-term rental revenue for homelessness and domestic violence funds is dropping significantly. (4:26:00)
Jeanette B. Taylor (alderperson): Asked why the hemp ordinance does not limit sales to smoke shops, citing two young people in her ward taken to the emergency room. (4:36:11); Said the ordinance does not fix the problem and compared it to the rollout of marijuana. (4:39:36); Asked why businesses repeatedly closed for problems keep their licenses, citing a business near 60th and King Drive. (4:40:00)
Daniel La Spata (alderperson): Credited BACP's work with reducing shootings in his ward from 17 to three this year. (4:52:45); Asked whether BACP can do proactive inspections of public place of amusement licenses rather than relying on neighbor complaints. (4:53:17); Asked about the status and timeline of a pilot for transporting mobility devices left behind during emergency ambulance trips. (4:55:00)
Anthony J. Quezada (alderperson): Asked how the $11 million ARPA-related decrease affects DPD operations. (6:57:57); Asked about DPD strategies for vacant lots and affordable housing development and whether the city assists or buys from private lot owners. (6:59:30); Asked about the timeline and process for requesting land use studies. (7:04:08)
Jessica L. Fuentes (alderperson): Asked how many DPD vacancies are subject to the hiring freeze and the impact on 2026 work. (7:07:02); Asked about the possibility of expanding Neighborhood Opportunity Fund boundaries. (7:07:54)
Emma Mitts (alderperson): Asked about the status of assistance for 2023 flood victims, noting only about 50 families had been served. (8:20:37); Asked how DOH coordinates with procurement on compliance for contracts such as the casino and how data could be consolidated. (8:23:10); Asked DOH to help a senior in her ward who was denied furnace assistance. (8:26:12)
Raymond A. Lopez (alderperson): Asked how DPD and DOH coordinate their funding pools and whether DOH has representation on the TIF review committee. (8:50:00); Raised concern that affordable housing rehab costs approach a million dollars per unit and asked how DOH mitigates rising costs. (8:51:58); Said DOH and DPD are picking winners and losers, citing a stalled 100-plus unit project in his ward. (8:55:24)
Monique L. Scott (alderperson): Said Missing Middle infill housing will help her ward, which has over 3,000 vacant lots, and offered support. (9:00:03)
Samantha Nugent (alderperson): Praised library programs including book club sets and plans for CPS student IDs to serve as library cards. (10:02:14); Noted the collections budget would be cut in half and that Chicago's per capita collections spending would be lower than New York's and Los Angeles's. (10:04:04); Asked what factors and who led to the decision to cut collections by 50 percent. (10:06:03)

Exchanges between members

1:22:03 The chair asked Alderperson Anthony Beale to clarify what he meant by illegal machines.
1:33:08 The chair responded to Alderperson David H. Moore that licensing and confiscation of machines raised by Alderperson Anthony Beale should be discussed.
1:59:32 Alderperson Pat Dowell said she supported the chair's suggestion of extending premise bans for bad actors.
2:15:18 The chair told Alderperson William Conway he had not been recognized while Alderperson Brendan Reilly had the floor.
2:15:28 Alderperson Brendan Reilly explained he mentioned Alderperson William Conway because the affected residents near 500 West Madison are in Conway's ward.
2:37:50 Alderperson David H. Moore followed up on Alderperson Brendan Reilly point about repeat tickets at the same businesses.
4:07:18 Alderperson Nicholas Sposato referenced Alderperson William Conway account about his child in sharing concerns about hemp products.
4:35:41 The chair asked Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor to raise only new hemp questions given the remaining departments.
4:36:00 Alderperson Jeanette B. Taylor responded to the chair about scheduling many departments on the same day before asking her question.
5:00:54 Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell referenced Alderperson Anthony Beale earlier point about gas station receipt tape.
5:04:34 Alderperson Anthony Beale asked Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell whether he was asking about the commissioner's vision for the department.
5:04:45 The chair said Alderperson Gregory I. Mitchell had asked specific questions and suggested a one-on-one conversation with the commissioner.
5:57:20 Alderperson Daniel La Spata stated, in response to Alderperson Anthony Beale, that he had discussed priorities with the DPD commissioner.
6:02:03 Vice Chair Nicole T. Lee clarified the question Alderperson Anthony Beale was asking about input on the TIF surplus.
6:43:43 Alderperson David H. Moore said he understood Alderperson William Conway concern and stressed consulting the local alderman.
6:57:25 Alderperson Anthony J. Quezada echoed Alderperson Walter R. Burnett words of appreciation for DPD.
8:34:45 Alderperson David H. Moore agreed with Alderperson Michelle A. Harris about doubling bond funding for the roof and porch program.
8:49:25 Alderperson Raymond A. Lopez said he wanted to correct Alderperson Anthony Beale remark, noting DOH had already received a share of the housing bond.
9:00:48 Alderperson William Conway followed up on Alderperson Anthony Beale questions about the housing bond and TIF.
10:22:46 Vice Chair Nicole T. Lee said she agreed with Alderperson Scott Waguespack that cutting collections now would make restoring them harder.

Documents

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