# Committee on Finance meeting, March 10, 2025

- When: Mon, Mar 10, 2025, 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](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/committee/finance)
- Video: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/1063264436
- Transcript: [full text](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/transcripts/1063264436.txt) (15,667 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, chaired by Alderperson Pat Dowell, heard 14 public commenters, many of whom urged approval of a settlement for Miracle Boyd, who was struck by a police officer during a July 2020 protest in Grant Park. After questions from Alderpersons Taylor, Sposato, Lee and Ervin, the $280,000 Boyd settlement was approved on a roll call of 22 yeas to 7 nays, and three settlements arising from police vehicle crashes ($400,000, $1 million and $1.5 million) were approved by voice vote. The committee also recommended financial assistance for a 45-unit, 100 percent affordable, Native American-focused housing development at 2909-2917 West Irving Park Road in the 33rd Ward, and amendments relaunching the TIF Works employee training grant program as Workforce Solutions with an outside administrator, expanded TIF eligibility and non-TIF funding. During the TIF Works discussion, Alderperson William Conway questioned whether workforce training is a typical use of TIF funds, and the chair said it has been an authorized use from the program's start; small claims orders were placed on the omnibus.

Topics: police misconduct settlements, Miracle Boyd settlement, police pursuit crashes, affordable housing, Native American housing, TIF Works, workforce training, public comment

### Agenda items discussed

- [39:47](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2387) Approval of the February 2025 Rule 45 report: passed
- [40:26](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2426) Report of verdicts, judgments and settlements for February 2025 (placed on file)
- [40:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2458) Settlement: Boyd v. Jovanovic et al., $280,000: passed
- [50:20](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3020) Settlement: Mang v. City of Chicago (police vehicle crash), $400,000: passed
- [53:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3219) Settlement: estate of Robinson and Jones v. City of Chicago (police pursuit crash), $1 million: passed
- [59:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3572) Settlement: estate of Island v. City of Chicago (police pursuit crash), $1.5 million: passed
- [1:07:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=4027) Financial assistance to UNAH Irving Park LP for affordable housing at 2909-2917 West Irving Park Road: passed
- [1:28:05](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5285) Amendment of the TIF Works program: new administrator, rename to Workforce Solutions, expanded TIF areas and non-TIF funding: passed
- [1:51:40](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6700) Orders authorizing and denying payment of various small claims (placed on omnibus)

### Alderpersons who spoke

- [Pat Dowell](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/3) (chair): Responded to Alderperson William Conway that workforce training has been part of the TIF program from the beginning and is not an unusual use of TIF. ([1:37:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5820)); Said she was stating what the law allows regarding TIF use. ([1:37:56](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5876))
- [Jeanette B. Taylor](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/20) (alderperson): Asked what body-worn camera footage exists of the Boyd incident and why the two officers did not have active cameras. ([42:46](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2566)); Asked what COPA recommended for the officers and was told separation for one officer. ([43:42](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2622)); Said $280,000 is not enough to repair the harm, that she knows Miracle Boyd personally, and called it a sick system. ([44:10](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2650))
- [Nicholas Sposato](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/38) (alderperson): Asked whether the event was an effort to tear down the Columbus statue and whether objects were thrown at officers; the Law Department confirmed objects were thrown. ([45:03](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2703)); Said the protesters were there to fight with police and tear down the statue and stated he would vote no on the settlement. ([46:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2767))
- [Nicole T. Lee](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/11) (alderperson): Asked whether criminal charges were brought against the officer and whether he had other complaints; was told no charges and this was his only sustained complaint known. ([46:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2812)); Supported the TIF Works expansion, citing a bakery in her ward that used a grant to train workers on new equipment, and welcomed eligibility beyond TIF borders. ([1:47:41](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6461)); Asked what non-TIF funding sources would be used and the average grant size; was told about $10 million from the housing and economic development bond and grants averaging about $75,000. ([1:49:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6556))
- [Jason C. Ervin](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/28) (alderperson): Asked whether the Boyd settlement amount came from a federal court settlement conference recommendation; was told yes. ([47:29](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=2849))
- [Daniel La Spata](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/1) (alderperson): Said settlements are discussed in non-public briefings and stressed the human loss behind the Island settlement, saying the children would trade the money to have their father back. ([1:05:22](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=3922)); Affirmed the chair's point that state law has long allowed TIF to fund workforce and human capital costs. ([1:39:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5956)); Asked what a Workforce Solutions grant would do for a small business owner, such as one on Armitage Avenue. ([1:40:14](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6014))
- [Carlos Ramírez-Rosa](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/former/ramirez-rosa) (alderperson): Said Chicago has the largest urban Native population east of the Mississippi, that a UIC study identified affordable housing as a top need, and commended Alderperson Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez for the project. ([1:25:02](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5102))
- [Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/33) (alderperson): Thanked the development team and Department of Housing after project delays and said it is the city's first Native American-focused development, open to all applicants with services focused on the Native community. ([1:26:26](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5186))
- [William Conway](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/34) (alderperson): Asked how much TIF money is currently spent on workforce development; was told about $2 million across four TIFs for manufacturing. ([1:34:59](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5699)); Said he submitted a support letter but views workforce training as an unusual use of TIF given the housing bond and future TIF sweeps, and asked that return on investment be measured. ([1:35:49](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5749)); Maintained that it is not a classical use of TIF money while saying he would not vote no. ([1:37:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5854))
- [Scott Waguespack](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/32) (alderperson): Said he supports the program and asked whether city staffing would increase and what the marketing campaign and administrator would cost. ([1:38:09](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5889))
- [Andre Vasquez Jr.](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/40) (alderperson): Said training programs can help community hiring and asked for past examples and investment amounts to understand returns. ([1:42:39](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6159)); Asked about wage requirements and caps for businesses that are already profitable. ([1:44:08](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6248)); Suggested reimbursable grants for well-funded businesses and possibly requiring labor peace agreements, while stating his support. ([1:45:52](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6352))
- [Ronnie L. Mosley](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/ward/21) (alderperson): Expressed support, citing restaurants and cafes in his ward and saying the change helps residents work in local businesses. ([1:50:32](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6632))

### Exchanges between members

- [1:26:01](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5161) Alderperson Carlos Ramírez-Rosa commended Alderperson Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez for working with the community on the housing project.
- [1:27:57](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5277) The chair congratulated Alderperson Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez on the project.
- [1:37:00](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5820) The chair disagreed with Alderperson William Conway that workforce training is an unusual use of TIF.
- [1:37:34](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5854) Alderperson William Conway maintained it is not a classical TIF use and said they would agree to disagree.
- [1:39:16](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5956) Alderperson Daniel La Spata affirmed the chair's point about TIF law.
- [1:39:58](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=5998) Alderperson Daniel La Spata told Alderperson William Conway he did not intend to be confrontational.
- [1:49:07](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00?t=6547) Alderperson Nicole T. Lee echoed Alderperson Andre Vasquez Jr. call for metrics on the program.

## Documents

- [Summary](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/22695535-9561-417a-992d-7b677fceb92f.pdf)
- [Agenda](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/e241f4b4-012c-46c7-9033-ea6db661e747.pdf)
- [Notice](https://www.chicagopolitics.org/files/clerk/meetingattachmentspublic/3d3c0e31-9d67-4c89-ba4a-8d70424bb3bf.pdf)

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Source: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/meeting/EEEA7191-12EF-EF11-BE20-001DD8304C00 · Chicago Politics, an independent, nonpartisan tracker of the Chicago City Council. Guide for agents: https://www.chicagopolitics.org/llms.txt