The $75 million parking meter payment was in the City's hands before the vote. Monday's roll call still isn't posted

The $75 million at the center of Monday's Council fight was already in the City's hands before the vote. A notice from the City's chief financial officer, filed with the City Clerk on Oct. 21, tells the Council that the City has received $75,000,000 in connection with the transfer of the parking meter company's ownership (F2026-0029658). The Clerk's record lists it for the Council's Dec. 8 meeting.

Why it matters: the money isn't a promise that might fall through. It's cash the City holds now, and under the ordinance the Council passed 44 to 6 on Monday, it has to go to the four pension funds by Dec. 31 instead of toward next year's budget. That leaves Mayor Brandon Johnson's 2027 plan $75 million short, as we reported Tuesday.

The roll call still isn't posted

As of Wednesday morning, the Clerk's official record for the ordinance, O2026-0029681, shows that it passed on a motion by Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), and that a motion to reconsider by Ald. Greg Mitchell (7th) failed. It does not yet list how each member voted. We checked the Clerk's legislative system directly; the vote entries for Monday's actions are empty.

That means we still can't name all six no votes from the record. The Sun-Times reported two: Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), the Budget chair, and Ald. Byron Sigcho-López (25th). We'll add the full roll call to the ordinance's page and to Tuesday's story once the Clerk posts it.

What the filing says

The two-page filing, dated in October, is a cover letter and a one-paragraph notification. It was filed under Section 2.3 of the Sept. 29 ordinance approving the meter company's sale to Stonepeak Partners (SO2026-0025407). That section required the City to tell the Council when the money arrived, and reserved it for pensions "as further specified by the City Council." Monday's ordinance was that specification.

The sale ordinance passed 46 to 3 on Sept. 29. Ervin, Sigcho-López and Ald. William Hall (6th) voted no, WBEZ reported.

Lobbying, side by side. Our record for the notice also shows that Chicago Parking Meters LLC was a lobbying client in two City filings covering April through September 2026, which list legislation pertaining to the company pending before the Council. A lobbying registration shows who was hired to talk to the City, not how anyone voted.

What was said Monday

Our meeting notes cover the full debate. Two moments bear on what comes next:

• Dowell said she was ready to work with colleagues on any proposal the Mayor brings to adjust his budget (watch).
• Ervin said the payment, combined with other gaps, amounts to the equivalent of a 5% cut to every department outside public safety (watch). He said he doesn't oppose the pension payment, only its timing (watch).

After the vote, the Mayor's office said the extra payment puts youth jobs, homelessness services, libraries and violence intervention at risk, ABC7 Chicago reported. Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) told ABC7 that it's the Mayor's budget and he needs to find the money.

What's next

• Today through Nov. 10: budget hearings continue; today's story.
• Dec. 8: the receipt notice goes before the full Council.
• Dec. 31: deadline for the $75 million to reach the police, fire, municipal and laborers' pension funds, and for a balanced 2027 budget.

Sources: Department of Finance: Notification of Receipt of Funds (PDF); Office of the City Clerk: O2026-0029681 official record.