City Council is back from recess this month! Here’s what happened in September.
Mid-Year Budget Hearings
This year marked Chicago’s first mid-year budget report and mid-year hearings! During the 2025 budget hearings, Ald. Vasquez passed a number of reforms aimed at providing greater transparency, accountability, and oversight to the city’s budget process. Establishing mid-year budget reporting was a key part of these reforms, to ensure city departments stay on track throughout the fiscal year.
The Mid-Year Budget Report was released by the Office of Budget Management (OBM) earlier this year, which provided transparency into how the city has thus far spent the funds allocated in last year’s budget process. You can check out our statement from the release of the report to learn more on how we hope to build on it in the future to include greater transparency in line item detail, analysis of workforce, vacancy, overtime, and turnover, and other major issues that impact our city’s budget process.
Since the initial report was released, OBM released its FY26 Budget Forecast as well as the Options for Chicago’s Financial Future Interim Report, which is the product of a task force established by Mayor Brandon Johnson and includes recommendations for $455 million in potential efficiencies and $1.6 billion in potential revenue.
In addition to the report, City Council also held mid-year budget hearings over the course of six days, during which alders were given 5 minutes each to ask each department questions about their budget for the year so far. You can view all of the hearings at the links below:
- Finance and Administration: Office of Budget & Management, Department of Finance, Office of Chief Financial Officer, Department of Human Resources, and Department of Procurement.
- Public Safety: Chicago Fire Department, Office of Public Safety Administration, and Office of Emergency Management & Communication.
- Economic Development: Business Affairs & Consumer Protection, Department of Planning & Development, Department of Housing, and Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
- Streets and Buildings: Dept. of Transportation; Dept. of Streets and Sanitation; Dept. of Buildings; Dept of Fleet and Facility Management.
- Public Safety, Part 2: Chicago Police Department; Dept. of Family & Support Services; Chicago Dept. of Public Health.
- Administration, Part 2: Dept. of Technology & Innovation;, Office of the Inspector General; Civilian Office of Police Accountability; Department of Law
Based on our analysis of the gaps in the mid-year report we asked the following questions of each department:
- A list of internal revenue and expenditure transfers within object and purpose to understand how funds that were initially allocated toward a specific purpose may have been reallocated;
- The cost benefit analysis used for determining functions and positions that are in house vs. go to 3rd parties for every current contract for every department
- A list of FOIA requests that each department has received in FY25 including requestor information, and associated costs.
- Any particular income streams and/or expenditures within each department that have been higher or lower year point within your department that have been surprisingly higher or lower than estimated at the end of last year?
We hope to receive a thorough response from each department and look forward to sharing it with you! In the meantime, you can check out some of Ald. Vasquez’s debriefs from the hearings:
Legislation Introduced
Disabled Parking Improvements
For the past several years, we have been hearing from neighbors who are frustrated with how lengthy and confusing the process is for applying and receiving a permit for disabled parking. This past year, we have been working with our colleagues from the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety and Alderman Ronnie Mosley’s office to explore policy and legislation opportunities to make it easier for people who need it to access disabled parking: first, by reducing automatic denials (and thus the need for appeals, which make the process significantly lengthier), and secondly, by adding an easier online application process.
The ordinance (O2025-0019980), which expands the zoning districts where disabled parking signs can be installed, was introduced in this week’s City Council meeting, and was referred to Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety. We look forward to working toward its passage in the coming months!
We are also working with the Department of Finance and other city agencies to develop an online application portal to streamline the process. We look forward to sharing more in the months to come!
Reporting on ICE Enforcement and Call for an Investigation of DHS
In response to the increase in immigration enforcement and the recklessness of ICE and DHS tactics that has led to the death of at least one Chicagoan, the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights submitted two pieces of legislation:
- A resolution (R2025-0019961) calling for the Illinois Congressional delegation to demand an investigation into potential misconduct by the Department of Homeland Security and other federally deputized agents, and for the City of Chicago to pursue all legal, legislative and operational means to resist the erosion of the rights of Chicagoans;
- An ordinance (O2025-0019959) calling for daily reporting on all interactions from immigration enforcement officials from every city department
The legislation was referred to the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Public Safety, respectively, and we look forward to working with the Chairs of those Committees to schedule a hearing.
Clarification on Welcoming City Ordinance Investigatory Authority
During the Committee on Immigrant and Refugee Rights hearing of the mass detention on June 4th, it became clear that there was a lack of clarity on what agency is responsible for conducting investigations into possible violations of the Welcoming City Ordinance. This month, we submitted an ordinance clarifying the investigative powers and duties for the Welcoming City Ordinance O2025-0019956.
While the Chicago Police Department is not allowed to assist with immigration enforcement, federal enforcement agencies, including ICE, can submit mutual aid requests for assistance related to immigration enforcement, e.g. crowd control—which is what happened on June 4th. During a time when immigration enforcement is on the rise in our city, we can’t afford to wait for clarity: we have to ensure there is strong oversight in place of our law enforcement agencies, to ensure that we are abiding by the values and laws as a Welcoming City.
The ordinance was sent to the Committee on Rules; however, a similar ordinance from Ald. Fuentes did progress, so we look forward to continuing to work with the Mayor’s Office to move legislation forward to provide this urgently needed clarification.
Call for a Hearing on Police Misconduct Settlements
For the past several years, the City of Chicago has significantly overspent its budget on police misconduct settlements. This year, Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $231.2 million to resolve police misconduct lawsuits, nearly tripling the amount budgeted for this year. Just this month, City Council voted to spend an additional $90 million to settle all lawsuits related to just one officer’s misconduct.
According to WTTW’s analysis, cases that involved an officer with repeat misconduct claims account for nearly 60% of the amount the City has paid to resolve police misconduct cases between 2019 and 2024.
This month, Alder Vasquez introduced a resolution (R2025-0019957) calling for a Hearing on Police Misconduct Settlements, so that we can analyze the trends in misconduct and remedies to prevent further misconduct. The people of Chicago deserve better than to continue suffering the effects of police misconduct—including the taxpayers who are shouldering the burden of paying these settlements.
This resolution has been referred to a Joint Committee of Public Safety and Finance, and we look forward to working with the Chairs of those committees to schedule a hearing!
Hazel Johnson Ordinance
Ald. Vasquez and a majority of City Council voted to discharge the Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impact Ordinance (O2025-0016697) from the Committee on Rules and re-refer it. Named for Hazel Johnson, a leader in the fight against environmental racism in Chicago, this ordinance is a first step in addressing Chicago’s history of environmental racism by strengthening the zoning review process for industries or facilities with high pollution potential.
The ordinance was sent to Rules in April, but has now been referred to the Committee on Zoning, where it can now be debated and voted upon.
Legislation Passed
Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance
Ald. Lawson submitted a substitute ordinance (SO2024-0008918) as a compromise between the original ordinance and a competing ordinance introduced by Ald. Quinn. The substitute ordinance legalizes ADUs citywide in all multi-family residential districts, business (B1, B2, B3) and commercial (C1, and C2) districts, and maintains the ability to waive parking requirements via administrative adjustment, as was in the original ordinance. The two primary changes include that single-family home residential districts (RS-1, RS-2, and RS-3) are now able to opt-in to the existing ADU pilot program instead of them being legalized across all residential districts, and that applicants to build ADUs will now be required to use contractors that participate in registered apprenticeship programs.
While Ald. Vasquez was a strong supporter of Ald. Lawson’s initial proposal that would have legalized ADUs in all districts citywide, he voted in support of this compromise, in the hope that it will make it easier for Chicagoans to build an additional unit to their properties, and add more gentle density to our neighborhoods.
The ordinance was passed by the majority of City Council.
Resolutions
This month is Latine Heritage Month! This month comes during an extremely heavy time as Latine residents are being targeted by the Trump administration, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to celebrate and stand proudly in support of our Latine and Hispanic community. Watch Alder Vasquez’s remarks, starting at the 1:22:10 mark:
In addition to honoring Latine Heritage Month, we also got to honor the anniversaries of several 40th Ward institutions this month:
- Lawrence Hall is celebrating its 160th anniversary this year of building empowerment, resilience, and community for youth who have experienced trauma.
- Friedman Place is celebrating their 90th anniversary of providing housing and support services to blind and visually impaired people.
- Windy City Times is celebrating its 40th anniversary of serving as a vital and indispensable voice of the LGBTQ+ community in Chicago.
- Mary Bayne, an institution in our community and at Schneider Apartments where she served as president, passed away this past July. We were grateful for a chance to honor her memory in this month’s City Council call.