The approval represents a major win for Mayor Brandon Johnson, who has touted the proposal as a way to make Chicago a more equitable place to live by “investing in people” and expanding the city’s economic capacity — without raising taxes on Chicago property owners.
City Council
Officials expect it will cost an additional $321 million through the end of 2024 to care for the migrants. The Chicago City Council and the Cook County Board of Commissioners have approved plans to contribute $70 million each. State lawmakers are expected to set aside $182 million as part of the state’s budget for the next fiscal year.
Former Ald. Ed Burke paid two law firms, Blegen & Garvey and Breen & Pugh, approximately $769,000 one month after his conviction, according to state records.
Both proposals could get a vote at the next Chicago City Council meeting, set for Friday.
The recommendation followed the unanimous decision on Monday by the Chicago Board of Ethics to dismiss an enforcement action against a City Hall lobbyist who donated to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s campaign fund.
The City Council’s Budget Committee voted 20-8 to advance the proposal to the full City Council, which could vote on it as early as Wednesday. The panel also agreed to accept $48 million in federal and state grants to care for the migrants.
The City Council’s Budget Committee is set to consider the request at a meeting Monday, six weeks after the mayor pointedly declined to join Gov. J.B. Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle when they announced an agreement to set aside an additional $250 million to care for migrants.
Two firms are set to get licenses to keep their 3,000 scooters speeding through Chicago until June 2026. And for the first time since shared e-scooters hit Chicago streets five years ago, city rules will allow the motorized two-wheelers to be ridden between midnight and 5 a.m.
Since Mayor Brandon Johnson took office, Cristina Pacione-Zayas has served as his first deputy chief of staff, charged with overseeing the city’s response to the arrival of nearly 38,500 migrants from the southern border.
The Chicago City Council voted 16-29 Monday to reject an effort to punish Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez for speaking at a protest in front of City Hall where an American flag was burned.
Nearly 80% of voters in two precincts of the 7th Ward endorsed a referendum asking whether Ald. Greg Mitchell and Mayor Brandon Johnson should support “a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) ordinance to prevent the displacement of renters, condo & home owners in South Shore in light of the impact of the Obama Center and growing development in the area.”
City officials were under significant pressure from nearby residents to return the five fieldhouses at Brands Park, Gage Park, Piotrowski Park, Broadway Armory Park and Leone Park to park district use before summer programs, including day camps, were set to begin.
Since city officials began enforcing the 60-day limit on shelter stays, eight people were evicted on Sunday and Monday, with another seven evicted on Wednesday, according to city data.
The cost to taxpayers of the settlements approved without debate by the City Council on Wednesday is equivalent to more than a third of the city’s annual $82 million budget to cover the cost of police misconduct lawsuits.
The question asks Chicago voters to decide if they support an increase of the real estate transfer tax on property sales over $1 million. The additional revenue would be used on programs to fight homelessness.
In all, the City Council will consider paying $52.7 million to resolve four lawsuits that allege a wide range of police misconduct. The city’s insurance company is set to pay $25 million of that total.
