2026-10-21 - City Council (Special Meeting, Mayor's Budget Message)

05:45A room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.

05:50All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon

05:55request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one,

06:01when entering-

06:06Check one, two.

06:12Check one, two.

06:16Okay

13:10are permitted and subject to search.

13:12And five, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun

13:18guns, tasers, mace, pepper spray, and toy weapons.

13:23Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent

13:27mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that

13:33does not interfere with the ability of other individuals to view or hear the

13:38proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be

13:44subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the Sergeant at Arms.

13:51City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings, 2023 to

13:572027. Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order

14:03and Procedure, the Sergeant at Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for

14:08members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing

14:13gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.

14:19All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon

14:24request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one,

14:30when entering or exiting the gallery.

14:33Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for

14:38that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the

14:44City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive,

14:50or defamatory behavior or speech, which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or

14:55the Sergeant at Arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly

15:00conduct of the meeting is not permitted.

15:03Disruptive or distracting actions such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms,

15:09throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other-

15:16Good morning, members of the City Council. The meeting will begin shortly.

15:20Please remember to log into your devices. Thank you.

18:11Council rules of-

24:00Good morning, members of the City Council. The meeting will begin shortly.

24:05Please remember to log into your devices. Thank you.

26:32City of Chicago City Council Rules of Conduct for Public Meetings, 2023 to

26:382027. Pursuant to Rule 58 of the Chicago City Council Rules of Order

26:44and Procedure, the Sergeant at Arms sets forth the following rules of conduct for

26:49members of the public. These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing

26:55gallery or room is open for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.

27:00All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon

27:05request. Individuals must remain seated at all times except, one,

27:12when entering or exiting the gallery.

27:14Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for

27:19that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the

27:25City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive,

27:31or defamatory behavior or speech which in the judgment of the meeting's chair or

27:37the sergeant at arms may lead to a breach of the peace or disrupt the orderly

27:42conduct of the meeting is not permitted.

27:44Disruptive or distracting actions, such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms,

27:50throwing any item, whistling, booing, shouting, or other loud utterances are

27:56not permitted when in the judgment of the meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms,

28:01such actions are disrupting or impeding the orderly conduct of the meeting.

28:06Any item that poses a potential safety hazard, as determined by the sergeant at

28:10arms, is prohibited in the gallery.

28:13Such items include but are not limited to, one, any pointed objects, including

28:19knives of any kind. Two, banners, flyers, or other forms of signage.

28:25Three, food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.

28:31Four, backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages.

28:35Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed-

28:40Good morning, members of the city council. Please take your seats.

28:44The meeting will begin shortly. Thank you

30:06comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for that purpose.

30:36Such as the stomping of feet, waving of arms, throwing any item, whistling, booing,

30:43shouting, or other loud utterances are not permitted when in the judgment of the

30:47meeting's chair or the sergeant at arms, such actions are disrupting or impeding

30:53the orderly conduct of the meeting.

30:56Any item that poses a potential safety hazard, as determined by the sergeant at

31:00arms, is prohibited in the gallery.

31:03Such items include but are not limited to, one, any pointed objects, including

31:09knives of any kind. Two, banners, flyers, or other forms of signage.

31:15Three, food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.

31:20Four, backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages.

31:25Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12

31:31are permitted and subject to search.

31:33And five, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun

31:39guns, tasers, mace/pepper spray, and toy weapons.

31:43Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent

31:48mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that

31:54does not interfere with the ability of other individuals to view or hear the

31:59proceedings. Individuals or groups failing to adhere to these rules will be

32:05subject to removal from the remainder of the meeting by the sergeant at arms.

33:58Including knives of any kind. Two, banners, flyers, or other forms of

34:04signage. Three, food and beverages, including in glass or metal canisters.

34:10Four, backpacks, large bags, and sealed packages.

34:15Clear bags, not tinted in color, that do not exceed 12 inches by 6 inches by 12

34:21are permitted and subject to search.

34:23And five, firearms, ammunition, fireworks, laser pointers, stun

34:29guns, tasers, mace/pepper spray, and toy weapons.

34:33Cell phones and other small handheld recording devices must be placed in silent

34:38mode, can only be used while seated, and can only be used in a manner that

34:44does not interfere with the ability of other individuals to-

34:50Good morning, members of the city council. The meeting will begin shortly.

34:54Please take your seats. Thank you.

36:42I don't know

36:43why

39:24we have to be in here for the top.

39:26Yeah. It's a really good-

39:27I would have rather them done it at the top of...

39:31How much-

39:41The mayor will be here momentarily, so at this time, I would appreciate if you

39:44would take your seats, silence your listening devices, and be respectful of your

39:50neighbors,

39:52and have a great time. Thank you.

40:55sets forth the following rules of conduct for members of the public.

41:00These rules shall be in effect at all times that a viewing gallery or room is open

41:05for a meeting of the City Council or any of its committees.

41:09All individuals and their belongings are subject to search at entry or upon

41:14request. Individuals must remain seated at all times, except, one,

41:20when entering or exiting the gallery.

41:23Two, when providing public comment during the portion of a meeting set aside for

41:28that purpose. Or three, when asked to rise and be acknowledged by a member of the

41:34City Council. Profane, threatening, harassing, abusive, or

41:40defamatory-

42:00Let's do it at 10:38.

42:10Good morning.

42:14Good morning.

42:20Good morning.

42:22The council will come to order. Madam Clerk, please take a quorum roll call.

42:36Quorum roll call.

42:39Good morning. Good morning, City Council. You got it? Okay.

42:45All right. Thank you.

42:55Told you.

42:58All right. Thank you. Thank you very much.

43:01Only one budget at a time. Madam Clerk, please.

43:07Good morning. Good morning. The quorum roll call is now open.

43:12The quorum roll call is now open. Please use your e-device.

43:15The quorum roll call is now open. If you need support on your e-device, please

43:20raise your hand.

44:10All right. I will now call on those who have not used the e-device. Alderwoman Dow.

44:15Dow is present. Alderman Robinson. Robinson is present.

44:21Alderman Hall. Hall is present. Alderwoman Harris.

44:26Harris is present. Alderman Beal.

44:31Oh, a lot of them. Okay. Alderwoman Coleman.

44:35Coleman is present.

44:41We'll add you in. I got you, Mitchell. Mitchell is here.

44:47Alderman Viegas.

44:50Not present in chambers. Alderman Napolitano.

44:55Napolitano is present. Alderman Riley.

45:00Riley is present. Alderman Gardner.

45:06Gardner is present.

45:13Hadden, not present in

45:16chambers.

45:20The quorum is now closed.

45:23There are 48 members that are present. We do have a quorum.

45:27There are two members that have requested to participate in today's meeting

45:30remotely for reasons stated in Rule 59.

45:33Can we confirm the presence of Alders Hadden and Viegas online, please?

45:38Alderman Viegas.

45:39Present.

45:41Alderwoman Hadden.

45:42Present.

45:50Very well. Both members have confirmed their presence online.

45:53Can I get a motion for their remote participation?

45:57It's been moved. All those in favor signify by saying "Aye," any opposed say "Nay."

46:01The opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.

46:02Please add those two members to the quorum roll call.

46:07Let's rise for the pledge of allegiance.

46:16I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the

46:21Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible,

46:27with liberty and justice for all. Please remain standing for our invocation, which

46:33will be delivered today by Reverend Dr.

46:36Donovan Price from Solutions and Resources.

46:44Praise the Lord this morning.

46:46It's a lot more people than praises. Praise the Lord this morning.

46:52Amen. Eternal God, before a budget is presented, before a number is

46:58debated, before a vote is taken, let us remember who is counting on us.

47:03Somewhere in Chicago this morning, a mother is opening her bedroom door of her

47:07child who will never walk through it again.

47:10Somewhere, a father is leaving for work praying his paycheck will stretch far

47:14enough. Somewhere, a child is getting ready for school who deserves to grow up, and

47:19somewhere, somebody has almost stopped believing that anybody cares.

47:23God bless this city. Bless the Chicago that visitors photograph and the Chicago

47:29whose pain never makes the news. Bless every neighborhood, every block, every

47:33family represented in this chamber, and every person who wonders whether their

47:37voice can reach it. Meet us now in this room. Bless our mayor.

47:42Bless this city council. Bless every public servant entrusted with our common life.

47:46Give them wisdom that listens, courage that tells the truth, and compassion that

47:51survives disagreement. Bless this city.

47:54As we consider what Chicago can afford, keep us mindful of what its people cannot

47:59afford to lose. A safe place to sleep, a classroom where possibility lives, care

48:05where the body breaks, comfort when the heart breaks, and a fair chance when we

48:10want to just start all over again. Let this budget become something a family can

48:15feel, a door opening, help arriving, a burden lifting, and a promise kept.

48:20Bless this city. From its lakefront to its overlooked doorsteps, breathe hope into

48:26Chicago. Let our children inherit more than our arguments.

48:30Let them inherit our courage, our compassion, our willingness to build together.

48:34And when this address is over, and when these chambers empty, let the blessings

48:39leave with us. And what we fund, and whom we protect, and how we serve.

48:44Bless this city. Bless this city. God Almighty, bless this city.

48:49In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

48:51Amen. Thank you. You may be seated.

49:34Madam Clerk, please read the call of today's special meeting.

49:37The following call for a special meeting of the City Council was filed in my office

49:40on Friday, October 16th, 2026 at 12:22 PM. Dear Ms.

49:46Valencia, I hereby call a special meeting of the City Council of the City of

49:49Chicago to be convened at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, October 21st, 2026, in the City

49:54Council Chamber in City Hall for the following purposes and for no other purposes

49:58whatsoever. One, to receive the executive budget for the year beginning January

50:031st, 2027, and ending December 31st, 2027, and the Mayor's budget message relating

50:09thereto. Two, to receive a place on file communication from the budget director

50:13regarding the 2027 estimated aggregate property tax levy.

50:17Three, to consider a resolution calling for publications of the 2027 executive

50:21budget and setting the date, time, and place of the public hearing on that

50:26executive budget. And four, to receive a mayoral communication regarding the

50:30introduction and referral to appropriate committees of ordinances and resolutions

50:35related to the 2027 executive budget, including but not limited to: A, the fiscal

50:41year 2027 budget recommendations, B, the 2027 Revenue Ordinance that amends various

50:47titles of municipal code, C, the 2027 Management Ordinance that amends various

50:52titles of municipal codes, D, the fiscal year 2027 Tax Levy Ordinance, E, an

50:58ordinance authorizing the allocation of motor fuel tax funds, F, an ordinance

51:02authorizing the execution of Intragovernmental Agreement, the Chicago Transit

51:05Authority, and Cook County for the allocation of motor fuel tax funds, G, a

51:10resolution amending the salary resolution, H, the 27 Municipal Code Corrections and

51:15Ordinance, and I, ordinances authorizing the issuance of the City General

51:18Obligation Bonds Series 2026 and corresponding code amendments.

51:22Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor of the City of Chicago.

51:28Thank you, Madam Clerk. I will now deliver the budget address for 2027, and then we

51:33will continue the rest of our special meetings business.

51:39First of all, good morning to all of you, and thank you for joining us.

51:44Allow me to give particular thanks to my budget and finance teams, policy

51:50team, commissioners, and the thousands of dedicated public servants who keep

51:55Chicago running.

51:57Our Acting Budget Director, Jonathan Ertz, Chief Financial Officer, Ashley Gabrish,

52:03and to our City Comptroller, Michael Belsky, Chief of Policy, Jung Youn, and their

52:08teams. They have spent countless hours developing our fiscal year 2027 budget and

52:14finding enduring, sustainable solutions for the greatest city in the world,

52:18Chicago.

52:24And to the community, community organizations, our labor unions,

52:29cultural institutions, and social service agencies, civic and philanthropic

52:35partners, business leaders, and members of our faith communities, all of who are

52:41joining us today, thank you. You are essential partners in the work of building a

52:46safe, affordable Chicago. You bring people together, strengthen our neighborhoods,

52:51create pathways to success, and remind us that the future of our city is a shared

52:56responsibility. We are particularly appreciative of the bold visions you bring to

53:01how we govern. Your organizing is directly reflected in this year's budget.

53:07And as you keep organizing and keep pushing your elected officials, myself

53:12included, I'm grateful for your steadfast dedication to the people of Chicago.

53:17Last but certainly not least, I must thank my family.

53:21I often speak about my love, my wife, Stacy, and our three

53:27wonderful children. And today I want to talk about my children, and I also want to

53:33speak about your children, about our children.

53:39James Baldwin said that the children are always ours. Every single one of them.

53:45He was right. He also said that he was beginning to suspect that whoever is

53:51incapable of recognizing that may be incapable of morality.

53:56But I know that everyone in this room recognizes what we owe our children.

54:01We owe them responsible investment in programs that work.

54:05And whether they are CEOs or childcare workers, over and over, Chicagoans say that

54:11they want the same things for our city.

54:14They want affordable homes and good schools.

54:16They want to be safe, and they want to feel safe.

54:19They want to have meaningful work that pays enough to be able to afford groceries

54:23and medical care, and to not worry about making rent.

54:28They want reliable public transportation, clean parks, and beautiful libraries.

54:33And plenty of people in Chicago have all of those things already, and then some.

54:40And there is more than enough to go around, and there are plenty of reasons to

54:43ensure that everyone receives their fair share.

54:47Our futures are tied together. When our neighbors thrive, our communities grow

54:52stronger, and when our communities grow stronger, all of Chicago succeeds.

54:58See, success starts by sowing block-level investments across all of our 77

55:04neighborhoods. Every single one of our children in every single neighborhood

55:08deserves a city that invests in their future, and that is the promise and at the

55:14heart of the budget that I've introduced today, the Fair Share Budget.

55:19My 2027 budget ensures that every Chicagoan receives their fair share of the

55:24investments, services, and opportunities that define our city, funded by

55:29responsible spending cuts that protect essential services, and by asking the

55:34wealthy and the largest corporations in this city to pay their fair share.

55:47A fair share budget means delivering for our people in the ways that matters most

55:52in their lives. People feel government most acutely at the local level, and

55:58unfortunately, they also feel local government most acutely when it is absent.

56:04People notice when trees are untrimmed, and God knows they notice when potholes are

56:09unfilled.

56:11They notice ghost buses and closed schools. They notice absence.

56:16When government works the way it should, we don't think twice about it.

56:21Removing garbage or a tree stump shouldn't be a special occasion.

56:26It should be something that every Chicagoan can count on.

56:29Every neighborhood ought to reap all of the rewards of living in what the world

56:34recognizes as the most beautiful climate resilient city on the planet.

56:40In my conversations with older people about this year's budget, one message came

56:46through loud and clear. Our communities deserve a city government that shows up,

56:51delivers, and ensures that the basic human rights are provided

56:57every single day. And so I do want to thank the members of City Council who met

57:01with me to share their community's priorities.

57:05From Norwood Park to South Shore, the message was the same.

57:09People want their trees trimmed, their potholes filled, their streets maintained,

57:14and their neighbors and their neighborhoods cared for.

57:18These are basic city services, and our residents deserve a government that delivers

57:23on all of them. Chicagoans work hard.

57:27They pay their taxes, they raise their families, and they do their part to keep our

57:31community strong. And they should see their tax dollars come back to their

57:35neighborhoods and make a real difference in their lives.

57:39And that is why

57:41I'm inspired by

57:43a couple of alders who remind me every day

57:48the importance of their leadership. Thank you to Alderwoman Clay and Ramirez.

57:54Our Fair Share Budget doubles our investment in the Departments of Streets and

57:58Sanitation's Quality of Life program, and that means growing the teams, working

58:04across our city to clean vacant lots and to clear debris.

58:08And we are adding 10 forestry crews to trim 15,000 more trees and ensure

58:14the full force of city government shows up

58:24when severe weather strikes and devastates communities.

58:28See, no neighborhood should have to fight to be cared for, and no community should

58:32ever feel forgotten by its government.

58:35In fact, people should feel like their governments are caring for them proactively.

58:40This care becomes even more important in the face of climate change and the

58:44associated harms that come with it.

58:46Severe weather impacts everyone, but some communities have more resilient

58:50infrastructure than others. And that's why the Fair Share Budget invests in

58:54infrastructure that addresses the root causes of flooding and helps communities

58:59recover from severe weather events while focusing that investment in the

59:02neighborhoods that are most vulnerable to climate change.

59:07We are also expanding Smart Streets citywide because the freedom to move safely

59:12through our city should belong to every Chicagoan, and I do want to thank Chairs

59:17Vasquez and Espada for their leadership in making this possible.

59:22And together, we are keeping bike lanes clear, moving buses and bus stops, making

59:28them more accessible so working parents can get home to their children, seniors can

59:33travel safely, and young people can get to school without fear.

59:38And whether you're walking in Lincoln Park, catching a bus in Brighton Park, or

59:42riding a bike, or driving to work, your safety matters,

59:47and your ability to reach people, places, and opportunities that you love, that

59:51matters.

59:53And just as every Chicagoan deserves the freedom to move safely through our city,

59:59every family deserves the peace of mind that comes with feeling safe in their own

1:00:04neighborhood. From day one, we have been guided by a fundamental belief that every

1:00:09Chicagoan deserves to be safe, and true safety is built on trust, opportunity,

1:00:14community investment, and that means funding infrastructure.

1:00:17It also means constitutional policing that earns the trust of our residents and

1:00:23investing in the people, programs, and resources that prevents violence before it

1:00:28ever happens.

1:00:30Our vision for public safety is clear.

1:00:32In Chicago, where every family feels safe, every young person has a future, and

1:00:36every neighborhood has the resources to thrive.

1:00:40And despite the Trump administration cutting critical funding meant to support and

1:00:44protect our communities, I'm grateful to say that here in Chicago, our work is

1:00:48making a difference. We're seeing crime come down with record lows in homicides,

1:00:53including neighborhoods that have endured far too much violence and far too few

1:00:58investments for generations. And that progress means lives are being saved,

1:01:04families kept whole, and more young people with a chance to grow up and reach their

1:01:10full potential. But we can't take that progress for granted, Chicago.

1:01:15Behind every number is a person, a family, a community, because one shooting is one

1:01:19too many. One homicide is one too many.

1:01:22No family should have to bury a loved one because of gun violence.

1:01:34And so the Fair Share Budget continues putting our vision into action, uniting city

1:01:39departments to prevent violence, supporting our police officers in protecting

1:01:44communities and solving crimes, and investing in trusted leaders who stop violence

1:01:49before it starts. And through the leadership of Alderman Mosley and the advocacy of

1:01:54Live Free, we've established a Department of Community Wellness and Safety and the

1:01:58Office of Gun Violence Reduction to centralize and coordinate across cities

1:02:02violence reduction efforts. And building safer communities require more than

1:02:06coordination. It requires investing in the people who know their communities best.

1:02:12And so the Fair Share Budget prioritizes funding community violence intervention to

1:02:16stop violence before it starts. We are making a historic $40.6 million

1:02:23investment in CVI, activating 393 outreach workers

1:02:29and over 800 peacekeepers across Chicago, including the CTA.

1:02:36Last year's investment in street outreach has supported CVI teams across 38

1:02:41communities, and these are trusted leaders who show up for their neighbors.

1:02:45They interrupt cycles of violence, and they save lives.

1:02:50These teams have resolved nearly 2,600 conflicts, preventing situations from

1:02:55escalating into violence. And that is the promise of our Fair Share Budget, giving

1:03:00every community the resources that they need to build peace, safety, and a future

1:03:06that they and their children deserve.

1:03:10Our record high community investments in people, they pay off in the form of

1:03:16record low rates of violence for whole communities.

1:03:20Let's consider Bo Deal, a senior manager of field operations at one of our

1:03:26partner organizations, Metropolitan Peace Initiatives.

1:03:31See, Bo was released from prison in 2004, and he has worked in

1:03:36CVI for over a decade.

1:03:39In 2023, with support from MPI, he became the first member of their street

1:03:45outreach team to complete an undergraduate degree, and he continues to provide

1:03:50resources and support across East and West Garfield Park.

1:03:55Bo described the pride of

1:03:58his assignment

1:04:00By describing the ripple effect of CVI investment to my office.

1:04:06This is what he said. He said, "Who better to touch the people in the community

1:04:11than the people who have been a part of this community and actually made it out

1:04:17to change?" He said, "Nobody is more effective than a person like that."

1:04:23Another CVI worker, James Mitchell, describes himself as living proof that if given

1:04:28the right chances, opportunities, and resources, people can change.

1:04:33And when James talks about the importance of government and community support for

1:04:37people seeking growth and second chances, he's not suggesting anything

1:04:42unreasonable. If he were born in the Gold Coast instead of on the West Side,

1:04:48those opportunities would exist for him already.

1:04:52So it is our job to ensure opportunities exist in every neighborhood.

1:04:57I do want to give a special shout-out to the retiring congressman, the OG, the

1:05:01first Democratic socialist, Congressman Danny K.

1:05:03Davis, for all of his work

1:05:07on providing a second chance.

1:05:11See, this work should start as early as it can.

1:05:16That's why I'm grateful for Alderwoman Fuentes, because she knows this personally,

1:05:22and that is why she has fought so hard for youth peacekeeping and why we are

1:05:28investing in 50 youth peacekeepers to lead the work of building safer and stronger

1:05:33communities. Thank you for your leadership.

1:05:39Because as I've often said this, community safety is not just about the absence of

1:05:45violence. It is the presence of opportunity.

1:05:49It is knowing you can grow up and put down roots in the neighborhood that you love,

1:05:53stay close to your aging parents and lifelong friends, and build a future for your

1:05:58children.

1:05:59And that is why another pillar of my work in City Hall

1:06:04has been about direct investments in our young people and the people who care for

1:06:09them. We will continue our historic $7 million investment to raise the wages for

1:06:15thousands of early childhood educators.

1:06:18The Chicagoans who care for our children deserve fair pay, dignity, and

1:06:23respect. Families deserve access to consistent, affordable childcare.

1:06:31And all of our children deserve every opportunity that's possible.

1:06:36And so that is why next year I'm expanding Chicago Youth Works because a young

1:06:41person with a paycheck, a mentor, and somewhere to be is a young person with a

1:06:47future.

1:06:56And a young person with an opportunity ahead of them is a young person who fosters

1:07:00growth and safety in their own communities.

1:07:03Last year, we saw double-digit declines in shootings and homicides in the five

1:07:07community areas with the highest number of youth jobs.

1:07:10And to keep building on that success, this summer, we hired over 33,000 young

1:07:15people, a city record. But the demand far exceeds our funded

1:07:20spots. Chicago, there were 56,000 applicants for Chicago Youth Work

1:07:26positions, and that is why we have to put an end to this lie that young people do

1:07:32not want to work. They actually want the opportunity, and it's our responsibility

1:07:36to give it to them. Young people in every corner of Chicago are calling for those

1:07:40opportunities to work, to lead, and to make their community safer.

1:07:44This past summer, in the 38th Ward, we hired 63% of the ward applicants,

1:07:5163% of them right out of the 38th Ward.

1:07:55And in the 29th Ward, where I live, we hired 852 young people, with only

1:08:0152% of the young people who actually applied in that ward.

1:08:04In every corner of Chicago, demand for opportunity outpaces access to opportunity.

1:08:10And so the Fair Share Budget will invest an additional $24 million

1:08:16empowering the city to hire 40,000 young people next summer.

1:08:20That will double the amount of young people with paid summer jobs.

1:08:29You see, opportunities must go beyond employment.

1:08:33Chicago is a city for curiosity, exploration, and learning, and

1:08:39that is why the Chicago Fair Share Budget fully funds and resources our Chicago

1:08:44public libraries, and we're going to do that without raising property taxes.

1:08:54See, responsible stewardship of our resources is our obligation to future

1:08:58generations. As I have said before, our current financial difficulties come from

1:09:03irresponsible management of our resources.

1:09:06Over 30 years ago, when I was walking across the stage at my high school

1:09:09graduation, occupants of City Hall were skipping payments into our pension fund,

1:09:14but today I'm making those payments in their stead.

1:09:17We owe it to the young people of Chicago to invest wisely so that when they look

1:09:23back and think about what our city was doing during their high school graduation,

1:09:27they do not have to think about missed pension payments.

1:09:30That's not the future we should strive to build.

1:09:33Instead, let them look back on the skills that they built at their summer job or

1:09:38the art that they made at the library.

1:09:41So when my children look back 30 years from now, I want them to look at a time

1:09:46where together we made the investments necessary for our collective future, and

1:09:52I want them to reap the rewards of those investments instead of dealing with the

1:09:56problems that we passed down to them and the failure of hope of avoiding them

1:10:01altogether.

1:10:03That's why the long-term impacts of the Fair Share Budget will be transformative.

1:10:09Our work is future-focused across every possible metric, and the future begins

1:10:15with something every family deserves: a safe and stable, affordable place to call

1:10:21home. As we continue to expand our investments in affordable housing, we are

1:10:25simultaneously prioritizing climate resilience through our Green Social Housing

1:10:30program. We have appointed a board of housing experts and community leaders to

1:10:34oversee our $135 million revolving loan fund, and work

1:10:40is underway to identify and prepare our first sustainable, affordable developments.

1:10:45We are turning the promise of housing affordability into homes Chicago families can

1:10:50count for generations. So that's why I want to thank Alderwoman Manaa Hoppenworth

1:10:56for her leadership of making this possible.

1:11:06Sisters and brothers, we have a responsibility to help more Chicagoans, more

1:11:11Chicagoans find and keep a safe place to call home.

1:11:14And in the past three years, in partnership with the city, more than 10,000

1:11:18affordable homes have been built, preserved, rehabbed, or entered the development

1:11:22pipeline. But in addition to constructing new residences, the Fair Share Budget

1:11:27invests an additional $15 million in homelessness services and $13 million in

1:11:33rental assistance and $2 million in the flexible housing pool.

1:11:37These targeted investments, tirelessly advocated for by organizers with Keep

1:11:42Chicago Housed, will reach more than 3,000 residents, keeping families in their

1:11:46homes, in the neighborhoods they love, and close to the people who matter most to

1:11:51them. This is fiscal responsibility because it

1:11:57guarantees to pay dividends in terms of public safety and stability for all.

1:12:02The flexible housing pool alone provided supportive housing to 1,750 people across

1:12:08998 households. After 12 months, 92% of residents who received this support

1:12:14were able to stay in their homes, and participants saw an 82% reduction in

1:12:20contact with the criminal legal system.

1:12:23Investment in affordable housing is investment in community safety.

1:12:27It's an investment in our shared future.

1:12:29And while we are investing in ending homelessness and building more homes, we are

1:12:35also fighting to keep families from losing their homes in the first place.

1:12:39And as a result of the advocacy of South Side Together and the leadership of

1:12:43Alderman Desmond Yancey, the Fair Share Budget invests $2.5 million in the Jackson

1:12:49Park Property Tax Relief Pilot to help longtime homeowners stay in their

1:12:55homes as property values rise. Thank you, Alderman.

1:13:04Because as Alderman Yancey knows, families who built and sustained these

1:13:09neighborhoods, they deserve the share of this future, not

1:13:15to be displaced by it. And keeping our community strong means investing

1:13:21not only in housing, but in the health and wellbeing of the people inside.

1:13:26And that is why the Fair Share Budget funds mental health care for all Chicagoans,

1:13:31because this too is crime prevention.

1:13:34This too is economic growth,

1:13:37the kind of investment that makes a city competitive for business, big and small

1:13:42alike.

1:13:44Now, you all know, since her very first day in office, Chairwoman

1:13:50Rodriguez Sanchez has reminded this body time and again that when someone is

1:13:55experiencing a mental health crisis, what they need is treatment, not trauma, care,

1:14:02not criminalization.

1:14:10Rosana, thank you for your leadership.

1:14:13And together we launched CARE, an emergency response program that sends trained

1:14:18mental health professionals to people in crisis, and we have now expanded CARE

1:14:22citywide. The Fair Share Budget continues building on that investment, one that has

1:14:27already begun to pay off for Chicagoans in crisis.

1:14:31Let's consider Raul Alberto, a Chicagoan who fell into a deep depression

1:14:37following a traumatic encounter with federal immigration authorities, compounded by

1:14:42family conflict. He felt hopeless and questioned whether life was worth living.

1:14:48Our CARE team responded and met Raul with patience and compassion, earning his

1:14:53trust and helping him get to the hospital for the care that he so desperately

1:14:58needed. In the weeks that followed, Raul stayed connected with the CARE team and

1:15:03enrolled in an outpatient treatment program.

1:15:06And now today, he is working as a lead maintenance technician, looking for an

1:15:11apartment of his own, and he's rebuilding his life.

1:15:17The CARE team showed up for Raul when he was struggling to see a way forward.

1:15:23But CARE cannot begin and end with an emergency.

1:15:26Chicagoans need both proactive and reactive mental health care, and the Fair Share

1:15:32Budget funds those resources. Our seven city-run mental health clinics provide

1:15:37therapy, psychiatric services, case management, and healing arts programming.

1:15:42And from 2023 to 2025, the number of services delivered through these clinics

1:15:48has increased by more than 52%. That growth tells us that more Chicagoans are

1:15:54turning to our city's mental health clinics for support, and we are dedicated to

1:15:59meeting that need despite the devastating federal cuts.

1:16:02The Trump administration has targeted Chicago's public health infrastructure,

1:16:07attempting to roll back federal funding that supported disease prevention,

1:16:12emergency preparedness, and public health.

1:16:15But the Fair Share Budget protects the life-saving work of the Chicago Department

1:16:19of Public Health. And we know these investments matter, because after the pandemic,

1:16:25it drove life expectancy down across our city.

1:16:30Chicagoans are now living longer than ever before, with life expectancy reaching a

1:16:35record 79 and a half years.

1:16:39Black Chicagoans have seen the greatest gains,

1:16:43but significant racial life expectancy gaps, they still persist.

1:16:48On average, despite historic gains, non-Black Chicagoans can expect to live

1:16:539.4 years longer than Black residents of our city.

1:17:00No one's ZIP code or race should determine how long they live.

1:17:10We are fighting for the kind of investment that will give my neighbors in Austin

1:17:14nearly a decade more time with their loved ones, and we will keep fighting until

1:17:19every Chicagoan has the opportunity to live a long and healthy life, because

1:17:25everyone deserves access to the resources that are abundant in some parts of our

1:17:29city and heartbreakingly absent from others.

1:17:33Everyone deserves the life that comes from the presence of those resources.

1:17:39Building communities where people can live longer, healthier lives also means

1:17:43creating economic opportunities that allow families and neighborhoods to thrive.

1:17:48We know what investment can mean for a neighborhood.

1:17:51On 75th Street, entrepreneur Tarsha Jackson transformed a vacant church into Roots

1:17:57Southern Cuisine, a soul food restaurant honoring the neighborhood's civil rights

1:18:02legacy. My administration helped bring her vision to life with a Neighborhood

1:18:07Opportunity Fund grant. And this business is so much more than a restaurant.

1:18:12It is a lifehood and livelihood for our dear sister, Mrs.

1:18:18Jackson, another place for neighbors to gather and a way to keep the history and

1:18:23traditions alive through food. Better quality of life comes from the presence of

1:18:28gathering places and, of course, fresh food.

1:18:31In this year's budget, we are counting or continuing to invest in small businesses

1:18:37nearly $20 million from the Catalyst Fund that sat unused for years.

1:18:43And through this transformation, we will expand access to capital for local

1:18:47entrepreneurs and support neighborhood investments like community centers,

1:18:51educational facilities, and other essential resources.

1:18:55We are unlocking development and economic opportunity, and this investment does not

1:18:59happen without our wonderful city treasurer, Melissa Conyers Ervin.

1:19:03Thank you for your leadership.

1:19:10I see how Jason got a matching red tie.

1:19:12He can't do nothing without checking in with you first, huh?

1:19:21As we balance the Fair Share Budget, we heeded to calls to

1:19:27prioritize savings and efficiencies. We have heeded these calls across my tenure.

1:19:32Over the past three budgets, we have found $740 million in savings and

1:19:36efficiencies, and we did it without laying people off.

1:19:39The Fair Share Budget will save another $120 million through corporate cost

1:19:44reduction initiatives while protecting services and keeping city workers on the

1:19:49job. To be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, we are renegotiating

1:19:54contracts, consolidating real estate, and modernizing our fleet.

1:19:58And in the last year's budget, organizational improvements to debt collection

1:20:04practices resulted in a $500 million increase in recouped debt.

1:20:10We did not resort to predatory practices or selling residents' personal information

1:20:15to third parties. We used data-driven strategies to collect debt from those who are

1:20:21most able to pay and to provide relief programs to help people who are already

1:20:26stretched thin settle what they owe, because that is the fiscally responsible

1:20:31approach. Hundreds of thousands of residents have participated in our relief

1:20:35programs, bringing tens of millions of dollars back into the city that we otherwise

1:20:40might not have collected. In 2027, we anticipate at least $6 million

1:20:46in new collection from our vehicle debt amnesty program while delivering relief for

1:20:52Chicagoans.

1:20:53And we are also increasing savings by answering the call to repair old harms.

1:21:01Days ago, this body approved legacy settlements from and for those who were harmed

1:21:06by former police detective Guevara during an era of wrongful

1:21:12convictions.

1:21:14This was the right and just decision.

1:21:17But we know there are more legacy cases that are pending.

1:21:21Investing in our residents means recognizing there are individuals and families who

1:21:25are still suffering from harms of the past.

1:21:29Delaying these cases prolongs suffering for families and passes ever-growing legal

1:21:34expenses onto the future generations of Chicagoans.

1:21:37By making timely settlements now, we can give resolution to those for whom it has

1:21:42long been delayed, while also shielding taxpayers from the rising cost of expensive

1:21:48litigation that could otherwise go in for our communities.

1:21:54These settlements will save Chicago between $300 to $400 million compared to

1:21:59extended litigation. But savings alone aren't enough.

1:22:03You cannot cut your way to a better future because a better future requires

1:22:07investments, not cuts. You cannot keep asking our communities to make do with less

1:22:12and expect to deliver on the promises that we've made to the people that we serve.

1:22:18Throughout American history, everyday people have fought for their fair share.

1:22:24And when working people organize, they win.

1:22:27Just look at the nurses recently fired by Prime Healthcare at hospitals across

1:22:31Chicago area.

1:22:33Most have been rehired, and they won their organizing drives because when working

1:22:39people stand together, they have the power to win. And when they win, we all win.

1:22:45But all too often, there has been pushback.

1:22:50In 1987, in his inaugural address, Mayor Harold Washington reminded us that

1:22:55Chicago stood at a fork in the road.

1:22:59We could choose the difficult but necessary work of rebuilding our city, or we

1:23:04could take the easy road, a road that would only lead us backward.

1:23:10The year prior, he introduced his own fair share budget.

1:23:14That budget included many of the things that I'm fighting for today.

1:23:18It called for investment in mental health care

1:23:22and investment in the neighborhoods that had been too long ignored and

1:23:25deprioritized. And it did so while the federal government, led by Ronald

1:23:31Reagan, was slashing taxes on the wealthiest Americans and corporations, and

1:23:36slashing investment in everyday people.

1:23:40Following Mayor Washington's untimely death,

1:23:44our city reverted to prioritizing corporate profits

1:23:48and measuring success by the number of cranes in the Loop, forgetting that the

1:23:53success of our city cannot be measured in one neighborhood.

1:23:57Our success must be measured by the presence of investment in every part of Chicago

1:24:03and addressing every single need.

1:24:10Now, as then, across America, local governments are confronted with the challenges

1:24:16that reach far beyond their city limits.

1:24:20Growing wealth disparities, endless wars overseas, and the rising costs are placing

1:24:25enormous pressure on families and communities.

1:24:28One year ago, President Trump unleashed Operation Midway Blitz

1:24:34to terrorize our communities, to tear families apart, and threaten the livelihoods

1:24:38of working people and small businesses.

1:24:41In addition to the trauma and physical harm inflicted on our city, a recent study

1:24:46showed Operation Midway Blitz cost Cook County $1.26 billion.

1:24:52And the harm inflicted by the Trump administration extends far beyond Operation

1:24:57Midway Blitz. From the fear and trauma inflicted on our communities to the economic

1:25:02hardship facing working families, Chicagoans are paying the price for an

1:25:06administration that puts the interest of the wealthy and powerful ahead of the

1:25:09people who make this city run. In the second quarter of this year,

1:25:16corporate profit margins increased by $384 billion,

1:25:22reaching an annualized $4.7 trillion,

1:25:26while the share of business revenue going back to workers fell to a record low of

1:25:3252.9%. There is no reason to coddle or feel sorry for corporations.

1:25:37They are doing just fine.

1:25:46Here's the thing, though.

1:25:52President Trump and his allies have compounded this imbalance with massive

1:25:58corporate tax breaks, allowing corporations to pay an estimated

1:26:04$137 billion less in taxes this year.

1:26:09And while corporations enjoy another handout, his administration is cutting the

1:26:14very programs working families depend on, from Medicaid and food assistance to

1:26:19affordable healthcare. I don't think it's a coincidence that every area that Donald

1:26:23Trump is defunding are the literal demands of the formerly enslaved: education,

1:26:28housing, healthcare, transportation, good-paying jobs. This is not new.

1:26:33This is just what they do. But Chicago has to be better

1:26:38because history does not have to repeat itself.

1:26:41We do not have to allow corporate interests to lobby us into meeting these federal

1:26:46cuts with municipal abandonment.

1:26:49Instead, we can learn from those who come before us

1:26:53and allocate resources to confront our structural challenges so that there does not

1:26:58have to be another mayor trying to ensure that every Chicagoan has their fair

1:27:02share.

1:27:04We cannot address structural problems without structural solutions.

1:27:07And let us be very explicit here. Disinvestment did not happen by accident.

1:27:14It was created by racism and redlining.

1:27:19Today, Chicago, there are still 90% more Black

1:27:25Chicagoans in redline communities compared to the surrounding areas.

1:27:31The only way to remedy that kind of intentional creation of poverty is to

1:27:35intentionally create sustainable growth, sustainable pathways to generational

1:27:40wealth. And the only way to create those things is to invest in them.

1:27:44So when people talk about how Chicago needs to address poverty and build hospitals,

1:27:49but refuse to acknowledge the only pathway to do so is by asking giant corporations

1:27:53to allocate a drop in their ocean of resources to make that investment possible, I

1:27:58would politely ask those people to be more fiscally responsible.

1:28:09Our city can only reach its full potential when investments happen intentionally to

1:28:15remedy equally intentional disinvestment.

1:28:19We have an abundance of resources to invest, and you all know who holds them.

1:28:27It is so clear who it is

1:28:32to ask to pay their fair share,

1:28:35to shoulder a little bit more. It is clear to nearly 90% of Chicagoans.

1:28:41And Chicagoans, I am

1:28:44eternally grateful to everyone who participated in our 2027 budget engagement

1:28:49roundtables and took the time to share their priorities for Chicago's future.

1:28:54And so on this point, the people were absolutely united.

1:28:58When asked which revenue options they supported, 88% of adult respondents

1:29:04and 74% of young people chose increasing taxes on large corporations.

1:29:11Across generations, Chicagoans made it clear that they believe the largest

1:29:16corporations should contribute their fair share for the services and investments

1:29:20that our communities need.

1:29:22So we will heed the call of the nearly 90% of Chicagoans who spoke with one

1:29:27powerful voice. We must hold large corporations accountable for their share of our

1:29:31collective future. The Fair Share Budget will require the largest corporations

1:29:36located outside of socioeconomically disadvantaged areas to chip in just

1:29:42$25 per month for each Chicago-based employee to help invest in our

1:29:48neighborhoods, our people, and our long-term financial health, and to incentivize

1:29:54economic development in Chicago, particularly in historically neglected

1:29:58communities. Large corporations spend huge amounts of money recruiting employees

1:30:03and retaining them through a variety of frivolous perks, free lunches, health and

1:30:09wellness credits. And so let's be honest, the best way to recruit and retain

1:30:14employees right here in the city of Chicago is to ensure that our city has

1:30:18affordable housing, good transportation, safe streets, and robust services.

1:30:23The Equitable Employer Tax is a smart investment for all of us.

1:30:27And we have a new incentive to not only promote equity, but to

1:30:33allow concerned employers to avoid the tax entirely if they bring their

1:30:39businesses to communities that need development and access to the jobs the most.

1:30:52So while our Equitable Employer Tax challenges large corporations to put more

1:30:58skin in the game,

1:31:00our new tax credit, which is called the Seed Credit,

1:31:05allows those same corporations to receive a monthly credit for each Chicagoan that

1:31:09they employ in historically disinvested communities.

1:31:20Because I'm reminded of a story that when a sower went out to sow,

1:31:27when you sow in good ground, you reap the full benefit when you sow in good

1:31:33ground. And the last I checked, the West and South Sides of the city of Chicago,

1:31:37despite previous administrations, is good ground to sow in.

1:31:53This tax is not about tilting. Amen, brother. We got the amen quarter there.

1:32:01This tax is not about tilting against a straw man of corporations and billionaires.

1:32:07It's about a fair investment, funding the resources that draw those

1:32:13corporations to Chicago in the first place.

1:32:17So if Chicago is good enough to bring your business,

1:32:20then the people of Chicago should be good enough to hire and work in those

1:32:23businesses.

1:32:27And make no mistake,

1:32:29the corporations continue to come.

1:32:32We are the number one American metropolitan area for corporate relocation because

1:32:37equitable investment in our city, it creates jobs, and attracts businesses and

1:32:40tourists, and it does so while addressing the root causes of disinvestment head-on.

1:32:46It is fiscally responsible.

1:32:49Equitable investment creates the foundation of public safety necessary for us to

1:32:54build. But we are not focused exclusively on any one

1:33:00corporate tax or financial strategy.

1:33:03And I would kindly ask that each member of the media that's present here today

1:33:09to make that clear in their reporting.

1:33:13And let's not allow the discourse about this budget to focus on a tax that makes up

1:33:191.5% of our corporate budget.

1:33:22Because here's the thing, we are committed to exploring innovative new ideas to

1:33:26raise revenue. So thanks to the leadership of Alderman Burnett, we are introducing

1:33:32a new packaging waste tax of 15 cents for each single-use mailer or package used in

1:33:38deliveries in Chicago, of course, exempting medicine and food takeout, to not only

1:33:43raise a projected $9 million, but also to encourage people to shop local and to

1:33:48reduce waste. And we are recommitting to revenue-raising strategies that we know

1:33:54work. This year proved that sustainable forms of progressive revenue are the best

1:33:59path towards a stronger financial future.

1:34:02Every one of our progressive taxes has outperformed projections by millions of

1:34:06dollars. Because of these results this year, instead of making reckless

1:34:11speculations, we are focusing our efforts on what we know that actually works.

1:34:17The Fair Share Budget is 76% structural, meaning we are reducing

1:34:23our reliance on one-time fixes, continually shrinking our deficit.

1:34:28That is fiscally responsible. And by making adjustments to the personal property

1:34:33lease tax, we will ask big tech companies like Amazon, profiting from Chicagoans,

1:34:39to contribute more to city services while tailoring each reach to preserve

1:34:45outside investment and growth in Chicago.

1:34:47We're going to do that as much as possible.

1:34:49These increases alone are expected to produce an additional $234 million in 2027.

1:34:56And this is how we build the Chicago that our children deserve.

1:35:00Finally,

1:35:02Chicago's greatest strength has always been its people,

1:35:08the workers who keep it moving, the families who invest in its future,

1:35:13the small businesses, and the owners who bring our commercial corridors to life,

1:35:19and the neighbors who show up for one another when times get hard,

1:35:25and times are hard.

1:35:28Our diversity, our creativity, and our determination have carried us through

1:35:32difficult chapters before, though, and they will carry us forward as we continue

1:35:36building a city that lives up to its promise.

1:35:42Today, we have a choice. We can invest in our people, strengthen our neighborhoods,

1:35:46and build an economy where working families have a fair chance to share in the

1:35:51prosperity that they help create.

1:35:54We can confront inequality and make the investments our communities need to thrive.

1:36:01Or

1:36:03we can accept the status quo.

1:36:05We can allow the same inequities to deepen, the same communities to be overlooked,

1:36:10and the gains of our economy to flow to those who already have the most.

1:36:15We can keep asking working people to do more with less while expecting our city to

1:36:20thrive without the investments that our people need.

1:36:26That is not the future that I'm willing to accept for Chicago.

1:36:31And last year, I spoke about a simple truth.

1:36:35What happens in Old Town,

1:36:38it affects Austin. What happens in Auburn Gresham, it affects Rogers Park.

1:36:43What happens downtown affects our neighborhoods.

1:36:46And what happens on the Far South West Side of Chicago can be felt on the Northwest

1:36:51Side of Chicago.

1:36:54We may be divided into sides, wards, neighborhoods,

1:37:00but we are bound by our responsibility to one another, and that belief continues to

1:37:06guide this year's Chicago Fair Share Budget.

1:37:11At a time when the federal government is cutting critical funding and targeting our

1:37:14city, we must protect the services and programs Chicagoans depend on, and we must

1:37:19do that without asking working class and middle-class families to shoulder even

1:37:24more of the burden. Large corporations can and should contribute more to the city

1:37:29whose people, infrastructure, and neighborhoods make their success possible.

1:37:35And this is not about spite.

1:37:38It's not. It's about making sure Chicago's prosperity reaches the people who

1:37:44help create it. Because this fight is about so much more than just one tax.

1:37:49It's about who gets to share in Chicago's prosperity, who gets a fair shot at

1:37:54opportunity, and whether we are willing to challenge the systems that have left too

1:37:58many communities behind. And if we look to our own history, we know this fight is

1:38:03not new. Harold Washington understood the promise of Chicago could never be

1:38:07fulfilled while entire communities were shut out of opportunity and power. Dr.

1:38:11Martin Luther King Jr. came to Chicago to confront the deep inequalities that

1:38:15working families face, including the injustice of being denied fair housing and a

1:38:19fair chance at economic security.

1:38:22And like so many other great Americans, they challenged systems that concentrated

1:38:26wealth and power in the hands of a few while leaving too many people behind.

1:38:30And now, decades later, that fight continues.

1:38:34We are still asking who bears the cost of our challenges.

1:38:39We're still asking who bears the cost of our challenges, whose interests our

1:38:44government serves, and whether we have the courage to make the difficult choices

1:38:48that our future demands.

1:38:51It will not.

1:38:56I will not leave the difficult decisions to fall at the feet of my children or

1:39:02yours.

1:39:04And I hope you won't do it either.

1:39:07Let's do what is necessary to build the safest, most affordable big city in

1:39:12America.

1:39:14Let us plant the seeds of a fair Chicago.

1:39:17We do not have to accept the way things are simply because that is the way that

1:39:21they've always been.

1:39:25We know what happens when inequality deepens and when we abandon our

1:39:28responsibilities to one another.

1:39:31And we should never accept the notion that asking those with the greatest means to

1:39:35pay their fair share, and that somehow that will come at the economic expense of

1:39:39economic growth, is a lie. See, the Chicago Fair Share Budget is our commitment to

1:39:45choose differently,

1:39:47to protect our people, to sustain our investments, and to build on the strength of

1:39:52a city that has never been defined by its challenges,

1:39:56but by its determination to overcome them.

1:40:00So I ask you to join us, stand with the people who make this city great, fight for

1:40:05the investments our neighborhoods need.

1:40:07Help us build a Chicago where a family has a fair shot.

1:40:11I'm reminded of Matthew 25,

1:40:14where the gospel reminds us that we should care for the sick.

1:40:18We should feed the hungry. We should welcome the stranger.

1:40:22That's who we are in Chicago, and every community has a future, and the people who

1:40:26make this city work, they should share in all.

1:40:31That is available to them. This fight is ours, and the people of Chicago are

1:40:36counting on us to build an economy that speaks to the justice that this city

1:40:40deserves. As Dr. King said so famously, that if we do it right in Chicago, we can

1:40:46do it anywhere in the world. So let's pass the Fair Share budget.

1:40:50God bless you all, and God bless the greatest freaking city in the world, Chicago.

1:41:06Thank you.

1:41:09Thank you.

1:41:19Thank you all.

1:41:23Thank you. I would like to now return to our regular order of business.

1:41:31Thank you.

1:41:36This is the portion of the meeting for our public comments.

1:41:49The council will now begin the public comment period, which is limited to a maximum

1:41:53of 30 minutes. Each speaker is limited to three minutes.

1:41:57Speakers cannot yield or transfer their time to another speaker.

1:42:01Any written comments that have been made will be made available for public

1:42:04examination. Our first speaker today is Jade T.

1:42:14Before our first speaker comes to the microphone,

1:42:18as the chamber clears out, could you all keep your voices down, please?

1:42:25Okay.

1:42:40Thank you all.

1:42:45It's program,

1:42:48but not now.

1:42:50Thank you for all of you that are exiting our chambers.

1:42:53We appreciate your presence, and I would ask that our sergeant at arms

1:42:58maintains order and decorum.

1:43:10Just one moment, please.

1:43:14Thank you all. For those of you that are exiting our chambers, would ask that you

1:43:17do it expeditiously.

1:43:47As the final few members who joined us in our gallery exit the chambers,

1:43:55I would ask now that you bring your voices all the way down so that we can move

1:44:00forward with our public comments. Mr. Clerk.

1:44:04Our first speaker this morning is Jade T.

1:44:11Hi, my name is Jade. My mom and I have lived in South Shore in the Seventh Ward for

1:44:16over 10 years. I also have family in this area.

1:44:20I'm here today to demand an immediate stop to J.B.

1:44:23Pritzker's $9 billion quantum facility.

1:44:27Mayor Johnson, we see you responding to community concerns about data centers

1:44:32through your executive order and moratorium.

1:44:35The quantum facility has all the same concerns as data centers.

1:44:39We need you to finish the job by protecting our community from billionaires and

1:44:43stopping the quantum facility.

1:44:46Between the quantum facility and the Obama Center, I am already seeing my neighbors

1:44:50being displaced. There are folks who live in my building who have been here for

1:44:54decades and now can't afford to stay.

1:44:58Every time there is a rent increase, I see Black neighbors have to move out and

1:45:02well-off white people move in when I've never seen them in my community before.

1:45:06We have also had neighbors being taken and never seen again.

1:45:12The demographics of my mom's building are also changing.

1:45:14My neighbors are worried, and I am worried.

1:45:18I'm also worried about the construction on toxic land.

1:45:22I have a weak immune system, and I have had bronchitis symptoms since I was a

1:45:25child, and COVID has made that worse.

1:45:28It's folks like me, and folks who are older and young, who are the first to be

1:45:31impacted by pollution.

1:45:34Construction can already lead to issues, but construction on polluted soil with no

1:45:37remediation will lead to more respiratory issues in our community.

1:45:43I have gotten sick two to three times already since the season started.

1:45:46I cannot afford to be debilitated by pollution just because a multibillion-dollar

1:45:50company is coming a few blocks away.

1:45:54Our community needs direct investment, not a quantum facility.

1:45:58We have to leave South Shore in order to get the things that we need.

1:46:02We need more businesses, community-oriented spaces, and community safety programs.

1:46:08We have a right to be comfortable and be sustained in this community.

1:46:12I really do care about this community, and I have no plans on leaving.

1:46:16And I want to see my neighbors and my community grow.

1:46:19I want to see us secure and happy here.

1:46:22We are the ones paying to be here, and our money should be going to the things that

1:46:26we need, not a development that will harm us.

1:46:30So Mayor Johnson and City Council, join us in stopping J.B.

1:46:34Pritzker's $9 billion quantum facility and data center by stopping construction

1:46:38immediately, revoking and withholding the permits, reallocating all city funding to

1:46:43the real resources we need, and publicly opposing the facility. Thank you.

1:46:54Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Miranda Donald.

1:47:17Dear Mayor Brandon Johnson, I'm a living and breathing resident of the South Shore

1:47:22neighborhood and a member of South Side Together.

1:47:26Today, I'm here to speak to you, Mayor Johnson, and remind you of the promise you

1:47:30made to the people of this city and your legacy as Chicago's 57th mayor to protect

1:47:35those of us living and breathing here.

1:47:38You have established a data center moratorium, and we are grateful.

1:47:42But as you know, the work doesn't stop there.

1:47:45It is in your best interest and all of ours to work with us to protect the citizens

1:47:49of the South Side by halting construction of the Illinois Quantum and

1:47:52Microelectronics Park set to be built in South Chicago.

1:47:57As it stands, the $9 billion facility will pose a significant threat to those of us

1:48:02living near the land relating to it west of where DARPA have broken ground on.

1:48:06While at least $5 million in city funds have been dedicated to this project, very

1:48:12little funds have been dedicated to the needs of us, the neighbors who need green

1:48:16space with clean air, accessible and affordable third spaces, and privacy and

1:48:20safety. Even with Advocate Health breaking ground, it won't prevent the

1:48:26deterioration of our health. Installing a health facility near a health destroyer

1:48:30counteracts the very purpose your office serves to achieve.

1:48:34I've lived on the South Side for close to 10 years, and my experiences has been

1:48:37that of community resilience despite systemic neglect and over-policing.

1:48:42We fight tooth and nail for our right to make decisions for our communities, but we

1:48:46get dismissed or given empty promises.

1:48:48We drive with endless potholes and pass corners without accessible trash cans, and

1:48:53now we smell the putrid toxins leaving the ground as they drill into the land of

1:48:58the wannabe quantum facility. These toxins would greatly degrade the air quality of

1:49:03South Chicago, which would work to worsen the disproportionate health disparities

1:49:07that exist there and keep us away from enjoying the beautiful Steelworkers Park and

1:49:12the lakefront.

1:49:14Without cleaning up the land and remediating the issues on the old South Works site

1:49:17that exists there, it shows my neighbors that maybe the city's mayor and Illinois'

1:49:22governor may not actually care about the health and safety of South Side residents.

1:49:27Additionally, the presence of the Department of Defense poses a tremendous threat

1:49:31to our right to privacy and safety, as DARPA's research advances technology used by

1:49:37the military, and quantum computing focuses on data encryption and impractical

1:49:42physical phenomena. These are not essential needs of South Chicago residents.

1:49:48I also believe the jobs created by this facility will not yield the favorable

1:49:51benefits for our communities as we've been told.

1:49:54They may be short-term at best in order to provide the debilitating labor to build

1:49:58the facility. If you, Mayor Johnson, care about your neighbors on the South Side, I

1:50:04implore you to affirm our shared power to stop the construction of this facility in

1:50:09its tracks, and work with neighbors to bring the jobs and enrichment we deserve in

1:50:14South Chicago. Thank you.

1:50:22Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is Vinay Ravi.

1:50:33Good morning or good afternoon. My name is Vinay Ravi.

1:50:36I am a resident of Little Village in the 22nd Ward.

1:50:39First off, I want to thank the mayor for putting forward a budget and a vision, and

1:50:44a plan to invest in our communities. Investment in our communities means safety.

1:50:48When Trump sent his agents to terrorize our city last year from Little Village

1:50:54out to South Shore, me and my family had to make a decision because we knew that we

1:50:59weren't directly the target of the attacks, but our neighbors were.

1:51:03And so we were terrified. But we saw our neighbors and our community

1:51:09members standing up and being brave in the face of this terror, and that inspired

1:51:13us to be brave as well. So I remember being terrified.

1:51:16I remember my heart pounding one morning as we were going to make sure that we

1:51:19protected our neighbors, because it matters to me to make sure the person who lives

1:51:24to the right of me or to the left of me is safe.

1:51:28I remember being out there and I wasn't sure what would happen.

1:51:33If that day would end up with me and my wife being in federal detention, if there

1:51:38would be worse. We've seen the violence. All of us have seen it by now.

1:51:42But we knew it was the right thing to do.

1:51:48We do hard things for the people and the places that we love.

1:51:52So to the honorable elected leaders that are sitting in the City Council today, I

1:51:56implore you to do the same.

1:51:59Working people deserve safety in their communities, and safety comes from

1:52:03investments. Unfortunately, the needs in the city are too great due to the history

1:52:08of disinvestment in the city. We're seeing cuts to SNAP benefits.

1:52:12We're seeing rising gas prices due to illegal wars, and the needs are just too

1:52:16great. And whether you like it or not, the only way to meet those needs is by

1:52:21making those who are doing the best, those who are a little more comfortable than

1:52:25the rest of us, to pay a little bit more.

1:52:29Right now, the wealthiest corporations in the state got over $7 billion back from

1:52:36Trump's tax cuts, from the big ugly bill.

1:52:40But instead, some people in City Council would rather make me pay more for my

1:52:45garbage pickup fee. That ain't right.

1:52:48So I am happy to hear that there's a budget that lays out a vision to do just that,

1:52:53to make sure that the burden is on the people who can afford it, and not those who

1:52:58can afford it least. I've already seen the impact of the investments.

1:53:02When I go to work every day, I drive past my neighbor's house, whose son was able

1:53:06to be part of the youth jobs program over the summer.

1:53:10I drive past Farragut High School, which is a sustainable community school, where

1:53:13the staff tell me that enrollment and attendance has increased due to those

1:53:17investments made possible by TIF surplus funds.

1:53:20And I drive down Ogden, and I see affordable housing units going up.

1:53:24But it's not enough and we have to do more.

1:53:27So please, let's double down on these type of investments, even if it means making

1:53:31the most well-to-do of our residents pay a little bit more, and even if it makes

1:53:35them-

1:53:37Thank you very much for your comments. However, your time has expired.

1:53:41Thank you very much.

1:53:49Our next speaker is Emmanuel.

1:54:01Good morning, City Council. God bless America and God bless Chicago.

1:54:06My name is Emmanuel, and I have lived in the 7th Ward for over a decade now, and I

1:54:12have been to and fro from the east and the south side of Chicago all my life.

1:54:17I'm here today to demand an immediate stop to J.B.

1:54:20Pritzker's $9 billion Quantum facility.

1:54:24Mayor Johnson, we see you responding to the community concerns about data centers

1:54:29through the executive order and a monetarium.

1:54:33The Quantum facility has

1:54:39all the same concerns as a data center.

1:54:42We need you to finish the job by protecting our community from billionaires and

1:54:48stopping the Quantum facility. When I was in my early 20s, I was homeless.

1:54:53I was staying in an abandoned building that my grandma used to own.

1:54:57I was putting myself through school, paying my way from there, and I didn't have a

1:55:02place in the city to stay. I couldn't afford rent. I felt like I had nobody.

1:55:07I slept a lot in the cold nights, wrapped in the warm

1:55:12sheets.

1:55:13It was a struggle day by day to put some money in my pockets and to eat.

1:55:18Nobody should be homeless. Everybody deserves a home.

1:55:22Instead of addressing homelessness, our governor is spending a billion dollars on a

1:55:28facility that is probably going to make more people homeless.

1:55:32I live on South Shore Drive, down the street from the facility.

1:55:37I didn't hear about the facility until someone from the South Side Together knocked

1:55:42on my door. It was underhanded.

1:55:46A lot of families are going to lose their homes and not have nowhere to go after.

1:55:50They're building a Quantum facility, but they don't have nothing in place for the

1:55:55thousands of people who are going to lose their homes.

1:55:58Property taxes are going to rise on homeowners.

1:56:02I can't afford to stay in my place, which I lived for the past 10 years, if the

1:56:07rent continues to go up.

1:56:09They trying to push us out of our neighborhoods.

1:56:13If they're building this, they definitely could have built something to help people

1:56:17in poverty. People have a right to have some shelter over our

1:56:23heads, have some money in our pockets.

1:56:26We got to put all our energy into this Quantum facility, and

1:56:32we don't really need it. What is the benefit for us, for our reality?

1:56:38Mayor Johnson and City Council join us in stopping J.B.

1:56:43Pritzker's $9 billion Quantum facility and data center by stopping construction

1:56:48immediately, revoking and withholding the permits, reallocating all city

1:56:54fundings to the real resources we need, and publicly opposing the

1:56:59facility. God bless America and God bless Chicago.

1:57:05Thank you very much for your comments.

1:57:10Our next speaker is Alex Goldenberg.

1:57:19Okay.

1:57:23Good morning. My name is Alex Goldenberg.

1:57:25I'm a resident of Little Village and an organizer with United Working Families.

1:57:29I'm excited to be here as we formally kick off the budget process.

1:57:33I want to start by just lifting up what I heard in this budget.

1:57:36$24 million to employ 40,000 young people next year.

1:57:41Establishing an Office of Aging for Seniors.

1:57:43$2.5 million for the Jackson Park CBA Housing Ordinance.

1:57:47$30 million to address homelessness and low-income housing.

1:57:51Reopening a mental health center. Expanding care to operating seven days a week.

1:57:56Once again, a historic TIF surplus that will put hundreds of millions of dollars

1:58:01back into our schools, parks, and libraries.

1:58:03$30 million to ensure libraries are funded and there aren't cuts, and preserving

1:58:07funding for domestic violence services.

1:58:10All of these are things that working people of Chicago have been organizing and

1:58:14fighting for for decades. They're priorities that previous budgets from previous

1:58:18mayors have denied. Under previous mayors, we would've had to organize a huge fight

1:58:24just to win a fraction of one of these things.

1:58:28That is remarkable. I also heard that this budget will pay for these things by

1:58:32doing what we, and the overwhelming majority of Chicago agrees with, taxing big

1:58:36corporations while also supporting areas that need continued investment.

1:58:40The papers often refer to taxing big corporations as something the mayor and the

1:58:44City Council champions are calling for to appeal to their progressive basis.

1:58:49I knock doors on a regular basis, and I know most of you all do as well.

1:58:54Because we knock doors, we know that taxing big corporations is not just popular

1:58:58with the progressive base, it's popular with the overwhelming majority of everyday

1:59:02neighbors and residents in this city.

1:59:05People are feeling the difficulty of making ends meet, of filling their gas tanks,

1:59:09of buying groceries, and they want to see the big corporations pay what they owe.

1:59:14I'm excited that some things will be different this year.

1:59:18Now and through November 3rd, Chicagoans are voting.

1:59:22They're going to be expressing their support for taxing millionaires, and you will

1:59:26also see that. But also in precincts on the South and West Side, on the 24th Ward,

1:59:32the 5th Ward, the 8th Ward, and the 21st Ward,

1:59:39voters will get to weigh in directly as to whether they support taxing big

1:59:43corporations. It'll be on their ballot.

1:59:46Alderpeople, we are asking you to pay attention to those results and to listen to

1:59:50the constituents. On November 3rd, if you see a majority of constituents that have

1:59:55voted to tax big corporations, we're simply asking you to listen.

2:00:00If anyone questions you supporting taxing big corporations, you can show them the

2:00:04election results. We are showing our work so that you can show yours.

2:00:09We will continue to organize residents so they can participate in ensuring that we

2:00:13are a city that fights for working families, and we look forward to engaging with

2:00:16all of you who share this vision. Thank you.

2:00:21Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker today is Stefan Brown.

2:00:33Good morning. My name is Stefan Brown, and I'm a resident of the 10th Ward and a

2:00:38member of South Side Together.

2:00:40It was about eight years ago that my wife and I first saw the beauty for ourselves,

2:00:45the beauty of South Chicago.

2:00:48Acre upon acre of forest and prairie.

2:00:53For years, we worked tirelessly to find the perfect spot where we

2:00:59could move. And then for years after that, we worked even harder, getting grants,

2:01:05loans, and funding, and working ourselves on this project so we could turn it into

2:01:10a place that we called our home.

2:01:13Now that dream is in danger due to the SiQuantum development.

2:01:18Mayor Brandon Johnson, the SiQuantum development is a data center in disguise, but

2:01:23it's far more dangerous. You see, I grew up in Oak Park, and I remember during my

2:01:28childhood, there was a park off of 290 that had a giant

2:01:34dome erected over it for like four years.

2:01:38What had happened is, well before I was born, there was a gas plant there,

2:01:43and when that closed, they said they were going to remediate it, and they turned it

2:01:48into a park. Fast-forward decades, cancer's exploding in that community.

2:01:59It was only after that that the government stepped in and did what it needed to do

2:02:04to protect from further harms, but it was already too late for the families that

2:02:08were affected.

2:02:10The only difference between that and now is that we know better.

2:02:14We know that this land is contaminated.

2:02:18We know that the toxic dust that this construction is kicking up is getting into

2:02:23the air that we breathe. It's not a question of if this facility kills people, it's

2:02:28a question of how many. How many lives will be cut short?

2:02:33How many families are going to have to endure years of grief and suffering?

2:02:39How many people are going to have to die before we decide that this facility is not

2:02:43worth it?

2:02:46We shouldn't have to wait until the damage is already done for our government to

2:02:51step in. The purpose of government is to step in and protect us from the damages,

2:02:57the dangers, the threats that are represented by corporate interests.

2:03:03Brandon Johnson, we are not the price of doing business.

2:03:10We know you know this because of the work that you've done on the data center

2:03:14moratorium and the executive order.

2:03:18What we've got to do now, though, is finish the job.

2:03:20We've got to bring this home because this threat is still there and it is still

2:03:25real. So revoke the permits for construction, deny any future permits, and stop

2:03:30this project immediately.

2:03:42Thank you very much for your comments. Our next speaker is George Blakemore.

2:03:53Black faces in high places. Economic development, procurement.

2:04:00What percent of the contracts and equity

2:04:06does people of color, Black people get in the city of Chicago?

2:04:13What? 3%, 2%. What?

2:04:19But you got all these Black faces in high places.

2:04:26We have a problem,

2:04:28and it's a big problem, my Black brothers and sisters.

2:04:31When I came here, we had banks.

2:04:35We had sewing machines, and we had businesses. We had service stations.

2:04:39We had cleaners. We had stores. There's something wrong here.

2:04:45It's something wrong here. But we had the democratic machines also,

2:04:51but we had Black business. Black people was tending to their

2:04:56business, and you're not doing this now.

2:05:01You're waiting and looking for the government to help you.

2:05:07You got to help yourself.

2:05:10You got to help yourself. Self-preservation is the first

2:05:16law of nature.

2:05:19Help yourself.

2:05:22These Hispanics are selfish people.

2:05:26They're focusing on themselves. The Chinese, the whites, everybody's focusing on

2:05:32themselves. Why can't you do that?

2:05:35What's your problem with

2:05:38doing what the old people used to do? We had business. For old...

2:05:44Even though it was racism was alive, but Black people did overcome, saying, "We

2:05:50shall overcome." They had business, Black Wall Street, in all these ghettos

2:05:55throughout the South. Black business.

2:05:58Black people today, you getting too political.

2:06:03Shut up, Carol. Shut up, you're part of the problem, too.

2:06:08Shut up, all of us. We got to work together. We got to help each other.

2:06:13We got to love each other because it's all about us. We must be selfish.

2:06:19Why would you want to bring other people over to get jobs, goods, and contracts,

2:06:25and above you? Things that you're not even getting. Make it make sense.

2:06:31You know, something happened to us on the plantation.

2:06:35We fell in love with our enemy. But the ancestors knew exactly what to do.

2:06:40They were selfish. And we were so prosperous that they burned down our Black Wall

2:06:46Street throughout the South because we had it going on.

2:06:49Today in the city of Chicago, you don't have nothing because you're not about that.

2:06:57Thank you very much for your comments.

2:07:02Our next speaker is Christiana Akinsanmi.

2:07:15Our next speaker is Christiana Akinsanmi.

2:07:25Hello. My name is Christiana Akinsanmi.

2:07:29I'm a resident of South Shore and a member of South Side Together.

2:07:33I'm here to demand the immediate stop to construction for the Illinois Quantum

2:07:37Micro Electronics Park because I had the privilege of choosing South Shore.

2:07:42Three years ago when I came to Chicago, I chose South Shore because I wanted to see

2:07:47people that look like me in my neighborhood. I wanted affordability.

2:07:51I wanted accessible transportation and the best freaking beaches in the city.

2:07:56And yet, when I arrived, I fell in love with so much more.

2:08:00My neighbors, the small businesses, and the hope and resilience of a neighborhood

2:08:05determined to create a future brighter than our past together

2:08:10It was easy to choose to plant my roots in South Shore.

2:08:14What I didn't understand as a new resident is that apparently you're not supposed

2:08:18to have a choice when you live on the Southeast Side.

2:08:22You're supposed to just let things happen to you.

2:08:24You're supposed to let billionaires and techno-fascists and the Department of

2:08:28Defense come into your neighborhood, raise your energy bills, displace your

2:08:32neighbors, and pollute your neighborhood.

2:08:35Why don't we deserve to choose what happens in our neighborhood?

2:08:39Mayor Brandon Johnson, I know you understand this need for community

2:08:43self-determination because of your data center moratorium.

2:08:46You understand that we must regulate and choose what happens in this city, and

2:08:51that, quote, "Growth must be done responsibly and in a way that protects the health

2:08:55and safety and quality of life of Chicago residents." When J.B.

2:09:00Pritzker says, "Quantum is coming or y'all get nothing," that's not a choice, it's

2:09:04a threat. With no regulation, no transparency, no protection for affordability,

2:09:09housing and the environment, and privacy, all the consequences of the purported

2:09:14progress will fall on me and my neighbors.

2:09:18Pritzker has decided that we don't deserve safety and privacy, don't deserve clean

2:09:22communities, clean water, and clean air.

2:09:25A choice that will not only be harmful to the health of my community but also

2:09:28destroy my hope of planting roots and building a life in South Shore.

2:09:33The quantum computing facility will not make my community better and will not make

2:09:37my life better. It is not something we chose.

2:09:40It is a dangerous threat, and billionaires have decided we should bear the burden.

2:09:46Mayor Brandon Johnson,

2:09:48continue your efforts and choose us.

2:09:51Revoke the permits for the quantum facility, stop construction, and do the right

2:09:55thing on the Southeast Side. Thank you.

2:10:02Thank you very much for your comments.

2:10:07Our next speaker today is Archer.

2:10:13Our next speaker today is Archer.

2:10:24Good morning. My name is Archer.

2:10:26Good morning.

2:10:27I'm a resident of the Seventh Ward in South Chicago.

2:10:30I'm also a disabled person, and I'm here today to call on Brandon Johnson and all

2:10:34of City Council to stop the QMP so I and my neighbors can have a future in

2:10:40this community. I'm a wheelchair user.

2:10:43I push myself to get around, and because this is an endurance task, I can easily

2:10:49become out of breath.

2:10:51I go grocery shopping on Commercial Avenue, and when I'm pushing there, I start

2:10:56coughing. I start coughing because there's dust in the air, dust that is being

2:11:01carried from the Quantum development site, dust that we know has toxic chemicals in

2:11:06it. The EPA has said so. I've lived there for a few years, and I already have

2:11:12fallen in love with this community.

2:11:14There are families who have lived there for decades, and PSI Quantum is making our

2:11:18community directly harmful for the people who have built it.

2:11:22Harmful for them to live, grow, and truly thrive here without risking their

2:11:27long-term health and quality of life.

2:11:30This facility will only push people out who have lived here their entire lives and

2:11:34force people to choose between their health and community.

2:11:38On top of that, my roommates and I have already been forcibly displaced due to the

2:11:43health concerns of toxins released into the air and due to increasing electricity

2:11:48prices that we could not afford. And we are only one of many that are being

2:11:53affected by the toxins and outlandish energy bills, and this computer is not even

2:11:58done being built. People are already sick.

2:12:02There will be more, and the illnesses will be worse.

2:12:06Mayor Johnson, we see you responding to community concerns about data centers

2:12:11through your executive order and moratorium.

2:12:13But the Quantum facility has all the same concerns as data centers, and its

2:12:19development is already damaging our community's ability to live healthy lives.

2:12:24We need you to finish this job by protecting our community from J.B.

2:12:29Pritzker and his billionaire buddies and stop this Quantum facility.

2:12:38Thank you very much for your comments.

2:12:41Our next speaker is Priscilla Tito.

2:12:52Good morning, everyone. My name is Priscilla.

2:12:53I'm a resident of the Austin community, and I'm a youth organizer on the Northwest

2:12:57Side of Chicago. Over the years, I had the privilege of working with many young

2:13:01people from ages 14 to 24 as they learn about civic engagement, the importance of

2:13:06making their voices heard in places like this.

2:13:09I myself am a product of paid after-school jobs and youth summer jobs.

2:13:14Today, I call on our elected officials to listen to these voices and prioritize

2:13:19their needs in the city's budget. This summer, our organization worked with 115

2:13:23young people through summer employment programming.

2:13:27These opportunities provided more than just a paycheck to them.

2:13:30They offered mentorship, leadership development, safe spaces, and community.

2:13:34But six weeks of summer employment is not enough.

2:13:37With the rising cost of living, increased policing, and federal agents running

2:13:41rampant in our community, many young people are navigating uncertainties while

2:13:46helping support themselves and their families.

2:13:48When we talk about public safety, we must talk about prevention, youth employment,

2:13:52and after-school programming are investments in safer, stronger communities.

2:13:57I welcome a budget that increases funding for summer youth employment, but we must

2:14:01go further and invest in year-round opportunities.

2:14:04I urge our elected officials to make youth investment a priority this upcoming

2:14:08budget. Thank you.

2:14:10Thank you very much for your comments.

2:14:12Your Honor, there are no further speakers who have timely signed up for the public

2:14:15comment period.

2:14:15Very well. Thank you. This concludes the public comment period.

2:14:18Before communications, Madam Clerk.

2:14:21The following communication from Jonathan Ernst, Acting Budget Director, was filed

2:14:25in my office on Tuesday, October 20th, 2026 at 9:33 AM. "Dear Mrs.

2:14:31Valencia. Pursuant to Section 1860 of the Illinois Truth in Taxation Law, 35 ILCS

2:14:37200-1855 ET seq., the City of Chicago Office of Budget Management

2:14:43has made the following determinations regarding the amount of money exclusive of

2:14:48election costs estimated to be necessary to be raised by taxation for the following

2:14:52year upon the taxable property in the City of Chicago.

2:14:562027 amended aggregate property tax levy of $1,869,235.

2:15:02Please place this letter on file. Thank you.

2:15:04Sincerely, John Ernst, Acting Budget Director."

2:15:07Communications from His Mayor to the Honorable, the City Council, City of Chicago.

2:15:11"Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith the

2:15:14fiscal year 2027 budget recommendations.

2:15:17Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:15:19Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:15:21Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:15:24Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith the

2:15:272027 management ordinance that amends various titles of municipal code.

2:15:31Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:15:33Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:15:35Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:15:39Ladies and gentlemen, request of Acting Corporation Counsel are transmitted

2:15:41herewith the 2027 Municipal Code Corrections Ordinance.

2:15:44Your favorable consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:15:46Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:15:49Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:15:52Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith an

2:15:54ordinance authorizing the allocation of motor fuel tax funds.

2:15:59Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:16:01Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:16:03Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:16:05Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith an

2:16:08ordinance authorizing the execution of the intergovernmental agreement with the

2:16:11Chicago Transit Authority in the Cook County for the allocation of motor fuel tax

2:16:15funds. Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:16:18Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:16:20Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:16:23Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith a

2:16:25resolution amending the salary resolution.

2:16:28Your consideration of this resolution will be appreciated.

2:16:30Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:16:32Refer to the Committee on Budget and Government Operations.

2:16:35Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith the

2:16:38fiscal year 2027 tax levy. Your consideration of this ordinance will be

2:16:42appreciated. Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:16:45Refer to the Committee on Finance.

2:16:47Ladies and gentlemen, request of the budget director are transmitted herewith the

2:16:492027 Revenue Ordinance that amends various titles of municipal code.

2:16:53Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:16:54Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor. Refer to the Committee on Finance.

2:16:58Ladies and gentlemen, the request of Chief Financial Officer are transmitted

2:17:01herewith an ordinance authorizing the issuance of city general obligation bonds,

2:17:05series 2026, and to amend the municipal code regarding reporting on bond

2:17:09transactions. Your consideration of this ordinance will be appreciated.

2:17:12Very truly yours, Brandon Johnson, Mayor.

2:17:14Refer to the Committee on Finance."

2:17:18Thank you, Madam Clerk. Now we consider a resolution calling for public hearing on

2:17:22the executive budget. Chair recognizes Chairman Ervin.

2:17:27Thank you, Mr. President. I provided the clerk with a proposed resolution providing

2:17:30for publication and setting the date and time of a necessary hearing on the budget,

2:17:35and I ask the resolution be read.

2:17:36Thank you. Madam Clerk, please read the resolution.

2:17:39Whereas Mayor Brandon Johnson on October 21st, 2026, submitted to the City Council

2:17:43effective budget of the City of Chicago for the fiscal year beginning January 1st,

2:17:472027 and ending December 31st, 2027.

2:17:51And whereas it is provided by law that at least one public hearing shall be held by

2:17:55the corporate authorities on the budget document not less than one week after

2:17:58publication, therefore, in such manner as the corporate authorities may determine

2:18:02and prior to final action thereon and whereas in the further provided by law that

2:18:07notice of such hearing shall be given by publication in a newspaper having general

2:18:11circulation in the City of Chicago not less than one week prior to the time of such

2:18:14hearing. Now therefore, be it resolved that the budget document for the fiscal year

2:18:18beginning January 1st, 2027 and ending December 31st, 2027, as submitted by the

2:18:23Mayor of the City Council, be published in pamphlet form and made available for

2:18:26public inspection at the office of City Clerk no later than October 26th, 2026.

2:18:31And be it further resolved that the public hearing on said budget document held by

2:18:35City Council at 11:30 AM on December 8th, 2026 in the City Council chamber in City

2:18:40Hall, and the City Clerk is hereby directed to cause a notice of such hearing to be

2:18:44published in a newspaper having general circulation at least in the City of Chicago

2:18:48at least one week prior to the time of such public hearing.

2:18:51Jason Ervin, Alderman, 28th Ward.

2:18:52Thank you. Chairman Ervin, you're recognized.

2:18:54Mr. President, I move for the temporary suspension of the rules for the immediate

2:18:58consideration of the resolution.

2:19:00Hearing no objection, so ordered. Chairman Ervin.

2:19:03Now I move to adopt this resolution by a voice vote.

2:19:06All those in favor of the adoption of this resolution signify by saying aye.

2:19:09Aye.

2:19:09Any opposed, say nay. In the opinion of the chair, the ayes have it.

2:19:12Alderman Mitchell on a motion to reconsider.

2:19:14Motion to reconsider.

2:19:15All those in favor of the reconsideration of this motion signify by saying aye.

2:19:18Any opposed, say nay. This motion fails. Chairman Ervin.

2:19:22A budget hearing schedule is available online and in the office of the Committee on

2:19:26the Budget and Government Operations.

2:19:28I now move that we return to the regular order of business.

2:19:30Hearing no objection, so ordered. Alderman Mitchell, a motion to adjourn.

2:19:34There being no further business before the body, I move that we adjourn.

2:19:37Hearing no objection, so ordered.

2:19:38The meeting is

2:19:58adjourned.