City Council recognizes Pride and Juneteenth.
Meeting is called to order at 10:07 beginning with roll call. 46 Council members are presents except for Ald. Vazquez who is attending remotely.
Public comment begins at 10:15 ( I did not catch every comment and I tried to spell names to the best of my ability)
Erin Turner with the Chicago association of realtors advocates for an ordinance for housing equity
Miron burke - is with Chicago Coalition for the Homeless. He is in support of the Bring Chicago Home Campaign and Real estate transfer tax to generate funding for services to address homelessness
Brooks - was previously incarcerated and would like to see youth be educated on the law
Oscar Ortiz - speaks on the struggle for fair wage and says that the National restaurant association should work with workers to rewrite outdated agreement
Roosevelt Daniel - says Ald. Mitchell gave out his address to someone who then came up to his house and took pictures
Denise Goring - says she would like to see support for Chicago residents as well as the migrants
Melvin - says that there wasn’t a community meeting for an invest southwest project in his community
3 resolutions are introduced: honoring Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, recognizing June as pride month, and Juneteenth
Ald. Lee talks about the influence of AKA which inspired her to create an Asian sorority on her campus modeled by black Greek life
Ald. Coleman names some of the issues that AKA has worked on and advocated for.
Various alderman speak in support of the next resolution to recognize June as pride month.
Some of the alderman who spoke recognize the anti LGBTQ law being passed across the country
Ald. Rosa ask the other council members to wear a union made pride pin in support of the LGBTQ community
Ald. Rodriguez talks about the intersectionality within the LGBTQ community and what it means to be a sanctuary city.
Ald. Lopez among other things says that investing in PrEP has allowed youth to think that it’s okay to have unprotected sex
11:51 Mayor Johnson gives final remarks on the resolution. He recognizes some of the organizations and individuals who have done work for the LGBTQ community including Brave Space Alliance.
Ald. Maria Hadden begins and various other alderman follow in support of the resolution
12:21 Brandon Johnson gives final remarks on the resolution. He says, “If we are going to restore the soul of Chicago it’s going to start on the west and south sides.” He recognizes some of the local black organizers present.
Ald. Mitchell moves an order to pass the resolution and continue the meeting
Finance committee- chairperson Ald. Dowell introduces various items that are passed. Two of them revived various reactions from alder people
ordinance for the United yards affordable housing development https://blockclubchicago.org/2023/04/20/massive-back-of-the-yards-project-gets-5-million-in-tif-funding/
Ald. Jeanette Taylor speaks on how the project isn’t initially what the community asked for but the city has worked with them to meet some of their asks
Ald. Raymond Lopez speaks in support of the project and the collaboration between wards which make up Back of the Yards.
Oder for settlement agreement regarding the case of Sharell Brown who was fatally shot by officer Joseph Lisciandrello. https://news.wttw.com/2023/06/13/city-council-reconsider-recommendation-pay-1m-lawsuit-settlement-mother-man-killed
Ald Conway supports settlement after talking to COPA members who confirmed that turning off the body cam was an intentional decision from the officer https://www.chicagocopa.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/2019-1617_Blackbox.pdf
Ald. Sposato doesn’t agree with the settlement. He gives an explanation of the interaction between the man and police officers. He says the officer turned off the body camera too soon.
Ald. Hopkins is in support. He points out the initial purpose of body cams. He uplifts the need to reevaluate the technology
Ald. Raymond Lopez speaks in opposition as he did in January when the council considered the settlement. He believes it’s not justified because the officer was doing his job and Brown was carrying a gun.
Ald. Julia Ramirez who says she is speaking for the first time says she feels passionate about the issue because she lost a loved one to gun violence. She says that people shouldn’t be judged for their past (referring to Brown’s criminal record) or justify their dead.
Ald. Taliafero votes no because he says he did not receive all the information he wanted in the committee
Ald. Ervin says “At the end of the day all we want is constitutionally sound policing.” He says people’d criminal history shouldn’t be a factor. And says that the council should have the best interest for tax payers in mind when making a decision.
Roll call vote on the ordinance: 35 to 15. Later four other votes from alderpeople who weren’t present are added in favor
Pat dowel - says that the case is difficult but says the council should look at all sides.
All other committee chairpersons read legislative proposals from their committees which are approved without objection/ discussion
Here is the list legislative proposals presented today https://chicago.legistar.com/MeetingDetail.aspx?ID=1074614&GUID=ED4A6A65-B27D-4FF3-8A60-E9EE16927E8C&Options=&Search=