[remote or in-person] Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development

Politics

Monday, Oct. 7, 2024
12:00 p.m. — 2:00 p.m. CDT

121 N LaSalle St Chicago, IL 60602 (Directions)

You have the option of documenting this meeting in person or remotely.

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If you choose to document remotely, the meeting will be live-streamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page.

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The end time listed on this assignment is an estimation based on the duration of past meetings of this type.

Other notes and pre-research resources

This meeting may involve discussion of Special Service Areas (SSAs), which are hyperlocal taxing districts that are created to fund development and improvement of commercial strips. See a map of SSA districts here: https://data.cityofchicago.org/Community-Economic-Development/Boundaries-Special-Service-Areas/kjav-iyuj
Meeting details page: https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Meeting/?meetingId=08180E48-F675-EF11-A671-001DD804C7AB
Be sure to check the “attachments” tab for the meeting agenda and other documents. You can access more information about items on the agenda at https://chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/. You can search keywords or click the “Show more filters” button and enter the legislation number (i.e. [O as in Ordinance][year introduced]-####, [R as in Resolution][year introduced]-####).
Chicago Councilmatic: This civic data org’s website has a lot of the information that can be found on the city’s database in a more user-friendly format, with info on this committee, plus headshots of members

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Cordell Longstreath

Alders discuss Special Service Areas (SSAs) appointments.

View notes

Live reporting by Anson Tong

Alders discuss Special Service Areas (SSAs) appointments.

Anson Tong @ansonjtong

Hi, I’ll be live-tweeting today's Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development meeting for #CHIdocumenters @CHIdocumenters

11:57 AM Oct 7, 2024 CDT

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 2/55

You can find the agenda for this meeting here: chicago.documenters.org/documents/agen… A list of members of the committee: chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Legislative-Bo…

chicago.documenters.org/documents/agen… chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Legislative-Bo…

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 3/55

And a description of the committee:

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 4/55

There is no livestream yet - it's just a looping automated warning about rules around public comment behavior and rules regarding bags and cellphones in the room.

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 5/55

Sorry - link to the agenda here actually: …storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

…storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 6/55

The meeting commences at 12:10pm with Roll Call.

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The committee has quorum.

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Public comment is beginning, limited to 30 min with each speaker receiving 3 min. There are 5 speakers signed up.

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The first speaker is Mr. Michael Youngbay (sp?). He says he is going to run for alderman. He asks if the aldermen "have the heart to stand up for anything?"

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Mr. Youngbay names Alds. Ervin, Burnett, and Silverstein specifically and brings up freedom of speech.

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The next speaker is Ms. Zoe Leigh (sp?) who opens with a comment on her belief the Democratic Party is demolishing buildings wrongly with manipulation of the Fifth Amendment and eminent domain.

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Ms. Leigh specifically questions the ability of Congress and politicians to help Black Americans. She wonders what the purpose is of voting for Democrats if they cannot help. She specifically names Ald. Debra Silverstein.

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The third public commenter begins. No name announced. The speaker is listing young people shot dead in Chicago.

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The speaker notes that Shotspotter went dark on September 27th. The speaker raises questions about discussions of safety during the DNC.

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The speaker attributes an increase in deaths as a result of shootings to the ending of the ShotSpotter contract.

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The next speaker is Ms. Jessica Jackson. Ms. Jackson says that she believes Donald Trump must be elected to office. She criticizes the Democratic Party for "doing nothing for us, nothing for American citizens" and criticizes Mayor Brandon Johnson.

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She takes issue with assumptions that Black voters must support Democrats or Black politicians specifically because of their race. Ms. Jackson criticizes the hurricane relief efforts so far.

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Mr. Blakemore is the next speaker. He questions "SSAs" (which stands for Special Service Areas in Chicago) which he refers to as a "dog and pony show." He takes issue with the Democratic Party.

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This concludes the public comment portion of the meeting.

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Next up is Approval of the September 2024 Rule 45 Monthly Report. There are no objections.

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Now Committee Chairman Villegas is reading through the list of appointments that can be found in the agenda: …storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

…storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

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Item 18 has received a substitute to correct a grammatical error. A motion is made to accept this substitute.

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A few aldermen are added to the roll call.

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Alderman Lopez asks to make a question/statement regarding appointments. He asks if any of the members seeking an appointment present today. They are not here.

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Ald. Lopez asks if new appointees are invited to introduce themselves to the body. The Chair says they are but it should be mandated more. Ald. Lopez asks if it can be made a requirement.

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Ald. Mitts points out that this is regarding people who are new appointments, not reappointments. The Chair confirms that these individuals will be asked to be present.

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The appointments are passed with a motion and will be reported out at the next City Council meeting.

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The next several items fall within Scope of Services / Budget. Items 25-34 on the agenda: …storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

…storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

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Ald. Lopez asks Deputy Commissioner Mark Roschen about the classification of the various funds for the SSAs. Roschen says the budgets are crafted by local commissions and line items are customizable. Ald. Lopez asks if the categories can be reviewed to ensure their relevance.

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Ald. Lopez notes that he has encountered categories that have been empty for years for various SSAs because they are not relevant or outdated. He is also interested in best practices and sharing information and knowledge between the 80+ SSAs.

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Ald. La Spata says that the most useful way to be informed about his SSAs's budgets is to sit down with them. He shouts out specific individuals and notes that going line item by line item is tedious but helpful.

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SSA 33, for example, stipends businesses who want to contract with composting services.

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Ald. Mitts asks why we don't just show the budgets of the SSAs on the screens and post them. She thinks that it would be helpful for people to understand and would be more transparent.

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Chairman Villegas notes that the budgets are in the OneDrive and they will take her suggestion into consideration.

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Ald. Reilly follows up with Ald. Mitts's question and recommends a budget summary. He also agrees with Ald. La Spata about going line by line reviewing SSA budget submissions. "It's frankly what the taxpayers expect of us."

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 36/55

Ald. Lopez brings up another point. He asks if there can be a more top-level summary and pie chart by category so that people can see in digestible terms how much is being spent on various priorities.

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Chairman Villegas says they will have DPD (Department of Planning and Development) provide this going forward.

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There are another 48 budgets coming before this committee in an upcoming meeting.

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There are no other questions so there is a motion to approve these ordinances, which will be reported out at the next City Council meeting.

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Items 35-40 on the agenda are ordinances dealing with public hearings.

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They are being read through and can be found here: …storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

…storagev1.blob.core.usgovcloudapi.net/meetingattachm…

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Chairman Villegas notes 3 new proposed SSAs and a few SSAs up for renewal. These hearings will be on Thursday beginning at 9am.

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Aaron Fogle from DPD is present to discuss Items 41-42 which are tax incentives.

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Mr. Fogle is here to discuss a proposal located at 2515-2557 W Taylor St. There is a letter of support from Ald. Ervin.

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The proposal includes warehouse and office space. Construction is expected to begin in February 2025 and complete by October 2027 with a cost of $7.9M+.

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DPD is in support of this project that is estimated to bring a net benefit to taxing districts of $1.6M.

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Ald. La Spata asks if this location is in an industrial corridor and Mr. Fogle confirms it is. Hearing no objections, the recommendation is passed.

Anson Tong @ansonjtong 48/55

Mr. William Grams from DPD is presenting on item 42. This is for constructing a 44,000+ sq ft building on a currently vacant cite at 4202-4232 W. Lake St. in the 28th Ward. Ald. Jason Ervin has provided a letter of support for this project.

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Part of the land is city-owned and a sale to the developer was negotiated.

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DPD is in support of this project. Mr. Grams is open to questions from members of the committee.

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Ald. Waguespack asks to go back to the map showing the location of the discussed site.

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Ald. Villegas asks the developer, Paul Goodman, about whether a general contractor has been selected. He said they are close to selecting.

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The motion is passed.

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The meeting of the Committee on Economic, Capital and Technology Development today is adjourned at 1:05pm.

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Thanks for following along! More detailed meeting notes by Cordell Longstreath will be available here: chicago.documenters.org/assignments/re…

chicago.documenters.org/assignments/re…

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Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

If you attend a meeting in person, be prepared to go through a security checkpoint and show photo ID.

Meetings are also livestreamed at https://www.chicityclerk.com/.

At this link, scroll down to “Meeting Notices.” Look for “Watch now” and click on the link with the meeting title to go to a livestream page. If you don’t see a link for the meeting, you may be early or the meeting may be starting late. Wait a few moments and try refreshing your Internet tab.

Recordings of past City Council meetings may be found here: https://vimeo.com/user100351763/videos/sort:date.

See also: “What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council” via the Better Government Association.