February 19
At its meeting, the City Council heard heated arguments for and against a controversial $830-million bond proposal designed to upgrade outdated city infrastructure, including roads, street lights, and replacing lead service lines. A key sticking point was the bond’s repayment structure, which would eventually cost the City $2 billion. Member Bill Conway (34th Ward) voted “no,” saying he supported the ordinance but not the repayment plan. He pointed out that Chicago already carries one of the heaviest debt loads of any municipality in the country ($38.2 billion, according to the Wealthy Nickel). Council Member William Hall (6th Ward) argued for the proposal and blamed resistance on members who “pump the brakes” on funding slated for Black and brown communities. Public commenters argued for removal of a Gompers Park homeless encampment and a proposed city speed limit of twenty-five miles per hour. At a February 26 meeting, the Council approved the bond proposal by a vote of twenty-six-to-twenty-three.
February 20
The Regional Transportation Authority Board of Directors learned at its meeting that a pilot program providing reduced fares for low-income Metra riders is scheduled to end on July 23. Under the Access Pilot program, reduced fares are available to Chicago-area recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP). Eligible riders can apply at RTA Fare Programs Online. The RTA, Metra, and Cook County contribute to funding the program, including administrative costs and lost operating revenue. To date, Access Pilot has provided 117,000 reduced-fare rides, RTA Manager of Strategy and Policy Peter Kersten told the RTA Board. Seventy-five percent of the 4,600 riders benefitting from the program live in Cook County. On the South Side and south suburban Cook County, more than half of the riders use the Metra Electric and Rock Island lines. Expanding the program to include the CTA and Pace requires additional money from the state, Kersten explained. “We know that expansion would broadly increase the impact of the program,” he said, especially on the West Side and western Cook County.
The number of police disciplinary cases decided by the Chicago Police Board declined sharply during 2024. At the Board’s meeting, president Kyle Cooper explained that the significant drop occurred due to continuing litigation in connection with how the arbitration of police discipline is conducted. The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) has been fighting a Cook County Circuit Court ruling that arbitration hearings for officers facing termination or long suspensions must be open to the public. On hold are sixteen discharge cases and one 366-day suspension case. These cases will probably be delayed for several months until the Illinois Appellate Court makes its decision or unless the accused officers consent to a Police Board hearing before then. The nine-member Chicago Police Board is an independent civilian body that oversees discipline cases and nominates candidates for police superintendent.
February 26
The 9th District Police Council reviewed its strategic plan during its meeting. Prepared by the Chicago Police Department, the plan set priorities as reducing shootings, armed robberies, and burglaries. The district is on the Southwest Side and covers part or all of several neighborhoods, including Bridgeport, Gage Park, McKinley Park, Pilsen, and Englewood. Police use strategic plans to identify problem-solving and community-engagement conditions in each district that require police support. The plans are put together by the Office of Community Policing to address recommendations outlined both in the Community Policing Advisory Panel Report and the City’s Consent Decree. Under the decree, which is a court-approved settlement, CPD and the City must “reform training, policies, and practices in… use of force, community policing, impartial policing, training, accountability, officer wellness, data and information systems” and others. For 2020, the City budgeted $25.5 million to use in satisfying the decree. Every four years since February 2023 voters in municipal elections select three people for each of twenty-two district police councils.
February 27
By a vote of sixteen to three at its meeting, the Chicago Board of Education saved five Acero charter schools from closing. The vote came after months of negotiations with the charter network’s operator. It also marked the Board’s first major decision since becoming a partially elected body last year. Chicago Public Schools will absorb five of the seven schools by the 2026-27 school year, according to a transition agreement. The two remaining Acero schools, Octavio Paz in Little Village and Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz on the North Side, will close in June. Students and educators from the Acero schools showed up in force to implore the Board to keep their schools open and to chastise Acero for trying to shut them down. “This school is home to me. It has been proven time and time again that community is key to learning,” said seventh grader Andrea Ayalla during public comment. “Take away my community and send me to a school where I don’t know a soul and I won’t learn as effectively.” Facing a $40 million deficit, Acero leaders announced late last year they would be closing the schools. Does CPS have the resources to keep the five schools running? Board members who voted against absorbing the five campuses are skeptical, in part because the system faces a budget deficit of more than a half billion dollars. Amid a federal crackdown on immigrants in Chicago, the Board vowed to welcome all students. Board members also expressed concern about a recent incident where immigration agents detained a parent outside two schools in Gage Park. “The fear that is gripping our families right now is unacceptable,” said Board Vice President Olga Bautista. “We can’t expect children to be able to focus on learning when they don’t know if their parents are going to be home when they get back.”
Reviewed at a meeting of the 1st Police District Council—Loop/River West, Near South Side, the district’s strategic plan highlights concerns about quality-of-life issues, robberies, and motor vehicle theft. In presenting the plan, 9th District Police Commander Joseph Mark acknowledged the district’s gang problem and said he has increased patrols. He believes they have driven the number of shootings down, especially in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. While also acknowledging the intimidation tactics used by gangs, he nonetheless urged community members to help police identify gang members. Although robberies increased across the city last year, Mark reported a decrease in the 9th District, crediting the increased police presence. District strategic plans will be discussed by all councils at the District Council quarterly meeting on March 8. Problem-solving and community-engagement priorities are identified in new strategic plans for each district. The plans are put together with the support of the Office of Community Policing as a means to address recommendations outlined both in the Community Policing Advisory Panel Report and the Consent Decree.
This information was collected and curated by the Weekly in large part using reporting from City Bureau’s Documenters at documenters.org.