June 11
“It’s incredibly important that members of the legislature and the public are also reminded of what we can do with the money when we do receive it,” said Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen at a meeting of the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Board. They should also keep in mind, she said, “what we’ve achieved in the past few years in terms of our hiring and our workforce.” Leerhsen was speaking about the need for a plan B after the Illinois General Assembly failed to take action to address a $770 million budget shortfall for Chicago-area transit. A new Northern Illinois Transit Authority that would replace the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) is one option among several that legislators are considering, according to Leerhsen. Under such a plan, the current transit agencies would focus on running buses and trains, and a new agency would oversee regional policy issues, fares, and major projects. But Leerhsen emphasized that her priority is to secure funding so the CTA can continue delivering and improving services. An extreme funding loss would hit hard as Chicago pursues major transit investments, Leerhsen said, such as the Frequent Network to increase service for some bus routes across the city. “It’s obviously a historic, unprecedented time for our industry and our region” Leerhsen concluded, “and I am going to approach that as the acting president in terms of the opportunity it presents.”
At their meeting, members of the City Council Committee on Transportation and Public Way said they support the development of a pilot program to ensure safe pick-up and drop-off services for Chicago teenagers attending public events in the 29th Ward on the West Side. “I hope this pilot program will be approved,” said Alderman Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward), noting that “all of our wards . . . are having difficulties with youth getting from one location to another” for worthwhile activities. Such a pilot program would require the Department of Transportation (IDOT) to negotiate an agreement between the City and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) or the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA). The initiative is important because even if youth-centered activities are available, young people aren’t necessarily able to get to them, Taliaferro explained. Several Council members expressed the desire to bring similar programs to their wards. Next steps are to meet with the CTA to evaluate prospective costs and to establish funding, he said. For the moment, the item remains in committee until details are complete.
June 12
At its meeting, the City Council Committee on Workforce Development took no action on the Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety ordinance. Committee Chair Michael Rodriguez (22nd Ward), delayed a vote on whether to bring a proposal to the City Council and then canceled it. Rodriguez had introduced the ordinance originally. Some 100,000 ride-share drivers in Illinois are now free to organize after the ride-share company Uber agreed to support a statewide bill designed to make such unionization possible. The Illinois Drivers Alliance, based out of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1 and the International Association of Machinists Mechanics Union Local 701, announced the deal with Uber. Uber agreed not to work against efforts to give drivers collective bargaining rights. Drivers would still be classified as independent contractors. The unions have not achieved a similar agreement with Lyft but are discussing the issues with the company, Local 1 spokesperson Bailey Koch told the Chicago Tribune. The legislation is being drafted, according to the Sun-Times. Also known as the “The Fair Share Ordinance,” the measure aimed to improve conditions for ride-share drivers in Chicago by establishing a living wage, ensuring safety protections, and increasing transparency in fares and deactivation processes.
June 16
At its meeting, the City Council Committee on Finance voted to authorize settlement of four lawsuits totaling nearly $25 million for police corruption and abuse dating back to the 1980s. Ways to fund the settlements have not been determined. In 2025, the City has spent at least $143.3 million to cover more than two dozen police misconduct lawsuits, according to the Tribune—more than twice the budgeted amount. Of the cases up for settlement, James Gibson v. City of Chicago, at $14.7 million is the largest. Convicted of killing two people in 1989, Gibson spent almost thirty years in prison before the conviction was vacated in 2019 and the charges dismissed. Gibson sued the City, saying he confessed under duress after detectives commanded by former Cmdr. Jon Burge tortured him. Going to trial could result in the City paying out between thirty and one hundred million dollars, said Deputy Corporation Counsel Jessica Felker.
June 18
Mayor Brandon Johnson vetoed the “snap curfew” ordinance at a meeting of the City Council, sidelining the controversial measure. Previously passed by the City Council in a 27–22 vote, the legislation would have enabled the Chicago Police superintendent to institute a curfew to break up “mass gatherings” of minors and order them to leave a public space with at least thirty minutes notice. Months of discussion among city officials and criticism from legal and community groups preceded the vote. Johnson’s veto was the first by a Chicago mayor since 2006, when then Mayor Richard M. Daley vetoed a minimum hourly pay rate for employees of “big box” retailers. Blocking the veto would require votes from thirty-four alderpersons. “We also want to make sure that we are listening to the lifeblood of our community,” said Alderperson Angela Clay (46th Ward), who spoke against the snap curfew. “It bothers me that we have a room full of young people back here, and nobody has asked them their opinion on this issue.”
June 20
At its meeting, the Illinois African Descent–Citizens Reparations Commission received an update on a draft of the Harms Report from its research subcommittee. The report, projected to be made public in December of this year or January 2026, is the first of three phases “with the primary goal of researching and documenting past and current inequities faced by Black Americans in Illinois.” The research is conducted in partnership with University of Illinois Chicago Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy in an intergovernmental agreement. The report, which is designed to be the basis for future policy recommendations, is broken into eleven categories of harm, such as mental and physical harm and neglect, pathology of the African American family, stolen labor, and hindered opportunity. The Commission was established by the Illinois General Assembly in 2022. The Commission is to survey the state’s procurement process and to make recommendations and “perform actions” related to preserving African American neighborhoods and communities, as well as “building and developing” vocational centers. The Commission is to ensure “proportional economic representation” in state contracts and to create and enforce an Illinois Slavery Era Disclosure Bill.
This information was collected and curated by the Weekly in large part using reporting from City Bureau’s Documenters at documenters.org.