Mayor Lori Lightfoot hopes to spend nearly $1 billion in federal COVID-19 relief money to pay off the short term borrowing her administration has used to get through the first two years of the pandemic, the mayor’s finance team told aldermen Wednesday. And much of the rest of Chicago’s expected $2 billion cut of the relief package could also go to covering a yawning hole in next year’s budget.
Largest firehouse in Chicago history opens for service on Far South Side suntimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from suntimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Rich Hein/Sun-Times
With a $1.8 billion avalanche of federal aid on the way, Chicago aldermen on Wednesday signed off on Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to spend or reallocate $108.5 million in relief money already delivered to the city.
The nearly two hours of debate preceding the vote by the City Council’s Budget Committee was clearly shaped by the recent rebellion over Lightfoot’s decision to spend $281.5 million of Round One COVID-19 relief on police payroll and benefits.
A parade of aldermen asked tough questions to make certain there are no surprises this time.
Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez (33rd) sought assurances that none of the $60 million earmarked for “operations, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, combating the spread of pathogens and debt service payments” at O’Hare Airport and the $16.5 million for the same at Midway would not be used to pay for police officers assigned to both airports.
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Mayor Lori Lightfoot prepares to speak to reporters Feb. 4, 2021. | Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP
Some of the biggest names in Chicago business and sports have taken out a
Pat Nabong/Sun-Times
The chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee said Thursday she is laying the groundwork to join the field of candidates seeking to replace retiring Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.
If she takes the plunge, Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) would join a wide-open field of candidates that already includes City Clerk Anna Valencia and former State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough is also considering a run for the patronage-rich office.
Giannoulias is a statewide vote-getter and proven fundraiser who lost the 2010 race for the U.S. Senate by fewer than 60,000 votes to Republican Mark Kirk.