Dear Neighbors,
On Monday the Chicago City Council passed the 2025 Budget by a vote of 27-23. This $17.1billion proposal was the fourth iteration, and although it reflected productive negotiation from the first proposal (including spending efficiencies/reductions and elimination of the $300million property tax increase), I voted “No” because I believe that more structural cuts should have been made, and could have been made without impacting the primary services Chicagoans rely on. For example, the moderate efficiencies outlined in this letter colleagues and I sent Mayor Johnson on December 4, 2025, would have been viewed favorably by the credit agencies that rate our city.
This newsletter has covered changes and reactions to the budget for the past six weeks. Click here for an overview of new revenues that may impact you, such as an increase to the checkout bag tax, residential parking sticker fees, and a new streaming and cloud computing tax. Click here for a general overview including cuts and efficiencies made such as the elimination of the city’s basic income program, delay on (non-pension) debt payments, reduced departmental middle management, and mayor’s office positions.
Throughout this challenging budget process, I kept a consistent strategy of participating in negotiations with all parties; e.g., never saying “No” just to make a point, and never missing an opportunity to push the budget in a better direction. It is essential for Chicago to pass a budget, as not doing so would push us towards ‘junk’ status in the eyes of creditors. In doing so, I worked closely with a set of alders that defied any ‘caucus’ or partisan identity. I want to express thanks to them, as well as the City’s hardworking budget, intergovernmental, and finance teams. There is a significant amount of work to be done in the years ahead to put Chicago on track for a more fiscally stable future.
|
Later today, the Chicago Board of Education will convene and consider the termination of Chicago Public Schools’ CEO Pedro Martinez in the middle of union contract negotiations wherein CEO Martinez has held strong and refused to authorize a $300million high-interest loan. My belief has not changed: Chicagoans recently elected new school board members through a democratic process, and the current temporary school board should not make major decisions until the elected board is in place on January 15th.
Last week AdvocateHealth announced a $1billion investment in Chicago’s south side to build a 300million, 52-bed hospital at the former site of US Steel South Works. In addition to a $700million plan for prescription services and food delivery, the project will include localized OB-GYN and expanded emergency room services. There is significant excitement around this investment, which will create 1,000 new jobs, bridge a health equity gap and reinvigorate the local economy. Hat’s off to my colleague Ald. Greg Mitchell who has worked on this project for years, and I am thrilled to see another example of private-public partnership bettering our city
|
A rendering of the planned $300 million, 52-bed hospital near Brandon Avenue and DuSable Lake Shore Drive in South Chicago, which would replace Advocate Trinity Hospital. Credit: Advocate Health Care
|
This week Illinois’ Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias wrote an op-ed in the Chicago Tribune stressing the importance of innovation for competent governance. This theme is at the core of my overarching goal for the 43rd Ward Office, that through innovation from “government per usual”, we improve core services and constituent experience. In early January, we will publish our annual “43rd Ward Year in Review”. In addition to describing infrastructure and legislative results, this Review will provide updated success metrics from the technology overhaul we implemented in the ward in early 2023. As a sneak peak, our office’s response time has sped up from 4.6 days (Fall ‘22) to 0.6 days (Fall ‘24), with completed constituent service requests increasing 241% this past year. As a testament to these statistics, 5 other Chicago alders followed and integrated the same technology overhaul into their offices this year.
A reminder that there will be no refuse collection on Holidays this year. All city-collected refuse will be serviced on non-Holiday days. Because both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Wednesdays, for the next 2 weeks residents should ensure all black refuse carts are accessible throughout the week of collection, not solely on their regular day of collection. Similarly, residents should ensure all Blue Recycling Carts are accessible throughout the week of collection.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas, and a great start to Hanukkah! As I look ahead into 2025 with big goals for our ward, it has been a total honor to serve you in 2024, and am grateful to be supported by the best staff in Chicago city government.
|
Holiday Hours: The 43rd Ward office will be closed on 12/24, 12/25, 12/31, and 1/1. We will be open on 12/23 with limited hours from 10a.m. - 2p.m., and will reopen from 12/26 - 12/30 with limited hours of 10a.m. to 2p.m. Normal hours will resume on 1/2. During Holiday closures, contact us here and utilize the 311 app for any service requests. Finally, if there is an emergency, please call 911.
P.S. Regarding public safety, the 19th District is hosting educational events from now through March focused on car safety for children. These events will feature certified car seat technicians who will check car seats and help out with installations. You can reserve a spot here.
|
If you need a pick-me-up for some holiday cheer, check out this shot of the Lincoln Park ZooLights.
|
Photo credits: @Jay3130Jay on X
|
Holiday Garbage and Recycling
|
There will be no collection on Holidays this year. All city- collected refuse will be serviced on non Holiday days. Residents should ensure all black refuse carts are accessible throughout the week of collection, not solely on their regular day of collection. Similarly, residents should ensure all Blue Recycling Carts are accessible throughout the week of collection.
|
The 43rd Ward's recycling center is on the East side of Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave.
|
The 43rd Ward Office will have amended hours during the Holiday season. Please see below:
Monday, December 23rd: 10am-2pm
Tuesday, December 24th and Wednesday, December 25th: Closed
Thursday, December 26th: 10am-2pm
Friday, December 27th: 10am-2pm
Monday, December 30th: 10am-2pm
Tuesday, December 31st: Closed
Wednesday, January 1st: Closed
The 43rd Ward Office will reopen with normal business hours of 9am-5pm on Thursday, January 2nd.
|
2025 Shared Cost Sidewalk Program
|
The 2025 Shared Cost Sidewalk Program will open to new applicants on January 13, 2025 at 6AM, providing an affordable option for replacing sidewalks at a cost much lower than private contractors.
Seniors and people with disabilities may qualify for a 50% discount, and it covers sidewalk replacement within the public right-of-way. Property owners can apply on a first-come, first-served basis through the City’s 311 call system, website, or app. For more details on the program, including eligibility and the application process, please see the full guide here.
Should you have any questions, please contact CDOT at (312) 744-1746 or email cdotsharedcost@cityofchicago.org. As always, residents can report other sidewalk conditions to 311, or by contacting our office.
|
As our city government and safety leadership transition into the next Administration, crime, and safety remain top of mind for our community. Each week, the 18th and 19th District post Compstat numbers that reflect changes in indexes for key crimes. In an effort to keep residents informed on these trends, we will publish those weekly updates in the newsletter’s public safety section. As a reminder, these statistics represent 100% of the 18th and 19th Police Districts; accordingly, they represent an area much larger than our ward.
For 18th District (south of Fullerton) Compstat,
For 19th District (north of Fullerton) Compstat,
|
We work closely with the 43rd Ward’s local CAPS districts, which include the 18th (Near North) and 19th (Town Hall) Police Districts. Our office is in frequent contact with officers from both of these districts and their local CAPS officers, who host a variety of community forums and events including beat meetings, informational settings, and expert panel discussions, as well as sending out community alerts when a pattern of crime is detected.
Beat Meetings are part of the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy and an excellent way to hear directly from CPD about your neighborhood. Meetings are held in the evenings every two months. Click here and find out your Police District and Beat number.
Beat Meetings for our Ward have concluded for the year. Both the 18th and 19th District CAPS Officers look forward to working with residents in 2025.
|
The State of Illinois recently sent checks to nearly 140,000 Illinois residents that may have unclaimed money from forgotten bank accounts and other sources, as part of State Treasurer Michael Frerichs's I-CASH program. If you received a check about a month ago from this program, be sure to cash or deposit it—it is legitimate and belongs to you. Read more about the program here and visit their website here to find if you have additional unclaimed property.
|
Alongside local faith communities, neighbors have been organizing support for migrants. If you are able to volunteer or contribute to this effort, please consider one or more of the following:
- Monetary Donations: Donations are being collected to purchase immediate needs, including prescription medicine. If you are able to contribute, do so here.
- Volunteer Support: The 19th District Mutual Aid Network is looking for those who are able to volunteer in any capacity. You sign up here.
- Physical Donations: We are looking for targeted donations, especially small, umbrella-type strollers or that fold down. You can find the full list of items & location drop-off here.
Please consider donating to our organizations that are still currently in need:
|
The Chicago Office of Inspector General (OIG) announces the launch of its newest data dashboard, City Services by Address. This dashboard is a one-stop shop to see City services and service area designations as they apply to any Chicago address, and the dashboard retrieves valuable information related to that location, including ward, community area, zoning information, schedules for City services, police district and beat in which a specified address falls, trash and recycling pick-up days for that address, voting precinct, and whether a specified address is part of an Industrial Corridor or historic district, among other data points.
|
Nourishing Hope Turkey Fund & Other Donations
|
Nourishing Hope provides nutritious food with respect and dignity, along with resources and connection our neighbors need to thrive.
With the support of our annual Turkey Fund, our neighbors receive at least 60 lbs of food in their monthly pickup in November and December, with a focus on holiday meals. This assortment of food includes a turkey, ham, or chicken, along with holiday sides and fresh produce.
We plan to distribute almost 14,000 holiday meats this season, a need that's almost 1,000 more meats than last year! We've been able to distribute a little over 7,000 so far, but community support is key to our ability to provide almost 7,000 more.
Also – consider hosting a food or hygiene drive. You can find a list on our website of our most needed hygiene and non-perishable food items, and drop-off locations.
|
Lincoln Park Co-Op Applications Are Now Open
|
For 75 years, LPCNS has provided exceptional part-time preschool programs for children aged 18 months to 5 years in Old Town. Our research-driven, play-based curriculum fosters young children's social-emotional and early academic growth. With indoor and outdoor classrooms, highly qualified teachers, and a nurturing environment, we inspire a love of learning. LPCNS also offers need-based financial aid to support families in our community. Join us on a tour today!
|
Cradles to Crayons - Children’s Clothing Drive
|
A sophomore at Walter Payton College Prep and a resident of Old Town is leading a volunteer project with Cradles to Crayons, an organization dedicated to ending clothing insecurity. As part of this effort, he is coordinating a clothing collection drive.
Review the standards below for more details on what we distribute to deserving children, and check our Amazon Wishlist here.
|
St. James Winter Weekends & Basketball Camp
|
St. James Winter Weekends & Basketball Camp - January 11th and 25th - Free!
Winter blues getting to you and the kids? Want to check out our school for future enrollment? Come to St. James School for Winter Weekends - an open house with lots of fun activities. Kids can participate in arts, crafts, and story time or join in basketball camp for grades Early Childhood through 2nd Grade.
January 11th and 25th, 9-11am
2101 N Fremont Street
|
Frequently Asked Questions
|
Scooter and E-Bike 311 Removal
|
Our office has noticed many scooters and bikes scattered throughout the neighborhood. By contract, these shared bike and scooter companies must remove their property within two hours of a 311 removal request. Please click here to submit a scooter removal request and here for Divvy bike removal. We appreciate your assistance in helping keep our neighborhood clean.
|
Parking Enforcement via 311
|
The Department of Finance (DOF) announced that City residents now have the option of reporting the following parking enforcement violations:
- Bus Lane Parking
- Commercial Loading Zone
- Commercial Vehicle Parked on a Residential Street
- Disabled Parking
- Fire Hydrant Parking
- Residential Parking
- Rush Hour Zones
- School Safety Zones
- Vehicle Parked in Bike Lane
- Other (Semi-trucks parked on streets, etc.)
Neighbors can report parking violations by calling 311, using the CHI311 app, or through the 311 website. The request type is “Finance Parking Code Enforcement Review.”
|
I want to keep spreading the good word of how powerful a tool CHI 311 is to address non-emergency services in our Ward. Via the CHI 311 website and mobile app, you can:
- Create new service requests and check the status of existing requests (such as on timing and completion).
- Snap a photo of an issue to submit it with a request to improve location accuracy.
- Get local and relevant information/tips regarding the 43rd Ward including visibility into what other requests are being made in your neighborhood. The free CHI 311 mobile app is available for both iOS and Android devices and may be downloaded in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
|
|
