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January 23, 2015 Municipal Election Update: Four mayoral candidates have agreed to five forums: the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board endorsement session, January 27; the Sun-Times Editorial Board endorsement session, date to be announced; WTTW-Ch. 11 "Chicago Tonight" forum, February 4; WLS-Ch. 7/Univision/League of Women Voters candidate debate, February 5; and WBBM-Ch. 2/WVON-AM 1690/Urban League candidate debate, February 10. The mayoral candidates are: Rahm Emanuel, Robert Fioretti, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, Willie Wilson, and William “Dock” Walls. The Municipal Election is on Tuesday, February 24, 2015. City Council Update: The following ordinance was introduced at the January 21, 2015 City Council meeting: Intergovernmental agreement with Chicago Park District regarding transfer of land for Barack Obama Presidential Center (Sponsor: Mayor Emanuel and 42 Aldermen) The ordinance would allow the Chicago Park District to transfer around 20 acres of land in Washington Park or Jackson Park to be used for the Obama Presidential Library. The ordinance would significantly strengthen the University of Chicago’s bid to host the Obama Presidential Library. The new ordinance would restrict the size of the library building to five acres. The Chamber supports the bid for the Obama Presidential Library to be in Chicago. Action was taken on the following ordinances at the January 21, 2015 City Council meeting: Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 1, 2, 4, and 13 - The Eriana Patton Smith and Coleman/Clark Kids Tenant Protection Ordinance (Sponsor: Department of Buildings) This ordinance was directly introduced in the joint committee: Budget and Government Operations; Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards on January 20, 2015. The ordinance allows the Department of Buildings to create and publish a list of landlords (“building code scofflaw”). The first list is set to be published early next week. Landlords put on the list will be unable to obtain or renew licenses or do business with the city of Chicago. The Chamber did not take a position on the ordinance, which passed City Council 49-0. Amendment of Municipal Code Titles 2 and 17 regarding affordable housing requirements (Sponsors: Mayor Emanuel, Aldermen Burnett, Burns, and others) The current ARO requires residential developments receiving city financial assistance or city-owned land to provide a percentage of units at affordable prices. The ordinance applies to residential developments of 10 or more units and requires that developers provide 10 percent of their units at affordable prices. The current ARO ordinance also applies if: a zoning change is granted that increases project density or allows a residential use not previously allowed or the development is a "planned development" within the downtown area. The ARO was last updated in 2007. The revised ordinance would make it mandatory for a developer in low-moderate income areas to provide at least 25 percent of the required affordable units on-site or pay an in-lieu of fee of $50,000 per unit. In higher income areas a developer must provide at least 25 percent of the required affordable units on-site or off-site or pay an in-lieu of fee of $125,000 per unit. The ordinance was deferred and published. The Chamber opposed the revised ordinance as it was introduced and worked with the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago and the Chicago Association of Realtors for more time and further discussions. The Chamber supports the motion to defer and publish. The next City Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2015 at 10:00AM. Illinois General Assembly Update: Governor Bruce V. Rauner was sworn into office as Illinois’ 42nd governor on January 12, 2015. Two days later, the 99th Illinois General Assembly was sworn in. Governor Bruce V. Rauner has named many of his cabinet agency heads and three in particular are notable as long-time friends and colleagues of the Chicagoland Chamber: Connie Beard as the Director of the Illinois Department of Revenue, Jeffrey Mays as the Director of the Illinois Department of Employment Security, and Randy Blankenhorn as the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation. Ms. Beard, a former Deputy General Counsel of the Department, is the founding Executive Director of the Illinois Chamber's Tax Institute, and has worked with the Chicagoland Chamber and our members on a variety of tax policy issues. Mr. Mays, a former state legislator, is the recently retired head of the Illinois Business Roundtable, and shared office space with us at the Aon Center where we worked closely on business issues of mutual concern. Mr. Blankenhorn worked for the Illinois Department of Transportation for 22 years and is the Executive Director of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. He has worked with the Chicagoland Chamber and business community throughout northeastern Illinois on transit investment and road and bridge investment. We wish them well in their new responsibilities and look forward to a good working relationship with them. The Governor’s State of State Address will be on February 4, 2015, and the Governor’s Budget Address will be on February 18, 2015. Public Policy Committee   Mark Segal, Chair, STI Advisors LLC | Susan Sher, Vice-Chair, University of Chicago Hospital | Wes Lujan, Union Pacific Railroad | Ria Karnavas, UPS | James Kane, Kane & Co. | Anil Anuja, CCJM | Manny Sanchez, Sanchez Hoffman Daniels | Ira Azulay, Immigration Attorneys, LLP | Kevin Scanlan, MCHC | Robin L. Brown, Ingredion Incorporated | Pat Cermak, Wight & Company | Harry Seigle, The Elgin Company | Rick Bodnum, CME Group Public Policy Division   Elise Houren, Manager, Government Relations 312.494.6727 ehouren@chicagolandchamber.org   Chamber Policy Consultant Joan Parker Joan A. Parker Government Affairs 312.909.1313   Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce 410 North Michigan Avenue | Suite 900 | Chicago, IL 60611 312.494.6700 | ChicagolandChamber.org

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