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Willie Cochran
Quick Hit
by Ashlee Rezin
2:48pm
Mon Mar 18
1 comment

Town Hall Meeting Illustrates Lack Of Communication With Taxpayers On TIF Projects

Taxpayers are largely kept out of the loop when it comes to how their property taxes are used by tax increment finance (TIF) districts, according to Tom Tresser, co-founder of the Civic Lab.

Aiming to promote transparency in government and give residents background information on neighborhood TIF projects, the Civic Lab and the TIF Ad Hoc Committee of the Washington Park Community hosted a town hall meeting at the Washington Park Field House Saturday.<--break->

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PI Original
by Ashlee Rezin
8:14pm
Fri Feb 22
1 comment

Lawmakers, CPD, NRA & Community Voice Views On Concealed Carry In Illinois At Hearing

Gun Control

The Illinois House Judiciary Committee held its second public hearing on gun control today in downtown Chicago. As the June deadline to draft a concealed carry law looms, legislators heard testimony from Chicago’s elected officials and advocates on both sides of the argument. 

Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
10:41pm
Wed Oct 24, 2012

Chicago Aldermen May Not Press For More Police Hires

If there was any part of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s proposed 2013 city budget that aldermen might question, it was the number of police on the street. Murders are up this year citywide and several aldermen say Chicago needs more cops. There are about 1,000 fewer police officers in the CPD today than five years ago.

But Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was only partly scathed at a council budget committee hearing today, suggesting aldermen will not revise Emanuel’s budget in order to hire more police.

Council members did question how Emanuel and McCarthy arrived at the figure of having 12,500 officers by the end of 2013.

Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) asked the police head if there was a “written formal analysis” on staffing. McCarthy responded there was not. Read more »

Quick Hit
by Matthew Blake
4:31pm
Thu Jun 21, 2012

Black Caucus Aldermen Voice Concerns As Pot Ticketing Plan Advances

The Chicago City Council committee on public safety voted 13-1 today for an ordinance pushed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to change possession of less than 15 grams of marijuana from a criminal offense to a civil violation punishable by fine.

The committee hearing raised questions about how fines would be implemented, particularly if they might disproportionately hurt black residents in low-income neighborhoods who make up about 75 percent of the of Chicago Police Department's pot arrests.

“This will raise dollars on the backs of poor people,” said Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) at the hearing. Dowell and other black caucus aldermen, such as Ald. Willie Cochran (20th), raised these concerns, but did not vote against the legislation. Read more »

PI Original
by Aricka Flowers
4:49pm
Tue Apr 5, 2011

Rhymefest Takes On Cochran In The 20th Ward Race (VIDEO)

Election 2011

The race for the 20th Ward aldermanic seat has been a feverish one to say the least. The candidate list of five was whittled down to two in February - even though one former candidate remained active on the campaign trail - and we sat down with Alderman Willie B. Cochran and Che "Rhymefest" Smith to discuss their race for alderman.