It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Oct 14, 2026 - Posted by Isabel Miller
* WAND…
State lawmakers are discussing a plan to create a charter for the city of Chicago. Advocates stress Chicago is the only major US city without a constitutional document for transparent decision-making and accountability standards.
Lawmakers and advocates told the Illinois House Executive Committee Tuesday that creating a charter commission and adopting a municipal charter will allow Chicagoans to provide the principles and organization of government that reflect their values.
“It establishes the basic rules of the road,” said Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago). “The structure of the government, the responsibilities of institutions, the procedures for making major decisions, and the mechanisms for accountability.”
Buckner said ten charter commissioners would be elected by Chicago voters during a nonpartisan election. The ten members would then select an eleventh member to serve as their chair. His bill states the commission could choose the areas they intend to study, create a process for public participation, and hold regular public meetings.
Chicago voters would still be able to choose if they want a city charter during the November 2030 election.
This was a subject matter hearing. The bill hasn’t had a committee vote yet.
* Fox Chicago…
Advocates say a city charter could address term limits, access to financial records, ward maps, and executive power over city council.
“This is not Springfield telling Chicago this is the type of government you need to have,” said Buckner. “What this does is give Chicagoans an opportunity to have a voice in the process.”
Buckner says it’s not about any particular mayor or city council body. Any charter would be taken to votes to ultimately approve.
Buckner expects the bill to be taken up in the General Assembly in January.
* Center Square…
Joe Ferguson, president of the non-partisan Civic Federation, said that the retrospectively unpopular fiscal decisions could have been avoided by the government, and the charter could create more responsibility among the government.
“What does it mean for Chicago to have no charter? It means that there is no coherent, enforceable structure to the way government works here. Inadequate transparency, fractionalist politics and almost constant fiscal crises are just some of the issues that haunt Chicago,” Ferguson said. […]
Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, asked what the point of the process is when there are already guiding laws and ordinances in the books.
Ferguson explained a charter would be easier to enforce.
“State law, municipal ordinance, customary practice absolutely is the case. But there is one broad distinction, and then I’ll go into the particulars, they’re unenforceable,” Ferguson said. “The mayor is the equivalent of the president and the speaker of the house. But customary practice and actual rules and the law have the mayor presiding over the council.”
* Related…
Thoughts?
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:48 am:
Yeah, no government with a constitutional document has ever engaged in corruption or acted irresponsibly. /s
Intellectualizing bad behavior is Joe Ferguson’s thing.
- Incandenza - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:52 am:
I’m happy to see someone try something big. There are real detriments to not having a city charter. It’s also just an opportunity to make some reforms.
- Oklahoma - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 10:57 am:
Would a Charter expire all the TIF districts and return that cash flow to basic functions of government?
- Annon'in - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 11:21 am:
Let’s see another election so more campaign $$ to be raised
And would the charter allow for progressive tax, stronger gun ban, tolls on folks comin’ from the burbs? Just wondering.
- DS - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 11:49 am:
This can only serve to limit the city’s legislative power since nothing in a hypothetical charter can expand city authority beyond what is allowed under the state constitution or state law. Whether that’s a good thing depends on your priors.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 11:57 am:
=“This is not Springfield telling Chicago this is the type of government you need to have,” said Buckner.=
Who is going to explain the meaning of words to Kam?
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 11:58 am:
As the tweet from @ChicagoBars points out, the City Council does not serve as a check on the Mayor….unless the mayor and what she/he is attempting to do is unpopular….seems like a function of a strong democracy, not whether or not there is a charter.
What Ferguson laments is there’s no outside check on city government, other than Populism. But that “outside check” would likely come from those with deep pockets and the ability to wage long legal battles.
Another way of saying rich people do not have enough power.
- The Wire - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 12:06 pm:
What an incredible waste of time.
- Gwen - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 12:30 pm:
Article Tree (3). No violations of the Open Meetings Act shall occur unless the gathering involves a deep dish pizza.
- Boone Logan Square - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 12:40 pm:
Article One: Send nobody nobody sent.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
Is this the CTU’s idea? If so, I’m against it.
- Benniefly2 - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 2:12 pm:
Article 89: There may only be one Coach, and that Coach is Ditka.
- Da Malorter - Wednesday, Oct 14, 26 @ 4:17 pm:
A good faith effort to make an attempt at transparency and accountability, but will likely fail to create the conditions for concrete change in who holds power in City Hall.
- RR - Thursday, Oct 15, 26 @ 8:00 am:
I think a charter can be useful in keeping guardrails and expanding the power of Council on fiscal and legal matters. Aldermanic prerogative and other informal council and management rules could be more clearly defined and regulated.