32nd Ward Newsletter July 31, 2026

32nd Ward Newsletter July 31, 2026

Dear John,


National Night Out is a great way to meet your beat officers and CAPS staff and enjoy time with your neighbors. See the flyers below for one of the August 4th nights out events for your neighborhood!

In more bad news from City Hall, the Chief Financial Officer of the City, Steven Mahr abruptly resigned this week. Mahr replaced Jill Jaworski in February after she abruptly resigned in January, making him the third professional finance official to resign from City Hall. The acting CFO will be Brendan White, who will have to figure out how to manage the city budget that kicks off by October. This resignation, along with the financial situation at CPS does not bode well for Chicago and for taxpayers. I’ve added more information below on this issue and our budget that has not been implemented by the Administration.

There is much more in the newsletter including notes on some of our great neighbors in the ward, and upcoming events for the whole family to enjoy.

Have a good weekend!

Alderman Scott Waguespack

Senior Luncheon at Waters Edge

Today, my staff and I co-hosted a luncheon with the seniors at Waters Edge Apartments at Lathrop Homes with thanks to Fresh Thyme on Elston, and Jewel-Osco on Clybourn for helping us provide food and drinks for everyone! Also thanks to the staff at Waters Edge for their helping hands every day. Everyone danced, stretched, listened to many stories, and had a great lunch with each other before the rainy weather tried to swing in today. 

National Senior Citizens Day is coming up on August 21st to honor older adults. If you can, take that day to recognize your family or friends' life achievements!

Camp Courage Graduation and Outstanding Participation from 32nd Ward Student Julia!

Camp Courage is a free and unique camp designed for youths ages 13–18 that offers a hands-on introduction to the world of firefighting and emergency medical services (EMS). Over the course of three days, participants take part in physical fitness training, firefighting and EMS skill-building, team-based challenges, and mentorship with CFD professionals— all at no cost to families. This program runs in several neighborhoods.

We had the honor to attend graduation and award 32nd ward resident Julia a letter of recognition of her hard work! The program has the children run through drills and skills that professional firefighters and EMTs learn in their training. Julia not only graduated the program, she also received special recognition for her leadership skills. This program runs through the Chicago Fire Department.

We hope to see this program grow and we're proud of the work Julia put into it!

City Hall - Chicago's CFO Abruptly Resigns

The abrupt departure of the City of Chicago CFO is problematic as we have seen the Mayor slow walk the implementation of the 2026 budget that he and his allies have said is $130 million short. Steven Mahr is the third senior finance official to resign within the last six months, creating a serious problem with city finances that the mayor has brushed off. It also raises serious questions about transparency and accountability.

The $130 million figure is what it might be if the Administration continues to take no action on implementing revenues they are responsible for executing as passed in the FY26 budget (and if separate revenues don’t continue to produce ahead of expectations). The administration is creatively trying to distract from the fact that they’re not doing their job – or at best the bare minimum – to execute on revenues in the FY26 that they are bound to implement.

A good sign is that certain aspects of our economy doing well; hotels, amusement and income taxes don't require too much work to implement, and events like Lalapalooza certainly add a nice boost to the local economy. The problem is the dollars that the Administration is responsible for generating have been delayed and/or laid on the table without real work to make them happen.

Contrary to the narrative pushed by the Mayor, the new ideas were not about executing on untested policies. For instance, the City already has debt collectors on contract to collect overdue debt, but the mayor won’t collect where the laws say so. Debt sale, or collecting from city and sister agency employees who fail to pay debt owed to the City are not new fangled ideas. The $89 million we budgeted for collection by mid-year (the debt Mayor Johnson and friends call “predatory” and “immoral”) has been all but dropped from the budget expectations.  Choices by this administration to not follow through have created the deficit, and that could continue into 2027 if he and council colleagues who follow his lead fail to follow the laws. If they don't believe paying tickets for parking at a fire hydrant should exist, one can only see what will happen.

Another issue aside from revenues are the cuts and efficiencies outlined in the Ernst and Young (EY) report the city paid for in 2025.  My colleagues and I pushed for the mayor to implement as many as possible in the first year but we compromised on a smaller package. Months later, barely a quarter has been delivered — and some of it is just police and fire

jobs left empty. That’s not belt-tightening. That’s fewer people answering the call when you dial 911.Other efficiencies not on track include Land Sales of $14.0 million with just $3.1M or 22% brought in; Special Events Cost Recovery $6.99 million at $344K or 5%, and Procurement Office efficiencies at only $2.2 million of the $10 million requested.

The advance pension payment (primer-helps Chicago by reducing future pension payments and stabilizes the pension systems’ finances) survived because the Council made it a condition of the alternative budget, while the administration proposed reducing it. The Advanced Pension Payment helps with our credit rating and puts the pension system on a better financial footing. The first installment was made earlier this year but the second has not yet been made. Any further delays on the Advanced Pension Payment could lead to another credit downgrade.  

The bottom line is that our group of Council members that worked on the budget did the job of the administration and passed a budget. If you recall, the Mayor did not veto it. Carrying out the budget ordinance is the Johnson Administration’s job, and the law requires it. The $130 million deficit for 2026 isn’t proof the Council failed, it’s proof the Administration chose not to do the work. Our Budget Accountability Coalition will continue to work with the temporary CFO on the budget options that will keep the city financially afloat and work to implement efficiencies the City knows must be done. 

Public Safety News

City Council urged to postpone police superintendent search until after mayoral election - A request to postpone the search for a new superintendent of police after the abrupt retirement of Supt. Snelling came from CCPSA member Anthony Driver Jr.. He asked that the Nov. 12 deadline for the commission to complete its search be put off until spring — after Chicagoans choose their next mayor.

This issue has also led to a newly appointed member of the CCPSA openly challenging and working to block the search committee. The committee includes Sandra Wortham, who I have worked with in the past on public safety issues. Ms. Wortham always prioritizes the safety of all Chicago residents in her work. I hope to see her be able to do her job without continued unecessary and politically driven interference.

Seattle police chief, who faced criticism for spending time in Chicago, resigns over response to festival shooting

August CAPS Meetings Recap

14th Police District

1433- August 18, 6pm

Pulaski Park

1419 W. Blackhawk

1434- August 26, 6pm

Bucktown/Wicker Park Library

1701 N. Milwaukee

[email protected]

14th District Twitter

14th District CAPS- 312-744-1261



19th Police District-

1921- August 19, 6:30pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1922- August 19, 6:30pm

Police Auditorium

2452 W. Belmont

1931- August 25, 6:30pm

Lathrop Advancement Center

2820 N. Leavitt

1932- August 27, 6:30pm

Lincoln Belmont Library

1150 W. Fullerton

1933- August 11, 6:30pm

Illinois Masonic Hospital

836 W. Wellington

[email protected]

19th District Twitter

19th District CAPS- 312-744-0064

Beat 1931 CAPS Meeting Recap (Belmont/Ashland/River)-

There was one robbery in this beat in the last month. A woman was in her car in a parking lot on the 2500 block of Clybourn; the offender opened her unlocked door and took her wallet from her purse.  Officers made note to always make sure to look around the area for anything suspicious as you approach your car and lock your doors as soon as you enter.

There was one domestic battery that resulted in an arrest. Three catalytic converters were stolen, there were four motor vehicle thefts (some with cars left running), and one that gained entry through the sunroof. There were no Honda airbag thefts but we encourage all Honda owners to buy a club for your steering wheel. There were 31 thefts in the beat, largely to businesses or of packages on porches/doors. Always make sure to have your package delivered to a place where you will immediately be able to take it into your possession.

There were two primary audience concerns. One was of cars racing on Diversey; the police stressed to call 911, not 311 when hearing this; they will alert the beat car to be on the lookout of this.

The other concern was of car thefts, attempted car thefts, and thefts from auto around Wellington and Ravenswood over the past several months. The police stressed to make police reports if you are affected so that they know to focus on an area. They will put a special attention on this area.

National Night Out is August 4th

Bring the family to National Night Out, an event hosted by our local police districts on August 4th! At these NNO events, you can speak with your local officers, enjoy activities with your kids, food, music, raffles and more! See the flyers below for information on your district's event. National Night Out events are really fun and our CPD officers really appreciate meeting with residents!

2026 Street Cleaning Schedule

Street cleaning season is in full swing. Sweepers will do more than one pass on the block in their initial cleaning but will not come back to clean sections outside of their officially scheduled day.

Next week, street sweeping will occur in sections 8, 9, and 10 (parts of West Lakeview and South Lakeview). Click on the map above to see your section's schedule.

Please be on the lookout for signs and make sure to move your vehicle on your scheduled day (south and east sides of the street are normally done on the first day, north and west on the second; please watch for signs).

Please take the time to help clear the curb in front of your property to keep the sewers flowing well. Any landscaping debris should be bagged and put in the alley by your trash cans. Please do not sweep landscaping debris into the street. Piles of leaves and heavy garbage also clog the sweepers and will cause significant delays. Other large objects like branches will also damage the sweepers, so please remove them from curbs. Many of our clogged drains are covered in bottles, plastic bags and heavy landscaping debris that prevents good drainage. Removing plastics from the curbs and drains also helps keep our Chicago River and Lake Michigan free of the debris. Data from the Friends of the Chicago River shows that about 85% of litter in the Chicago-Calumet River system is plastic, with nearly 93% of local fish ingesting microplastics.

Residents can view street sweepers in real time using the Sweeper Tracker online tool. 

Protect Our Sewers

We regularly get calls about clogged sewers and water on the street. Although some of these are due to a clog beneath the catch basin lid that needs to be addressed by the Water Dept, many are easily cleared by taking a rake or shovel to the debris in the street (or by preventing debris build up in the first place). Our office works with the Courts to have people who have been sentenced to community service assigned to a coordinator to do tasks in the ward (such as graffiti removal). One of the tasks we've had them do recently is clear a number of catch basins in the ward. Many were successfully cleared just with a rake or shovel. We’ll continue having them do this and will continue reporting the ones that have bigger problems beneath the street level to the Water Dept. If you're able to, please clean along your curb to keep the sewers flowing properly. It can be quite satisfying watching the water circle down once you clear everything off!

The City advises that parkways remain grass, in part to absorb water better. This is also so that things such as mulch and gravel don't clog up the sewers. If you do chose to have mulch, gravel, or some other surface that could clog up the sewers, please make sure to put a border around it to keep it from scattering on to the sidewalk and from going down the sewer.

Damage Assessment Survey for Residents Affected by Thunderstorms on July 27, 2026

Cook County’s Department of Emergency Management and Regional Security (EMRS) and the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) are reviewing damage from the severe thunderstorms and tornadoes that occurred July 27, 2026 and asking that residents who have been impacted by these storms submit an initial damage assessment.

Several municipalities in Cook County including the City of Chicago experienced power outages, downed power lines, tree emergencies, debris, localized roadway flooding, and structural emergencies due to the storm system. Immediately after the weather events, Regional Coordinators visited impacted neighborhoods to assess damages, gather information on community needs, and provide residents and businesses with recovery resources, support, and information.

EMRS and OEMC are partnering with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency – Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) to compile additional information. This supplemental information will help determine if the County, along with partners at OEMC and IEMA-OHS can pursue any options for additional assistance for residents. The objective of this survey is to help State and local emergency management officials across Illinois identify and gain an understanding of damages that occurred during recent natural disaster activity.

Reporting damages to emergency management is voluntary. It is not a substitute for reporting damage to your insurance agency and does not guarantee disaster relief assistance.

To fill out a survey, please visit the Illinois Residential Self-Assessment Survey online or download the link with the QR Code below:

Cook County will continue to coordinate with suburban municipal partners, the City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois to analyze the extent of the damage from these storms and will pursue any available assistance on behalf of impacted residents.  

MWRD Issues Overflow Action Alert

With heavy rain expected in the Chicago area, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) encourages area residents and business owners to reduce water use during and after the storm to help prevent flooding and protect water quality:

* Delay showers and baths.

* Flush less frequently.

* Wait to run the dishwasher or washing machine.

“Our staff is managing billions of gallons of water at our seven water reclamation plants and through our Tunnel and Reservoir Plan which is operating to protect our water environment and mitigate flooding,” said MWRD President Kari K. Steele. “We encourage everyone to conserve water when possible to create more capacity in our systems.”

Learn how to prepare for stormwater

Learn more about Combined Sewer Overflow prevention

Sign up to receive Overflow Action Alerts

Learn what you should do during flooding

Learn about the Tunnel and Reservoir Plan (TARP)

Understand how the Chicago Area Waterway System works

Learn about the types of sewer systems in Cook County

Residential Lighting Project

Damen, Diversey to Belmont

I would like to inform you of upcoming work on Damen from Diversey to Belmont. The work is part of the Chicago Residential Lighting Improvements program. Construction is tentatively scheduled to begin in the week of July 27, 2026, pending clearance from and coordination with existing utilities, current work schedule fluctuations, and weather permitting. John Burns Construction is the contractor for this project and Stanley Consultants is providing resident engineering services for the Chicago Department of Transportation.

The work will include the installation of foundations, boring of underground conduits, cable pulling, the installation of new residential lighting poles with piggy back lights, LED Smart Lighting luminaires, and the restoration of concrete sidewalks and parkways disturbed by the construction. The existing light poles will be removed once the new lighting system is functioning properly.

During construction, temporary “No Parking” signs will be periodically installed as required for each activity listed above so that work may be performed safely. These temporary signs will restrict parking during working hours, and residents can park normally after the posted hours and overnight, and usually all day on weekends.

The existing lights will remain working until the new lighting system is functional. If no lighting is observed at night at any time, please notify 311 or our office.

August 2 - 8 Is National Farmers Market Week

National Farmers Market Week is dedicated to celebrating fresh food, local farmers, and community building. We have two farmers markets in our ward, the Roscoe Village Farmers Market at Hamlin Park on Sundays, and the Walsh Park Farmers Market at Walsh Park on Thursdays. Come to one (or both!) of these markets for food and drinks from local vendors.

Click flyer above for more information and to register.

The Cook County Board of Review is Now Accepting 2026 Property Tax Appeals

The Cook County Board of Review has officially opened the 2026 tax year session for appeals. Property owners may pre-file an appeal of their 2026 property taxes with the Cook County Board of Review now, OR you can wait until the Assessor has finalized the property value and then file an appeal when your township's 30-day appeal period opens. 

You will be notified when your township is open for appeals. You are not required to submit comparable properties as evidence with your appeal. The Board of Review will provide the latest and most accurate data to substantiate your appeal. 

Property Tax Appeal Resources 

1.) Click to access our Step by Step Guide to Filing a Property Tax Appeal Online:

How to File an Appeal Online

2.) Click to file a Property Tax Appeal online or by mail. Visit the Board of Review website,  appeals.cookcountyboardofreview.com 

If you have any questions or require further assistance, please reach out to Commissioner Samantha Steele's team via email at [email protected] or give a call to the Board of Review office at (312) 603-5542.

Caregiver Support Group!

Registration for Bike the Drive is Now Open!

Bike the Drive is Active Transportation Alliance's largest fundraiser and your once-a-year opportunity to ride your bicycle (or skate) on Dusable Lake Shore Drive! This year, it's on Sept. 6th with the lanes opening at 6:30 am. The earlier your register, the more you save!

Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit advocacy organization working to improve conditions for walking, biking, and public transit throughout Chicagoland. You can register, check out the route, and make note of where you can start by going to bikethedrive.org. SEE YOU THERE!

Reducing waste and litter pollution are key drivers of improving community health and protecting our biodiversity. Litter is unsightly, attracts rodents, and disrupts the habitats of Chicago’s wildlife. Let’s all do our part to Keep Chicago Clean!

Last 2026 Chicago Business Resource Expo! Aug. 29

REGISTER HERE!

The 2026 ComEd Powering the Holidays Program is now accepting applications. For the sixth year, ComEd has partnered with the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to award grants of up to $2,500 for community-based holiday light events throughout ComEd's service area. 

• Eligible applicants include municipalities, townships, counties, and other local government entities, as well as nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions that partner with at least one municipality.

• Grant funding may be used to support community-based holiday light events taking place between November 1, 2026, and February 13, 2027.

• Applications are open through August 21, 2026. The application, program guidelines, and additional information can be found here.

Recognizing the important role holiday celebrations play in bringing communities together, I encourage you to learn more about this opportunity and share it with organizations in your network that may be interested in applying. To help spread the word, two shareable graphics are attached for sharing with your networks. 

Additional City Resources for You & Your Family


These services are provided free of charge to all Chicagoans.



Family & Maternal Health

CDPH WIC Clinics

Pregnant Or Recently Had A Baby?

Healthy Children, Let’s Prevent Lead Poisoning


Preventive Care & Clinics

Need a Vaccine? Immunization Clinics

Free Prostate or Breast Cancer Screening During Birthday Month

Mental Health & Wellness

Mental Health Clinics

Healing Arts Chicago


Environmental & Lifestyle Health

Check Air Quality Near You

Quit Smoking

Community & Other Services

More Services: chicago.gov/health

See a Problem on Your Block? Call 311.

311 is Chicago’s non-emergency service line. It connects you to City services for issues that affect your block, your home, or your health.

By Phone: Dial 3-1-1 from any phone in Chicago.

Online: Visit the official 311 portal

City News

• Mayor Johnson's Acting CFO Abruptly Departs as Budget Season Looms
• Chicago’s CFO and Deputy CFO Are Out, With City Investor Event Looming
• Chicago CFO's abrupt departure raises concerns in City Council ahead of difficult budget season- ABC 7
• Editorial: Reckless Chicago school board members are betting they can roll JB Pritzker
• Chicago School Board gambles recklessly with the future of Chicago Public Schools
• Flooded Basements, Downed Trees Again Plague Chicago After Heavy Storms Monday
• Election 2027 Begins: Candidates for Chicago Mayor, City Council Are Gathering Signatures Earlier Than Ever
• Who Is Running for Mayor of Chicago in the 2027 Municipal Elections?
• Chicago Renters’ Rights Are at Stake in Dueling City Hall Proposals
• City Council Urged to Postpone Police Superintendent Search Until After Mayoral Election
• Cafe Gimme, an All-Day European-Style Cafe, Opens in Bucktown
• Cook County State's Attorney Launches CTA Campaign Warning Violent Offenders of Potential Jail Time
• Chicago’s Infamous Rat Problem Won’t Go Away Under Current Plan, Audit Finds
• 23 Things to Do in Chicago This Weekend: Lollapalooza, Italian Beef Fest and More

Alderman Scott Waguespack

2657 North Clybourn

Chicago, IL 60614

(773) 248-1330

[email protected]