Some Chicago City Council members calling for transparency over parking meter deal

The clock is ticking for Chicago leaders to tackle what's been called one of the worst deals in city history—the infamous parking meter sale.

Aldermen are hoping a planned sale of the parking agreement could lead to a better deal for drivers.

Drivers in Chicago may not put a coin in meters anymore, but they're still feeding meters around the city.

With one old-school meter full of garbage, when you talk to Chicagoans about the privatization of street meters. Well, they say the deal is trash.

"Probably the most frustrating thing is pulling your car over for a cup of coffee, coming out five minutes later and finding a ticket on your car," one motorist said.

Those tickets equate to big revenue—money the city doesn't see anymore after former Mayor Richard M. Daley sold the 36,000 parking spaces to a private company back in 2008 for $1 billion dollars, with little objection from the city council.

"We can't do it again this way," said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd).

Yet, as one company plans to transfer the remaining 57 years of the deal to a new company, Waguespack says the current council isn't willing to rubber-stamp the deal again.

"We can't get the meters back. That's pretty much a given now," he said.

Waguespack and 21 other aldermen sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday—informing the mayor they're rejecting the move to transfer the meters to a new company until he provides details. They're demanding transparency. 

"We're not going to vote for this until you come clean, until you open up the books and you show us what you did and you can't hide behind a non-disclosure agreement," Waguespack said.

The council members say the Johnson administration signed an NDA, which limits what they can tell the public.

"I've never seen a governmental agency protected by a non-disclosure agreement like this," said Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th).

O'Shea signed the letter. He says the mayor had months to negotiate this deal but wants council to vote with no information.  

"This is a multi-billion dollar problem for our city, and that … and then just say, hurry up and vote on this," he said.

A spokesperson from the mayor's office said the June 30 date is not a deadline for council action. Instead, it's the date by which the administration must report out on council's progress, and it still allows council the ability to review the matter.

The mayor's office goes on to say there was no NDA signed.

The first vote by the council is next week. 

Full statement from mayor's office

The administration introduced Ordinance O2026-0025407 at the earliest practicable opportunity following completion of the procedural steps necessary to fulfill its obligations under the concession agreement. Those steps included standard procedural economic disclosure statements that enabled the administration to begin the work necessary to prepare and introduce the proposed ordinance for City Council consideration.

Introduction of the ordinance initiated City Council's review of the proposed transfer of ownership in accordance with its legislative process and did not constrain the Council's authority over the timing, scope, or outcome of that review. City Council remains an independent legislative body with sole authority to approve or reject the proposed transfer. In accordance with the concession agreement, the June 30 date is not a deadline for Council action, it's the date by which the administration must report out on Council's progress. That date does not alter City Council's independent authority over its review, determination, or timeline for consideration of the matter.

The administration connected City Council members with the buyer, Stonepeak, to provide direct engagement regarding the proposed transaction. Council members retain the ability to inquire directly with the buyer about the transaction and any information they deem relevant to their consideration of the transfer. As it has since the proposed transfer was announced, the administration will continue to provide technical assistance as requested.