Advocacy
BOMA Fights to Save EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program
BOMA Fights to Save EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program April 4, 2017 The Fiscal Year 2018 budget recently proposed by President Trump includes dramatic cuts for the Environmental Protection Agency. Most notable for the real estate industry is the demise of the ENERGY STAR program. The elimination of ENERGY STAR, which includes the popular Portfolio…
Read MoreBuilding Code Initiative Advances
Building Code Initiative Advances March 29, 2017 The Chicago Building Code in its present form is extremely outdated. Most of the life safety chapters have not seen a major revision since the revised Building Ordinance passed the City Council on December 30, 1949. An updating of the Chicago Building Code was actually sanctioned in…
Read MoreChicago Building Commissioner Meets with BOMA/Chicago
Chicago Building Commissioner Meets with BOMA/Chicago March 15, 2017 Chicago Building Commissioner Judith Frydland met with the BOMA/Chicago Codes Committee on March 23 to discuss a number of initiatives underway at the Department of Buildings that will streamline and modernize much of the Department’s permitting and inspection work. Streaming and Modernization Noting a 15%…
Read MoreCity Council Passes Mayor’s Water and Sewer Tax
City Council Passes Mayor’s Water and Sewer Tax February 7, 2017 On September 14, the City Council overwhelmingly passed the water and sewer tax proposed by Mayor Emanuel to shore up the largest of the City’s pension fund. The tax begins in 2017 and increases every year until 2020. Currently, sewer charges equal water…
Read MoreMayor Emanuel Unveils His 2017 City Budget
Mayor Emanuel Unveils His 2017 City Budget Mayor Emanuel unveiled his proposed 2017 budget at a special meeting of the City Council. The $8.22 billion budget proposes spending $380 million more than was appropriated in 2016. This represents an increase of 4.6% over the 2016 appropriation. For your benefit, the highlights of the city’s 2017…
Read MoreExelon/ComEd Rate Increase Legislation Signed by Governor Rauner
Exelon/ComEd Rate Increase Legislation Signed by Governor Rauner February 7, 2017 It took last minute negotiations and ten amendments, including one to reduce the number of votes needed for passage, but ComEd and Exelon were successful in their effort to have Illinois ratepayers bailout two underperforming nuclear plants and change the way energy efficiency programs…
Read MoreUpdate on Pedway Redesign Discussion
Update on Pedway Redesign Discussion January 17, 2017 The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) recently held a series of workshops to discuss possible improvements to the Chicago Pedway system. It is funding a $125,000 redesign of the main Pedway stretch beneath Randolph Street with the primary focus on the section that runs from…
Read MoreSix Surprising Facts about the Exelon/ComEd Rate Increase Proposal
Six Surprising Facts about the Exelon/ComEd Rate Increase Proposal Exelon and ComEd have introduced a new legislation (House Amendent #2 to SB 2814) to drastically raise commercial and residential electricity rates and add new charges that will total $24 billion over twenty-three years. While Exelon and ComEd have claimed the rate increases and new charges…
Read MoreWhat Exelon and ComEd Don’t Want You to Know
What Exelon and ComEd Don’t Want You to Know With electricity costs making up the first or second largest expense for BOMA/Chicago buildings, it’s crucial that we continue shedding light on Exelon and ComEd’s proposed legislation which, with its latest proposal introduced on November 15, would raise electricity rates $24 billion statewide over the next…
Read MoreA Closer Look at the Property Tax Burden on BOMA/Chicago Buildings
A Closer Look at the Property Tax Burden on BOMA/Chicago Buildings At BOMA/Chicago, we’re always advocating on our members’ behalf by regularly engaging in open, productive dialogue with key stakeholders surrounding public policy and fiscal decisions aimed at fostering a thriving Chicago. While our elected officials at the local, state and federal levels initially come to…
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