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Walter Redmond Burnett

Alderperson, Ward 27, Chicago City Council

Raised head tax and budget revenue at six meetings.

7 of 19transcribed meetings with their voice identified
0.8min a meeting at the City Council, at least
35questions at the Committee on Budget and Government Operations
20 of 20present at roll calls, from the clerk

Also sits on 6 committees

See all

Next City Council meeting: Mon, Nov 2, 10:00 am · Agenda

Six clips, newest first

TIF districts“What happens when some of these go a little longer than that, uh, and the timing of impact? For example, I know we’ve been sitting on funds that have been allocated for TIF for the Division Street Bridge for years now.”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Budget and Government Operations · Oct 29, 2025 · 4:29:42Play at 4:29:42
Casino“With that being said, do you all have a breakdown or are you able to share how many people are coming to the casino from out of town or residents or people who, who spend money who are residents and locals to Illinois versus people who are tourists?”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity · Jan 22, 2026 · 1:33:12Play at 1:33:12
“Moving on to the development side of the project, what is the plan for minority participation, if any, both on the construction side and if there is any plan or inclusion of minority equity. Can we talk about what that structure looks like?”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Finance · Apr 13, 2026 · 2:17:24Play at 2:17:24
“Have we projected some type of ramp-up time in order to get the advertising revenues we need for that project?”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Finance · Dec 16, 2025 · 2:59:31Play at 2:59:31
“I want to really understand the severity of the situation that we’re in on a day-to-day basis. What is our current occupancy rate of shelters in these rental programs?”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Budget and Government Operations · Oct 30, 2025 · 3:57:11Play at 3:57:11
“It does seem though that it is an unfortunate trend that more people are gambling and doing sports betting. So it would be awesome to just get the data on around what those numbers look like, because I can see this being as much of a public health issue as it is just a revenue generator.”Walter Redmond BurnettMember · Committee on Budget and Government Operations · Jul 16, 2026 · 3:05:15Play at 3:05:15

Officials only. Public speakers are counted, never named.

Issues Burnett raised, by number of meetings

We count who raised an issue, not which side they took.

Where Burnett sits

Ward 27 on the current City Council map

Click a ward to open its member’s page.

Ward 1: Daniel La SpataWard 2: Brian HopkinsWard 3: Pat DowellWard 4: Lamont J. RobinsonWard 5: Desmon C. YancyWard 6: William E. HallWard 7: Gregory MitchellWard 8: Michelle HarrisWard 9: Anthony BealeWard 10: Peter ChicoWard 11: Nicole T. LeeWard 12: Julia M. RamirezWard 13: Marty QuinnWard 14: Jeylu B. GutierrezWard 15: Raymond LopezWard 16: Stephanie D. ColemanWard 17: David MooreWard 18: Derrick G. CurtisWard 19: Matthew J. O'SheaWard 20: Jeanette B. TaylorWard 21: Ronnie L. MosleyWard 22: Michael D. RodriguezWard 23: Silvana TabaresWard 24: Monique L. ScottWard 25: Byron Sigcho-LopezWard 26: Jessica FuentesWard 27: Walter Redmond BurnettWard 28: Jason C. ErvinWard 29: Chris TaliaferroWard 30: Ruth CruzWard 31: Felix Cardona, Jr.Ward 32: Scott WaguespackWard 33: Rossana Rodriguez SanchezWard 34: William ConwayWard 35: Anthony QuezadaWard 36: Gilbert VillegasWard 37: Emma MittsWard 38: Nicholas SposatoWard 39: Samantha NugentWard 40: Andre Vasquez, Jr.Ward 41: Anthony NapolitanoWard 42: Brendan ReillyWard 43: Timmy KnudsenWard 44: Bennett R. LawsonWard 45: James M. GardinerWard 46: Angela ClayWard 47: Matthew J. MartinWard 48: Leni Manaa-HoppenworthWard 49: Maria E. HaddenWard 50: Debra SilversteinCity HallDaniel La Spata · Ward 1Brian Hopkins · Ward 2Pat Dowell · Ward 3Lamont J. Robinson · Ward 4Desmon C. Yancy · Ward 5William E. Hall · Ward 6Gregory Mitchell · Ward 7Michelle Harris · Ward 8Anthony Beale · Ward 9Peter Chico · Ward 10Nicole T. Lee · Ward 11Julia M. Ramirez · Ward 12Marty Quinn · Ward 13Jeylu B. Gutierrez · Ward 14Raymond Lopez · Ward 15Stephanie D. Coleman · Ward 16David Moore · Ward 17Derrick G. Curtis · Ward 18Matthew J. O'Shea · Ward 19Jeanette B. Taylor · Ward 20Ronnie L. Mosley · Ward 21Michael D. Rodriguez · Ward 22Silvana Tabares · Ward 23Monique L. Scott · Ward 24Byron Sigcho-Lopez · Ward 25Jessica Fuentes · Ward 26Walter Redmond Burnett · Ward 27Jason C. Ervin · Ward 28Chris Taliaferro · Ward 29Ruth Cruz · Ward 30Felix Cardona, Jr. · Ward 31Scott Waguespack · Ward 32Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez · Ward 33William Conway · Ward 34Anthony Quezada · Ward 35Gilbert Villegas · Ward 36Emma Mitts · Ward 37Nicholas Sposato · Ward 38Samantha Nugent · Ward 39Andre Vasquez, Jr. · Ward 40Anthony Napolitano · Ward 41Brendan Reilly · Ward 42Timmy Knudsen · Ward 43Bennett R. Lawson · Ward 44James M. Gardiner · Ward 45Angela Clay · Ward 46Matthew J. Martin · Ward 47Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth · Ward 48Maria E. Hadden · Ward 49Debra Silverstein · Ward 50
Walter Redmond Burnett sits for Ward 27. Click a ward to open its member’s page.Ward lines: Chicago Data Portal, Boundaries - Wards (2023-), p293-wvbd, fetched 2026-10-30.
Every roll call, and Burnett’s other bodies

Present at 20 of 20 roll calls at the City Council

From the clerk’s own record. We don’t compare members on it.

PresentAbsentOldest first, 1 square per roll call

Absent 0. Nov 14, 2025 to Oct 14, 2026. The clerk’s record covers 20 of the 22 meetings we hold, through Oct 14, 2026.

Official roll call, from the clerk →
What they talk about

Development and land use took 30% of Burnett’s speech with a checked topic

By the topic two AI readers agree on for each stretch of their talk, at the City Council and its committees. 60 of 88 minutes of their speech have a checked topic. How much they talk about it, not which side they take.

Development and land use30%
Housing and tenants9.6%
Streets, traffic and parking6.8%
Commendations, ceremonies and memorials2.1%
Questions

Burnett asked 35 questions at the eight Committee on Budget and Government Operations meetings where we identified them

At least this many: direct questions only.

Of Burnett’s 32 questions to city departments at the Committee on Budget and Government Operations, 11 went to budget, finance and controller.

Who they question: 43 questions to a department, 5 bodies · Oct 24, 2025 – Oct 9, 2026.

Committee on Budget and Government Operations32 questions to city departments
Committee on Budget and Government Operations: questions by department
DepartmentShareQuestions
Budget, finance and controller1134%
Planning and zoning619%
Police619%
Administration, HR, contracts and facilities516%
Human services, aging, youth26%
Clerk and legislative staff26%
Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards3 questions to city departments
Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards: questions by department
DepartmentShareQuestions
Building permits and inspection1
Fire and EMS1
Planning and zoning1
Committee on Finance3 questions to city departments
Committee on Finance: questions by department
DepartmentShareQuestions
Budget, finance and controller2
Housing1
Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety3 questions to city departments
Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety: questions by department
DepartmentShareQuestions
Transportation and transit3
Neighborhoods Burnett named

3 places Burnett named in meetings

Lines where Burnett named the place, read by two AI readers that both agree it means that place. Each dot plays the newest one; brighter means named more often.

Chicago
  • East Garfield Park 1 time
  • Near West Side 1 time
  • North Lawndale 1 time

Places are drawn at the centre of their own boundary in the city’s Boundaries - Community Areas file (City of Chicago Data Portal). A dot says the place was named, not where Burnett was or what was said about it.

Meetings

Every meeting where we identified Burnett’s voice

34, newest first. The date opens the meeting; the time plays the video at Burnett’s first remark.

  1. Oct 8, 2026Committee on Housing and Real Estate0.8 min1:39:57
  2. Oct 5, 2026Committee on Finance1.0 min2:13:46
  3. Sep 29, 2026City Council6.2 min1:46:17
  4. Sep 24, 2026Committee on Finance3.3 min1:19:54
  5. Sep 22, 2026Committee on Finance1.7 min2:03:54
  6. Sep 14, 2026Committee on Finance1.8 min2:44:45
  7. Jul 16, 2026Committee on Budget and Government Operations1.6 min3:02:45
  8. Jul 15, 2026City Council1.0 min1:25:47
  9. Jul 14, 2026Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards0.9 min45:59
  10. Jul 8, 2026Committee on Housing and Real Estate1.5 min1:37:24
Show all 34Show fewer
  1. Jun 16, 2026Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards2.3 min2:44:43
  2. Jun 15, 2026Committee on Budget and Government Operations1.6 min30:31
  3. Jun 4, 2026Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards4.6 min2:36:28
  4. May 20, 2026City Council3.8 min5:21:09
  5. May 13, 2026Committee on Housing and Real Estate3.4 min2:00:58
  6. May 6, 2026Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards3.6 min1:14:57
  7. Apr 15, 2026City Council0.3 min1:18:38
  8. Apr 13, 2026Committee on Finance1.0 min2:17:12
  9. Feb 17, 2026Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards3.1 min1:02:55
  10. Feb 9, 2026Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety4.1 min1:35:10
  11. Jan 22, 2026Committee on Contracting Oversight and Equity3.4 min1:31:15
  12. Jan 21, 2026City Council0.1 min1:53:28
  13. Jan 14, 2026Committee on Housing and Real Estate1.2 min1:28:10
  14. Dec 20, 2025City Council2.7 min3:14:06
  15. Dec 16, 2025Committee on Finance4.2 min2:56:35
  16. Dec 10, 2025City Council0.3 min1:57:30
  17. Dec 9, 2025Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards3.2 min1:56:22
  18. Nov 13, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations3.6 min10:57:19
  19. Nov 12, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations1.8 min51:17
  20. Nov 5, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations4.0 min6:13:21
  21. Nov 4, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations4.9 min6:44:36
  22. Nov 3, 2025Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards4.6 min2:14:58
  23. Oct 30, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations3.2 min3:51:12
  24. Oct 29, 2025Committee on Budget and Government Operations4.5 min4:27:17
How we identify who is speaking · blind check, pooled across five cities: of 410 council lines drawn, 352 right, 0 wrong, 1 unclear, 57 couldn’t be judged

We identified Burnett’s voice at 34 meetings across seven bodies. A meeting missing here means we couldn’t attribute the voice, not that Burnett was absent. Claude and Gemini each read every transcript with that day’s roster. A voice gets Walter Redmond Burnett’s name only when both agree and a code check finds the name said on, or just before, their turn. Voices our transcripts merge with someone else’s are never attributed, so every count here undercounts what Burnett said. For councils and their committees, of 410 lines drawn, 352 were right, 0 wrong and 1 unclear, and the checkers couldn’t judge 57. We have since removed the voices behind 110 of those lines (0 wrong, 1 unclear, the rest we had already held for other reasons). Of the 300 lines we still publish, the checkers could judge 268: all 268 right (90% lower bound 0.99). They couldn’t judge the other 32. The check is one sample pooled across the five cities, not of Burnett or of Chicago alone.