Is the City of Chicago doing everything it can to cut expenses before it starts raising new revenue? That was the topic of a special city council session Monday afternoon at City Hall.

"The city didn't get here overnight, and the structural reform won't happen overnight,” Budget Director Annette Guzman told the council's alders, saying her office is taking 2026 as only the first year in a multi-year plan.

The meeting was called after a $3 million report from Ernst and Young came to light, outlining efficiencies that could help Chicago close its billion-dollar gap in its $16 billion 2026 budget. Among the options in the report: consolidating city purchasing and fleet management, streamlining city departments and better managing health care costs.

Ald. Ray Lopez from the 15th Ward is amon

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