Chicago City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin has proposed disbanding the $57 million Catalyst Fund. This action is intended to avert mid-year layoffs for police and fire departments. The fund was established to stimulate development in underserved neighborhoods but never attracted outside investment. Conyears-Ervin believes reallocating these funds is a necessary step to address the city's current financial deficit. She argues that protecting essential city services is a greater priority than maintaining the underperforming fund.
Chicago, Illinois
https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2026/08/10/city-treasurer-melissa-conyears-ervin-proposal-abolish-chicago-catalyst-fund