CITY COUNCIL FINANCE COMMITTEE

May 19 2026HEALTH

How cities, dirtier air, and shifting weather harm our lungs

City living used to mean better hospitals and faster ambulances. Now it often means breathing air that quietly damages lungs over years. Poor air quality isn’t just annoying—it rearranges how infections spread inside our chests. Warm air holds more water, which helps viruses and bacteria travel far

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May 13 2026FINANCE

The Hidden Cost of Manual Work in Finance Teams

Finance teams often seem busy, but busyness doesn’t always mean they’re getting important work done. Surprisingly, most finance leaders admit their teams waste hours on repetitive tasks like typing numbers into spreadsheets or matching transactions by hand instead of focusing on big-picture planning

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May 06 2026HEALTH

Breathing in Secondhand Smoke Outside: How Easy Is It to Avoid?

City sidewalks and parks often have special spots where people can light up. These areas are meant to keep smokers away from indoor spaces, but they might not protect everyone nearby. Studies show that secondhand smoke can travel through the air, even outside. Yet most research focuses on how much s

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Mar 27 2026CRIME

Jersey City Takes Action Against Unlicensed Smoke Shops

City officials in Jersey City have taken decisive steps to curb unlicensed smoke shops that are operating without proper permits. Five businesses were shut down after a coordinated effort by the local police and federal partners, which also led to several arrests. The crackdown followed complaints f

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Feb 17 2026CRIME

New Chicago Dungeon Under Scrutiny

City Hall has moved to pause a business that operates as a “sex dungeon” while officials decide how it fits into the city’s rules. The shutdown comes after a past case involving a woman who ran a high‑end brothel that attracted thousands of clients and earned over a million dollars. That woman, know

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Jan 15 2026TECHNOLOGY

Finance Teams Get a Boost with New Software

Finance teams just got a powerful new ally. Pacera, a fresh software company, is here to shake things up. It's made by merging three well-known Nordic finance tools: Aico, AARO, and Mercur. Each of these tools has been helping finance teams for years. Aico handles the financial close process. AARO m

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Jan 09 2026HEALTH

Unlocking Local Change: How Councillors Use Research for Better Communities

Councillors in England hold significant power over local services. Yet, there's a big question: how do they use research to make decisions that affect people's health and well-being? This is where the Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) come in. These groups were set up to help local

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Jan 07 2026FINANCE

How AI and Humans Can Work Together in Finance

Finance teams are changing how they work. They are using AI to handle routine tasks. This lets them focus on more important things. AI can do things like closing books, forecasting, and reporting. It can also spot problems and give clear results. Humans still make the big decisions. They guide the A

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Dec 18 2025BUSINESS

The CFO's Guide to Staying Calm in a Chaotic World

Finance leaders face a tough job. They deal with constant changes and high stress. But what if the key to success isn't just about crunching numbers? What if it's about mindset? A recent conversation with Chikako Tyler, COO at California Bank & Trust, shed light on this. She's not your typical fina

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Dec 02 2025FINANCE

Finance Leaders: Steering Through Change and Tech

Finance chiefs are in the hot seat, balancing new tech and old risks. They're not just crunching numbers anymore. They're steering the ship, especially with AI shaking things up. But it's not easy. The world's a mess with economic uncertainty and supply chain chaos. Yet, finance leaders are stepping

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