The Latest Breaking News from City Council

One day after the mayor cast the tie-breaking vote that saved Ald. Carlo Ramirez-Rosa from a Council censure, senior mayoral adviser Jason Lee said it was not a mistake for Johnson to empower the chair of the Council’s Socialist Caucus as both floor leader and Zoning Committee chair.

Mayor Brandon Johnson cast the tie-breaking vote against censure of his former floor leader, accused of “manhandling” Ald. Emma Mitts while trying to prevent her entrance to Council chambers.

Tuesday’s 32-17 vote is a major political victory for Mayor Brandon Johnson. Next comes a battle between Johnson’s progressive coalition and the business community and real estate industry.

Several people in the gallery were escorted out by security after an observer singled them out as supporters of welcoming migrants. Later, the full Council voted to accept donated land at 115th and Halsted streets that will become the temporary site of a winterized tent camp for migrant.

With Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa departing as zoning chairman and floor leader, Mayor Brandon Johnson has to select a replacement who can help the City Council function effectively and solve the city’s many challenges.

Burke wore a gray suit and tie with an American flag pin on his lapel. From time to time he could be seen reviewing paperwork, including questionnaires filled out by the potential jurors. But he mostly seemed to be taking it all in.

Christchurch City Council makes a belated plea for help to pay for its $683m stadium, Te Kaha

On Friday, Ramirez-Rosa was frantically trying to persuade alderpersons not to enter the Council chambers to prevent Ald. Anthony Beale (9th) and Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) from reaching a quorum they needed to continue a specal Council meeting.

The Black Caucus, which includes 20 of the Council’s 50 members, issued a statement condemning what they termed “bullying” by Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) against Caucus member Ald. Emma Mitts (37th), the longest serving woman in the chamber.

Ald. Ray Lopez is calling for Mayor Brandon Johnson’s floor leader to resign after an alleged “manhandling” of one of their colleagues, putting an ugly exclamation mark on a raucous council meeting.

Affordable housing advocates, developers and climate activists say rules requiring a minimum amount of parking spaces on new projects drives up construction costs and enables a dependency on vehicles to get around town.