Facing stiff resistance, Johnson calls off vote to install Sigcho-Lopez as Zoning chair

Mayor Brandon Johnson on Wednesday called off a City Council vote that could have solidified his progressive base at the expense of a business community that craves predictability.

Johnson had spent the weekend twisting arms to install Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) as Zoning Committee chair, with Vice Mayor Walter Burnett (27th) replacing Sigcho-Lopez as Housing Committee chair.

But when some of the business community's staunchest City Council supporters insisted that 34 votes were needed to consider the mini-reorganization, the mayor pulled the item to avoid possible defeat.

During a news conference that followed Wednesday’s Council meeting, Johnson portrayed the delay as a mere hiccup. He’s solidly behind Sigcho-Lopez and firmly believes that he will be a perfect fit as Zoning Committee chair.

“Who do you want fighting for affordable housing and development in this city? Someone who believes that housing is a human right? Someone who believes that economic development should be focused in the neighborhoods and the people who have been harmed the most?" Johnson said. "That’s the kind of person you want. And that’s the kind of person that Sigcho-Lopez is.”

The abrupt about-face was all the more surprising, considering how hard Johnson had lobbied his own allies over the weekend. A member of Johnson’s Council leadership team, who asked to remain anonymous, said he was amazed at how “aggressive” the mayor was during their phone call.

“I’m still very puzzled as to why this is that important. He’s gonna die on the hill of Byron Sigcho-Lopez? He didn’t lobby us that hard over ShotSpotter,” the alderperson said.

Johnson explained his stance by saying "every mayor has always had the ability to designate their team of committee chairs and he can’t be treated any different," the Council member continued.

Three months ago, Sigcho-Lopez survived an effort to remove him as Housing Committee chair for appearing at a City Hall rally after an American flag was burned to protest U.S. support for Israel.

That prompted the Anti-Defamation League Midwest to claim Sigcho-Lopez had "fanned the flames of hate and anti-Semitism for months.” The ADL said it would be “reckless and tone deaf” for the Council to “elevate him to chair one of the most powerful committees.”

Downtown Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), saying he represents a ward with a “significant Jewish population,” questioned whether Jewish leaders are “comfortable separating the question of zoning matters from the question of this alderman’s public stance on the war in the Middle East."

Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce President Jack Lavin has told the Sun-Times the business community craves predictability, and fears the progressive Sigcho-Lopez will deliver the opposite, sending a “negative signal” about investing in Chicago.

“We need to set the rules, follow them and not move the goal posts. If we do that, then businesses can make their decisions on investments," Lavin said earlier this week.

Downtown Ald. Bill Conway (34th) has branded Sigcho-Lopez a “divisive person” who “stood with the group trying to disrupt the DNC and incite violence.” He would not deliver the predictable "collaborative approach” the Zoning Committee needs, Conway said.

Sigcho-Lopez could not be reached for immediate comment. Earlier this week, he told the Sun-Times he would “do my best to serve the people of Chicago with integrity, honesty and fairness.”

The Zoning Committee has been without a permanent chair for eight months — ever since Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th) resigned as Zoning chair and as Johnson’s City Council floor leader after being accused of bullying and intimidating colleagues.

Ethics crackdown also delayed

Before adjourning for the summer, the Council also put off until September a showdown vote on an ethics crackdown Johnson opposed because it targeted only him.

The changes championed by Ethics Chair Matt Martin (47th) would bar all lobbyist contributions to incumbent mayors or mayoral candidates. Contributions would also be barred from companies in which a lobbyist has an ownership stake of at least 7.5%.

Lobbyists found in violation would be fined three times their contribution amount, unless they seek a refund. Further violations would result in 90-day lobbying suspensions.

Martin said he agreed to hold the ordinance for a second straight month at Johnson’s request.

Martin has previously accused Johnson of stonewalling on the ethics issue. But he told the Sun-Times Wednesday there would be "continued conversation" with Johnson's office about potential ways to expand the ethics ordinance, with an eye toward a vote in September.

Johnson said he and Martin have had “really good conversations about the entire ethics package" and that "some things in there ... are worth exploring,” though he offered no specifics.

But given that dozens of Council members have been indicted or imprsisoned, even in recent years, Johnson said, he wants a “real transformation” that includes public financing of municipal elections.

“What incumbent would say that?" the mayor asked. "That’s how true I am."

Johnson said last month he opposed the ethics ordinance because he believes it’s time to stop “nibbling around the edges” of reform and approve public financing of campaigns.

“If the goal is to eradicate the proclivity of corruption, then let’s get at that. ... Let’s all work together for public financing,” the mayor told reporters after the June City Council meeting.

“If people are concerned about unfettered access that’s handed to a handful of people, let’s implement public financing. … I challenge the Ethics Board to join me in this effort. ... Let’s lead the way for the entire country,”

Martin has introduced an ordinance that would lay the groundwork for the city to establish what he called a “voluntary, small-dollar-donor-matching program” similar to a proposal that went nowhere nearly 10 years ago.

Johnson introduces public banking ordinance

Johnson also introduced an ordinance that would take the first step toward public banking in Chicago.

A top mayoral aide described the plan as “using public resources to incentivize private banking into communities that need it, designed for those” communities.

But success would require financial institutions, government and community leaders to work together, the aide said.

“The banking side is providing their banking expertise. We’re providing the table for them to meet and the public incentives that might be either deposits or other services or space. And the community has to identify their needs. If you have a bank that looks like a prison, people aren’t going to go there. If people already feel comfortable in that space, that would help create foot traffic.”