With the approval last week of the $12.6 billion budget, Chicago proved that there are zero consequences for defying the mayor.
They voted no on Mayor Lightfoot’s budget and they’re still chairing their committees.
In contrast, Tunney, Osterman, O’Shea, and Reilly are basically centrist Dems who represent Lakeview, Edgewater, Beverly, and the Gold Coast.
Of course, chairing a committee also comes with strings attached. You must be loyal to the mayor, who appoints the chairs.
Mayors Daley and Rahm limited chairmanships to rubber-stampers.
Conversely, council chairs make sure proposals opposed by the mayor—even ones that make sense—get buried in the rules committee. Also controlled by a mayoral flunky.
