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City Council raises debt threshold, setting stage for potential fourth veto from Mayor Johnson

suntimes.com · 6h · first reportShare

A defiant City Council tried Tuesday to wean Chicago off its historic addiction to debt, setting the stage for a potential fourth veto from Mayor Brandon Johnson. By a vote of 32 to 15, the City Council agreed to require future borrowing to be approved by a three-fifths vote. That’s 30 votes instead of the current threshold of 26 votes. But the Council's support in favor of the reform championed by retiring Ald. Marty Quinn (13th) fell short of the 34 votes that would be required to override a mayoral veto. That means Quinn’s political victory could be short-lived. “The mayor does have a history of vetoing really good policy. He vetoed the hemp [ban]. He decided to choose dodgy storefronts over the safety of kids, so anything is possible,” Quinn said, acknowledging that 34 votes is “a reach.” “The policy is solid. Having more eyes around debt is a good thing. Involving more alders in the vote total creates more attendance, which I’ve been after for the last five years." Budget Committe