CHICAGO — Chicago’s Mayor Brandon Johnson ascended to his position as an outsider committed to transforming the city’s notoriously volatile political landscape. However, nearly two years into his tenure, he finds himself increasingly isolated, having alienated even some of his own ideological supporters as he struggles to advance his progressive agenda.
A prominent recent instance is the growing controversy surrounding his aggressive attempt to reform the city’s school board. The seven-member board rejected Johnson’s request to terminate the schools’ CEO — who had opposed his suggestion to secure a short-term, high-interest loan to address a budget deficit — resulting in the board’s mass resignation.
In an interview with POLITICO from London, where he was focused on economic development and attending a Chicago Bears game, Johnson staunchly defended his time in office.
“Some individuals may have concerns regarding the boldness of our vision,” Johnson noted, highlighting significant investments in affordable housing alongside his accomplishments. “Some people are struggling to adapt. But for the majority in Chicago, they’re very much in sync with our vision.”
The turmoil surrounding the school board is just the latest in a series of dramas emerging from City Hall’s fifth floor. Prior to this, Johnson revamped his intergovernmental affairs team, appointing an executive with close ties to the Chicago Teachers Union — the powerful organization instrumental in his election. He has encountered repeated clashes with the City Council over his efforts to eliminate the contentious gun detection technology. Additionally, he faced setbacks in his attempt to secure approval for his preferred candidates to chair the influential zoning committee.
All of this came to light as the mayor postponed the unveiling of his plan to tackle one of the city’s most critical issues: a looming $1 billion budget deficit for 2025.
While many City Council members back Johnson’s progressive vision, they express frustration over his approach to enacting it. His unilateral strategies for reshaping the school board, in particular, have drawn ire from city officials like Alderman Bill Conway.
“I respect Mayor Johnson’s principles, but he must recognize that city government doesn’t operate like a dictatorship,” Conway stated.
Nearly two years ago, Johnson emerged as a surprise victor in the Chicago mayoral election, having previously worked as a social studies teacher and organized with the CTU.
He rose through the ranks as an activist, notably leading a hunger strike to save a South Side school. With the support of the teachers union, he became a county commissioner, eventually earning the CTU’s endorsement to run for mayor.
However, Johnson encountered challenges from his very first day in office, particularly when Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott started sending busloads of migrants to Chicago to highlight national immigration issues.
Johnson embraced Chicago’s image as a welcoming hub for immigrants, allocating significant resources, along with state and county support, to provide housing and services to newcomers. Yet, some Black Chicagoans felt overlooked — questioning why the mayor was prioritizing housing for migrants when many in their own community required assistance.
This migrant situation also strained relations with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, as the mayor repeatedly criticized the state for its lack of action, despite Illinois contributing more resources to the relief efforts.
Johnson has emphasized his work to uplift struggling neighborhoods in this diverse city, which has nearly equal populations of Black, Latino, and white residents. He has made a deliberate effort to recruit Black staff for key positions.
However, his focus on improving outcomes for Black residents has attracted criticism.
“While he aims to address genuine issues affecting the African American community, he cannot do so if that becomes his sole focus,” remarked Bill Singer, a former alderman and seasoned observer of City Hall. “He must take into account the entire city and work where a comprehensive support structure is in place. Right now, it’s not happening.”
Johnson consistently dismisses such critiques, asserting that his administration’s initiatives benefit the entire city, citing programs that he claims have reduced crime, bond investments that empower small businesses, and plans for a $1 billion corporate investment in a quantum computing campus.
“I committed to enacting change, and I’m following through on that,” Johnson declared. “If people take issue with Black young men being the largest group enrolling in community colleges, perhaps they were indifferent when those young Black boys were attending schools facing disinvestment and closure.”
The recent tensions between the mayor and the City Council evoke memories of the turbulent 1980s, when Mayor Harold Washington faced scrutiny from council members at every turn. However, a key distinction lies in the fact that Washington’s adversaries comprised a narrow group of white aldermen, whereas Johnson is encountering resistance from across the board, including progressive allies and Black council members.
“He is absolutely correct to highlight areas of the city that have long been neglected and disenfranchised, but he must engage the City Council in this process,” advised Constance Mixon, a political science professor at Elmhurst University and co-editor of the book “Twenty-First Century Chicago.” “He cannot do it alone.”
Johnson secured office with backing from progressives and minority communities seeking to break away from a longstanding system they see as controlled by white corporate elites. For decades, Chicago mayors have been associated with Richard J. Daley, who first took office in 1955.
“They all emerged from the Daley machine,” stated Delmarie Cobb, a political consultant who began her career with Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 1988 presidential campaign, referencing past mayors like Rahm Emanuel and Lori Lightfoot, as well as Paul Vallas, the opponent Johnson defeated in last year’s race. “This was an opportunity to completely dismantle the machine.”
Crime remains a pressing issue in Chicago, despite some achievements, such as a notable decrease in homicides. Black communities have debated whether the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system, approved during Emanuel’s administration, is the right measure for safeguarding their violence-stricken neighborhoods. Johnson has pledged to terminate the contract with the company, asserting, as many progressives do, that it functions merely as a surveillance tool with minimal impact on crime resolution.
Yet, some Black communities — along with their City Council representatives — attribute the tool with saving lives, as ShotSpotter pinpoints gunfire incidents enabling quicker responses from the police and emergency services.
Nonetheless, Johnson remains committed to fulfilling his campaign promise and has discarded the program, leading his opponents to contemplate a legal challenge.
However, Johnson’s most pressing obstacles lie within the financial arena and the school system. The city grapples with a nearly $1 billion shortfall, while the Chicago Public Schools are burdened with rising debt.
This financial turmoil presents a significant challenge, which the mayor seeks to navigate. He aims to redirect a pension payment for school workers from the city to Chicago Public Schools and proposes that the schools obtain a $300 million short-term, high-interest loan for this purpose.
When the schools’ CEO, Pedro Martinez, declined this approach, Johnson expressed frustration that his appointed board did not support his decision. All seven members ultimately resigned — a striking action given that the board is currently involved in contract negotiations with the influential teachers union.
This upheaval occurs just weeks before the November election, in which Chicagoans will elect their first truly representative school board. Critics accuse Johnson of attempting to bypass this new board, which will consist of 21 members — 10 elected and 11 appointed by the mayor — to dismiss Martinez and fulfill the CTU’s contract demands.
Numerous elected officials and community leaders have cautioned against pursuing the loan, expressing concern that firing Martinez could be a misstep, especially as schools seem to be progressing under his leadership.
Earlier this week, Johnson drew parallels between those criticizing the city’s financial difficulties and Confederate slave owners, a comment that has triggered outrage among civic leaders who also run businesses in the city.
“They argued it would be fiscally reckless for this nation to emancipate Black people,” the mayor remarked. “Now you see detractors making similar claims from a Confederate perspective in relation to public education in this system.”
This controversy jeopardizes Johnson’s ability to govern effectively going forward — both in the immediate term as he works to secure City Council support for his budget, and in the long term as he aspires to be reelected for another term.
“It’s crucial to recognize that the legislative and executive branches are equal partners, and the ongoing tension over authority is counterproductive,” stated Alderman Andre Vasquez, co-chair of the council’s progressive caucus.
Singer, the seasoned alderman and longtime chronicler of Chicago City Hall, believes the city will weather this latest upheaval.
“The foundational elements are strong. The institutions are solid. They won’t disappear. However, the city will continue to shrink if this trend persists,” Singer noted. “It can endure another couple of years under [Johnson], but not a second term.”
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