CHICAGO – Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson on Friday unveiled a new Unity Council Organization Plan for the Chicago City Council, designed to bring together aldermen from across the city to deliver real results for Chicagoans. The new Unity Plan proposes the establishment of 20 committees and two sub-committees. The proposed structure unites alderpersons from across the political spectrum as committee chairs, and aligns the Mayor’s office and City Council around shared values and priorities.
“As newly elected leaders our first task is making sure our government is structured to actually deliver for people,” said Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson. “This plan not only empowers the most diverse group of Council chairs in history, but also unites us across geography and political ideology. With this Unity Plan in place, my administration and the new City Council look forward to the work of building a better, stronger, safer Chicago.”
Mayor-Elect Johnson’s Unity Plan also strengthens the Council’s ability to address comprehensive solutions to public safety and provide oversight and support to the city’s first responders with the creation of a new Police and Fire Committee in addition to the existing Public Safety Committee. To support the incoming administration’s priorities on revenue and year-round youth employment, the Unity Plan creates two new sub-committees: Revenue and Youth Employment under the Finance and Workforce Development Committees, respectively.
Under Mayor-elect Johnson’s Unity Plan, the following aldermen will be elevated to leadership positions in the City Council:
- Ald. Pat Dowell will serve as Chair of the Committee on Finance;
- Ald. Jason Ervin will serve as Chair of the Committee on Budget;
- Ald. Maria Hadden will serve as Chair of the Committee on Environmental Protection;
- Ald. Michelle Harris will serve as Chair of the Committee on Rules;
- Ald. Brian Hopkins will serve as Chair of the Committee on Public Safety;
- Ald. Daniel La Spata will serve as Chair of the Committee on Pedestrian and Traffic Safety;
- Ald. Matt Martin will serve as Chair of the Committee on Ethics;
- Ald. Greg Mitchell will serve as Chair of the Committee on Transportation;
- Ald. Emma Mitts will serve as Chair of the Committee on Contracting;
- Ald. Matt O’Shea will serve as Chair of the Committee on Aviation;
- Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa will serve as Chair of the Committee on Zoning;
- Ald. Rossana Rodriguez Sanchez will serve as Chair of the Committee on Health and Human Relations;
- Ald. Michael Rodriguez will serve as Chair of the Committee on Workforce Development;
- Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez will serve as Chair of the Committee on Housing;
- Ald. Deb Silverstein will serve as Chair of the Committee on License and Consumer Protection;
- Ald. Nick Sposato will serve as Chair of the Committee on Special Events;
- Ald. Chris Taliaferro will serve as Chair of the Committee on Police and Fire;
- Ald. Jeannette Taylor will serve as Chair of the Committee on Education;
- Ald. Andre Vasquez will serve as Chair of the Committee on Immigration; and
- Ald. Gil Villegas will serve as Chair of the Committee on the Economy and Technology
The Mayor-elect’s Unity Plan would achieve several historic firsts, including the appointment of the first woman and first African-American Finance Committee chair, the first-ever chairmanship of a Committee by a Latina alderwoman, and a record of seven Latinx alderpeople serving as Chairs.
Ald. Samantha Nugent will serve as President Pro Tempore and Ald. Stephanie Coleman as Assistant President Pro Tempore. Ald. Walter Burnett will make history as the first African-American Vice Mayor, while Ald. Ramirez Rosa will serve as Floor Leader.
Mayor-elect Johnson has spoken to all the proposed chairs in recent days.