Emanuel First Big Legislative Score

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 19, 2011 1:30PM

Mayor Emanuel scored a legislative victory during his first City Council meeting, in the process establishing a new power player in the Council chambers. The Council approved reducing the number of standing committees from 19 to 16, cutting spending by 10 percent. But the reorganization creates a new committee chaired by 40th Ward Ald. Pat O'Connor, Emanuel's Council floor leader. This win by Emanuel is anything but symbolic.

O'Connor will chair the new Committee on Audit and Workforce Development and share the workload on major legislation with 14th Ward Ald. and Finance Committee chair Ed Burke. O'Connor's committee will also have final say on labor contracts and development deals. A bigger number of freshmen aldermen will also be added to committees than in the past.

It's too early to tell if the elevation of O'Connor is a message to Burke. Emanuel's lack of laying out blueprints for his ambitious transition plan has made him a mayor whose actions should be closely watched. Based on that, he and Burke seemed like bosom buddies during yesterday's meeting. Burke wished the new mayor good luck as he settles into the job. “We welcome your bold ideas and grand plans,” Burke said during one of his numerous soliloquies. “We look forward to your engagement in this people’s parliament. We anticipate your creative approach to this great municipal undertaking.”