Council Falls One Vote Short of Overriding Johnson Veto

Chicago aldermen fell one vote short Wednesday of overriding Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto of a measure that would have made it harder for the city to borrow money for streets, libraries, affordable housing and small-business support. The 33-17 tally missed the 34 votes needed for a supermajority. The ordinance would have required 30 aldermen to approve future bond issuances, rather than the simple majority that governs the process now.

A Debate About Power, and Who Holds It

The floor fight turned raw. Ald. Jason Ervin, Johnson’s floor leader, argued the change would strip power from council majorities just as Black and Latino aldermen gain stronger control of the body. Bonds pay for neighborhood basics, he said. “For as long as I can remember, 26 votes ruled the day in this body. That’s how democracy works: You win with the majority,” Ervin said. “It’s ironic that we only talk about independence and executive oversight when the person sitting up there looks like me.”

Several white aldermen made exasperated faces, and some muttered as Ervin spoke. “If you can’t beat people at their own game, you just change the rules,” said Ervin, who represents the mayor’s West Side 28th Ward. “We see that happening all over the country.”

Ald. Brendan Reilly, who appeared angry during the remarks, countered that most major cities require a supermajority to authorize bond sales and that Chicago’s uniquely massive debt load demands “fiscal discipline.” “This isn’t about power, this is about good governance,” he said. Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, called Ervin’s argument “the stupidest argument I think I’ve ever heard of anything in this room.”

Ald. David Moore, 17th, pleaded with fellow Black Caucus members. “You’ll break my heart if you vote for this,” he said, adding that an even playing field for Black neighborhoods seeking city infrastructure money was at stake. “I’ll never vote against my constituents.” Moore also pointed to a publicity campaign urging an override, paid for by the anti-Johnson political group One Future Illinois. Residents who received automated texts called him; he told them there would be unintended consequences. Asked how much his group spent, One Future president Mike Ruemmler said he wasn’t sure, then texted a meme of Austin Powers villain Dr. Evil making his “one million dollars” gesture.

The Mayor’s Case

Aldermen first passed the ordinance 32-15 in late September, and Johnson vetoed it several days later. It was his fourth veto. The city’s previous two mayors never used one. No record shows aldermen overriding a mayoral veto in recent decades.

In his veto letter, Johnson wrote: “Neighborhoods with the greatest infrastructure needs should not face additional barriers to securing essential public investment. Delaying infrastructure projects can increase construction costs, worsen deterioration, and ultimately cost taxpayers more.”

After the vote, he said it was “no secret that there are a number of members of City Council that are still adjusting to a bold progressive agenda.” He said he remains open to talking with the bloc that routinely opposes him. “Relationships have been hard... because I have asked people to do hard things,” he said.

Supporters described the measure as a modest step that would give the council a small but meaningful increase in control over the city’s financial future. Yet it follows earlier efforts to rein in Johnson’s borrowing: attempts in 2024 to water down his signature $1.25 billion Housing and Economic Development bond, and a stall on infrastructure borrowing in February 2025. Ald. Daniel La Spata, 1st, a Johnson ally, rejected the premise behind the push. “The notion that we have out-of-control general obligation spending is to me, based off of the facts, a false narrative,” he said.

Other Votes the Same Day

The council approved a $261 million settlement of 16 lawsuits alleging disgraced Chicago Police Department Detective Reynaldo Guevara framed men for murder. It’s the largest police misconduct deal in city history, with no close rival, and aldermen approved it without debate. Guevara-related suits have already cost Chicago around $160 million, and 23 cases remain pending. City lawyers argued that settling the cases together could save as much as $400 million by avoiding costly verdicts, cutting legal costs and attorney fees, and limiting payouts for each year plaintiffs spent behind bars.

Aldermen also made the Smart Streets program permanent and will expand it citywide in phases. Automated cameras on city vehicles and CTA buses catch drivers blocking bus stops, bus lanes and bike lanes; drivers get warnings first, then tickets of up to $250 for a bike-lane violation. Bike and pedestrian safety activists had long sought the change, and the pilot was set to expire in December.

The council approved Johnson’s picks of Tiheta Hinton as Human Resources commissioner and JuanPablo Prieto as Fleet and Facilities Management commissioner. It rejected Ramona Westbrook and John Bartlett as Chicago Housing Authority commissioners, extending a fight over the CHA board that Johnson’s opponents say is really about whether CEO Keith Pettigrew stays.

Why This Matters: Bond votes decide whether sidewalks get fixed, libraries stay open and affordable housing gets built. Neighborhoods with the greatest needs have the most to lose when borrowing gets harder. The veto fight shows how a procedural rule can reshape who controls the city’s purse, and the 33-17 count suggests the question isn’t settled. Meanwhile, the $261 million Guevara settlement reminds taxpayers what accountability for police misconduct costs—and what wrongfully convicted people lost. With 23 related cases still pending, the bill isn’t finished. How the council balances fiscal caution against public investment will shape daily life across the city.