Inauguration Day: Brandon Johnson sworn in as Chicago's 57th mayor

Mayor Johnson walked into City Hall for the first time since being sworn in Monday.   

He told CBS 2, "It feels pretty nice." 

Bringing his inaugural address to a rousing conclusion by calling for Chicagoans to unite to revive the city, Johnson said "I can't wait to continue to lead this city towards a future that generations to come will look back and see the soul of Chicago that has made it possible for posterity."

"I say this today, with a deep belief and conviction that our best and brighter days are ahead of us. We can lead Chicago to a new era. Together, we can build a better, stronger, safer Chicago. We just have to look deep into the soul of Chicago. Can I get a witness?" Johnson added.

Johnson won't have long to wait to preside over his first City Council meeting. The City Council will reconvene next Wednesday, May 24, at City Hall, when aldermen are expected to vote on Johnson's so-called "Unity Plan" to reorganize the council.

Instead of increasing the number of City Council committees from 19 to 28, as aldermen voted to do in late March, in what they billed as a move to become more independent from the mayor, Johnson is proposing to have 20 committees and two subcommittees.

By a 33-11 vote on March 30, before Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in the mayoral runoff election, the City Council approved a reorganization plan that would set up 28 committees, with chairs picked by aldermen rather than the mayor. However, it didn't take long before Johnson began working with his supporters on the City Council to cut down on the number of committees, and replace some of the council's chosen committee chairs with his aldermanic allies.

Among the changes being pushed by Johnson, Finance Committee Chair Scott Waguespack (32nd) would lose his chairmanship to Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), who chaired the Budget Committee under Lightfoot. Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), who endorsed Lightfoot in the first round of the election and Johnson in the runoff, would take over for Dowell as Budget Committee chair. Waguespack would be left without any chairmanship.

Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th), one of Johnson's most vocal allies, would be appointed chair of the Zoning Committee and serve as Johnson's floor leader, taking the lead in trying to usher Johnson's agenda through City Council.

With more than a week before a vote, Johnson's reorganization plan could see some changes as the new mayor seeks a majority vote on the proposal.

Johnson also called for reopening city mental health clinics that were closed more than a decade ago by former Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and voiced support for the so-called "treatment not trauma" proposal to have trained social workers and medical specialists respond to 911 calls on nonviolent mental health crises, rather than police officers.

"Let's get this right for future generations," Johnson said.

Johnson also called for fixing the city's public transportation system, not only to make the city safer and more livable for everyone, but to improve the city's economy.

"We can secure safety and convenience for cyclists, while making significant investments in the reliability, the safety, and the connectivity of our buses and trains in every single neighborhood," he said.

Saying "we have no time to spare" to address the city's struggles with crime before the traditional summer spike in violence, Johnson also said it's up to the entire city, not just police; calling for more resources for summer jobs, and programming for youth between when schools close for the summer and park district programs begin.

"It's not just up to [interim Police Supt.] Fred Waller and his officers, it's up to all of us," Johnson said.

"Our faith leaders, our philanthropic institutions, our business community, violence interrupters, researchers, educators, coaches, counselors; it's going to take all of us. Not one of us can sit down. In order to make a better, stronger, safer Chicago, I'm counting on the entire city to deliver this," he added.

Saying he wants to invest in every community of the city, Johnson said "we cannot afford to get it wrong, Chicago."

The newly elected mayor said he doesn't want Chicagoans to feel traumatized by crime and despair that they feel they have no other choice but to leave, vowing "a better day's ahead."

"We get to write the story of our children's and our grandchildren's futures, and we get to do that together," he said.

Johnson said he wants to build a city that is "the economic marvel of our state, the Midwest, and this nation."

"Let's build a Chicago that means that our economy gets to grow by rerouting the rivers of prosperity to the base of disinvestment, so that no one goes thirsty. Too much of our land is dry right now, and we have to change that, and we can," he said.

Noting he lives in Austin, which he described as "one of the most disinvested and violent communities," Johnson said his election as mayor "shows us what's possible."

"So let's not be discouraged by what it is, let's make sure that we never stop imagining what it could be," he said. "We can do it Chicago. We can bring Chicago home. My family is living proof of the type of transformation that can happen with real investments."

Bring Chicago Home is the name of a long-stalled proposal to increase the real estate transfer tax on sales of properties valued at more than $1 million, and use that increased revenue to fund services for those experiencing homelessness, and Johnson said he wants to live in a city where "65,000 people don't wake up" living on the streets or in shelters, and where everyone has a true path to home ownership.

Johnson also touched on the many struggles Chicago faces as he takes office, from crime to a lack of affordable housing, and from downtown's slow recovery from the pandemic to stagnant development in too many neighborhoods.

Saying "too many Chicagoans fear for their safety," and saying that public transportation has grown too unreliable and unsafe in Chicago, Johnson said "many parents refuse to let their children ride, even when the CTA could be the pathway to opportunity and enrichment."

The new mayor also noted rent rates continue to rise every year, while "too many people go to sleep unhoused, and too few families know the security of owning their own home."

"Our downtown commercial corridors still bear the scars of the pandemic, with higher vacancy rates and lower foot traffic; and of course, our neighborhoods, particularly those on the South and West side, have still not tasted the fruits of the investments that they demand and deserve," he said.

Johnson also noted that public schools continue to lack the resources they need to guarantee every student gets a world-class education, and that many people lack access to reliable mental health care.

"But as we debate and discuss the solutions to these crises, I want to remind us that we have the real conversation; and that conversation is about the soul Chicago. It's alive. It's alive and well in each and every one of us," he said. "We have so much in common, you all. We really do, and we know that we all suffer when these ills are allowed to fester and grow."

Repeatedly using the phrase "the soul of Chicago," Johnson touched on the city's history; from Black explorer Jean Baptiste Point DuSable establishing a trading post at the mouth of the Chicago River, becoming the city's first non-indigenous settler, to Chicago's role in the Underground Railroad, the Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South, and its role in the national labor movement.

"That soul is what strikes me today," Johnson said. "I'm marveling not just at the peaceful transfer of power, or the miracle of American democracy, or the grand tradition of Chicago elections. It is how much we all share. I'm struck by how much work it took to bring us to this moment; how many decades of slow, grinding process."

Johnson paid tribute to his mentor, the late former Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, saying she "modeled true social justice unionism; and helped lead the multi-racial, multi-cultural, working-class movement that organized its way to this moment. The same labor movement that raised wages, established the 40-hour work week, and built the middle class in this city," he said.

Johnson said he never imagined growing up in a working class family of 10 that he would one day be mayor.

"Make no mistake about it, that doesn't mean that I'm not prepared," he said.

Saying his late mother had the biggest heart of anyone he knew, Johnson said she taught him "to love people."

"That's ultimately the reason that I stand before you today," he said.

Johnson also thanked his father for teaching him the importance of hard work and accountability, saying his father worked three jobs; including as a carpenter and a pastor.

"Do you understand the pressure of growing up in a house when your father is just like Jesus?" Johnson joked. 

Johnson also applauded the 50 members of the City Council, City Clerk Anna Valencia, and City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, saying "the people of Chicago are counting on us to work together, to collaborate to make their lives better every day."

The newly elected mayor said he won't always agree with aldermen, "but I won't ever question your motives or your commitment, and I'll always do my part to find common ground."

He also thanked Lightfoot "and her leadership of our city through turbulent times," referring to her leadership of the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and the widespread civil unrest of 2020 in the wake of the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

"Let us not forget that Mayor Lightfoot made history twice; as the first Black woman and the first openly gay/LGBTQ mayor," he said. "And, in doing so, she broadened the imagination of so many young people across this city, including my daughter. Lori, I am grateful to you for your service and your sacrifice."

Cook County Judge Diana Lopez swore in Anna Valencia for another term as city clerk, before Valencia then swore in all 50 aldermen, and Cook County Judge Judith Rice swore in Melissa Conyears-Ervin for another term as city treasurer.

Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans, who ran for mayor in the 1989 special election to fill Harold Washington's term following his death in 1987, but lost to Richard M. Daley, swore in Johnson as Chicago's 57th mayor.

"I am truly humbled and honored to stand before you as the 57th mayor of the greatest city in the world," Johnson said in his inaugural address.

"I believe what truly makes us great is our people, and not just the names that show up in our history books, but the ones that show up in our schools, on the beat, at the work site, at the concert hall, and of course in the board rooms, and of course at the respite center, looking out for strangers in need," Johnson said. "Chicagoans, we show up, and we have leaders who show up too."

Outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Gov. JB Pritzker, Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton, Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, Comptroller Susana Mendoza, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, Congressman and former mayoral rival Jesus "Chuy" Garcia were among the dignitaries joining Johnson, aldermen, the city clerk, and city treasurer on stage for the inauguration.

The Hyde Park Academy JROTC presented the American flag ahead of the Pledge of Allegiance and the National Anthem, sung by Cassandra Figueroa, and the Black National Anthem, sung by Walt Whitman and The Soul Children of Chicago.

The inaugural ceremony doubled as a City Council meeting, with Lightfoot formally calling the meeting to order, and welcoming the crowd to "the peaceful transfer of power."

We brought in two political experts, outgoing Ald. Leslie Hairston, and former Illinois Republican Party Chair Pat Brady, to talk about what incoming Mayor Brandon Johnson's political priorities should be as he takes office, and what message he might deliver in his inaugural address.

Brandon Johnson will be sworn in as the 57th mayor of Chicago on Monday morning, and the day will be chock-full of events as the city makes its official transition to new leadership.

The first event of the day – before the inauguration – will happen in Mayor Johnson's neighborhood of Austin. Students and community organizers in the will be on hand as they wish Johnson well ahead of his swearing in.

That event takes place at 9 a.m. at Michele Clark Magnet High School, 5101 W. Harrison St.

At 10:30 a.m., the official inauguration ceremony begins - where Johnson will be sworn in alongside the City Council, city Clerk Anna Valencia, and city Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin. That happens at Credit Union 1 Arena, 525 S. Racine Ave.

At 2 p.m., Mayor Johnson, along with First Lady Stacie Rencher-Johnson, will hold a public meet-and-greet at City Hall and in Daley Plaza. The open house is open to the public.

Finally, to wrap up the night, Mayor Johnson, along with supporters and other community leaders, will gather for the People's Ball. That happens at 7 p.m. at the Isador and Sadie Dorin forum at the University of Illinois at Chicago, 725 W. Roosevelt Rd.

The expectations for Johnson are high.

There are many high-profile issues already waiting for him on his first day, which include the uptick in violence across the city, the current migrant crisis, and appointing a Chicago Police superintendent.

Johnson named former Chicago Police Chief of Operations Fred Waller as interim police superintendent – replacing Eric Carter, who took over as interim superintendent when Supt. David Brown left.

Waller will also have his first day Monday, and serve until a new permanent superintendent is chosen – which could take months.

We've learned that outgoing mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. JB Pritzker will be in attendance for the inauguration. 

Former Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a video message to Mayor Johnson on Sunday. Now ambassador to Japan, Emanuel tweeted that he was "rooting hard" for Johnson's success.

"Mayor Johnson understands every Chicagoan in every neighborhood wants strong schools, safe streets, and the opportunity to shape our city's story, and its future," Emanuel said. "He knows young people deserve a choice and a chance – most importantly to go to school thinking of their studies, not their safety. He sees the resident with limited income, but unlimited potential. He believes the challenges facing Chicago are no match for the character of the people of Chicago."

In addition to talking about water bills and lead pipes with three members of the new City Council, CBS 2 Streaming Anchor Brad Edwards had each alderman have the floor when it came to outlining the needs of the city, and their specific ward.

Public safety was an issue that all of them raised – incoming Ald. William Hall (6th) and incoming Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st); and one veteran, and Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th).

Just ahead of the mayoral inauguration next week, one issue that will face Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration is big bureaucracy.

On that subject, one topic we've covered extensively is water bills. For four years, we have exposed systematic issues at the Chicago Department of Water Management - leaving Chicagoans getting hosed.

We invited all the aldermen to our studios to talk about it. Three – incoming Ald. William Hall (6th), Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th), and incoming Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st) – came and sat down with CBS 2 Streaming Anchor Brad Edwards.

Residents of the 24th Ward on the West Side, and the 41st Ward on the Northwest, have very different views on the candidate they supported for mayor. 

The 24th Ward has seen much of the same disinvestment and crime. Similar to scenes in Johnson's Austin neighborhood. Voters there voters hope the mayor-elect prioritizes improvements for the West Side. 

In the 41st Ward on the Northwest Side, Johnson faces more of a challenge to win over constituents. It had the most votes for his challenger, Paul Vallas. 

CBS 2's Marie Saavedra examined the political divisions in Chicago last week.

More than a third of the members of the new City Council being sworn in Monday are women.

That got us to thinking: What should we call them? Historically, the term has been "alderman" – used in a gender-neutral fashion. But no whether "alderman," "alderwoman," or "alderperson," single term makes everybody happy.

CBS 2's Lauren Victory looked into this great City Council debate last week.

When Brandon Johnson waded into the race for mayor four days before Halloween, the trick was trying to stand out from a field of household Chicago names.

So how did a relative unknown clear the field?

"There is an advantage," said former Ald. Dick Simpson. "You get to tell your own story.  He didn't have a record that could be closely looked at. He voted with [Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle] on the county board.  He didn't have a glaring issue where he voted wrong."

CBS 2's Chris Tye last week had a look at how Johnson went from being a relative unknown to being elected mayor.

Outgoing Mayor Lori Lightfoot is one of the few one-term mayors in the past century in Chicago and made history as the first openly gay, Black female mayor.

Lightfoot entered the mayor's office with a city-wide tsunami of support over her promise of change Four years later, she has left City Hall to little fanfare but, many believe, not in vain.

CBS 2 Political Investigator Dana Kozlov last week examined how Mayor Lightfoot might be remembered by history.