Perspective: How Chicago’s new democratic socialist city council members can change the city’s politics
Voters cast their ballots in downtown Chicago on April 2. By Miles Kampf-Lassin Miles Kampf-Lassin is a political writer and the web editor at In These Times magazine. April 4 Chicago voters made history Tuesday night — in more ways than one.
As the Chicago Sun-Times recently reported, these victories will mark the most socialists elected to office in Chicago in more than a century. Once they take their seats, these new members are poised to have a dramatic impact on the city’s political future.Mayor Rahm Emanuel held an iron grip over city government during his eight years in office, with the vast majority of aldermen serving as a rubber stamp for his corporate-friendly agenda.
That socialist caucus will be able to push for policies that social movements have demanded for years without much success. It will be backed by the local grass-roots organizations and unions that helped get its members elected, including United Working Families, the People’s Lobby and the militant Chicago Teachers Union.
When it comes to Chicago’s finances, an issue that will be paramount for a city in economic turmoil, the newly elected socialists are very clear on their plan: Tax the rich. Policies such as a tax on financial transactions, a corporate head tax and reforming the city’s tax increment financing program to benefit poor communities of color will be front and center as the new caucus is seated.
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