Video is taken out of context:
April 5 2019
https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-met-lori-lightfoot-chicago-mayor-tribune-interview-20190404-story.html
Lightfoot made reforming City Hall the hallmark of her campaign.
A top plank on that agenda: Ending aldermanic privilege.
That veto power was at the center of Burke's corruption charge, as federal authorities alleged the powerful alderman put a brick on a permit request from one of the nation's largest fast food franchise owners as he pressed the restaurant giant to hire his law firm.
[Most read] Chicago’s legendary Tamale Guy is shut down during pandemic, but community rallies to support him »
But ending the practice in which aldermen have final say over permitting and zoning in their wards is not as simple as erasing the authority from the city code: It can't be found there. Instead, aldermanic privilege, or prerogative as some call it, is a decadeslong tradition in which fellow aldermen and the mayor have deferred to the wishes of the local alderman when it comes decisions in his or her ward.
Lightfoot said she plans to address the matter by mayoral fiat the day she takes over the suite of offices on City Hall's fifth floor.
"I'm thinking about an executive order from day one that says in more legalese than this, 'This is not a thing. We will no longer honor this,'" Lightfoot said. "Because the way that aldermanic prerogative works is there's got to be compliance with the executive branch, because otherwise it doesn't work. So, you've got to eliminate that compliance, and you make it a mandate."
Lightfoot said she would start by hiring department heads and deputies who will be "pledging allegiance to the new world order and good governance" and then train those people and their staffs — especially in agencies such as planning, zoning, buildings and housing where aldermen frequently deploy the practice. She then would direct Inspector General Joseph Ferguson to do spot audits to ensure compliance.
The mayor-elect noted how the practice not only has helped contribute to sustained corruption that has seen 30 aldermen convicted of crimes related to their official duties since 1972 but has prevented citywide initiatives such as building more affordable housing from taking hold. Lightfoot said that while some aldermen may be upset over losing the power, her administration would have an open dialogue to ensure they still have plenty of input on what decisions are made in their wards.
[Most read] Chicago’s lakefront will remain closed, but here are the industries that Mayor Lori Lightfoot says are on track to expand or reopen during next phase »
"If aldermen are doing their job right, they should be the ones who are closest to the vibe and the beat in their neighborhood and have a very important role to play on a number of different issues, but not a unilateral, unchecked right," she said. "That's gone as soon as I take office."
The former federal prosecutor said she would pursue an ordinance to give Ferguson the power to investigate City Council committees, oversight warded off by Burke and other longtime aldermen in an effort to protect their fiefdoms from scrutiny.
"I know why that was stopped, and I think he is becoming less and less relevant, he being Ed Burke," Lightfoot said of the alderman who won re-election to a record 13th full term in February despite the pending federal criminal charge. "But I think that's a no-brainer. We have to have oversight."