Vote On Ordinance Giving City Inspector General Oversight Of City Council Postponed
(CBS) -- An effort to bring Chicago aldermen under the city's top investigative watchdog was derailed Wednesday in City Council.
WBBM political editor Craig Dellimore reports on the reason for the delay and what Mayor Rahm Emanuel is saying about it. Powerful Aldermen Ed Burke and Carrie Austin used a parliamentary maneuver to put off a vote on the inspector general's powers until next month.
Austin wants the council to keep a separate IG but she acknowledges more aldermen seem to want one inspector general for all city government.
"I think that the ordinance needs to be tweaked so that it will be stronger so that we will have clear understanding of what the duties and roles will be," Austin said.
Alderman Michele Smith, sponsor of the blocked ordinance, was unfazed.
"Reform is a little delayed but not denied," she said. "This effort at reform has been a marathon and we have a couple more miles to run. We believe we have overwhelming support in City Council for this reform and we'll be continuing."
Mayor Emanuel says what's important is there will be an IG.