Chicago City Council Socialist Caucus

The Socialist Caucus of the Chicago City Council is a bloc of aldermen in the Chicago City Council that was formed in 2019.[1][2][3] It currently has six members, out of the 50 aldermen that comprise the Council. Members of the caucus identify as democratic socialists.[2][3]

Socialist Caucus
ChairCarlos Ramirez-Rosa
Founded2019 (2019)
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
Seats in Chicago City Council
6 / 50

History

The caucus was formed following the 2019 Chicago aldermanic election, when five of its six initial members were elected for the first time. All six initial members are members of the Chicago chapter of Democratic Socialists of America. All member of the caucus are also members of the City Council's Progressive Reform Caucus.

All members of the Socialist Caucus are also members of the larger Progressive Reform Caucus.[3] The two caucuses pursue similar policy goals, but the Socialist Caucus' stated goal is to push a wider and more aggressive range of left-wing policies. When asked about the distinction between the two caucuses in a July 2019 interview, caucus chair Carlos Ramirez-Rosa provided the example of a municipal takeover of the electric utility company ComEd as one distinctive policy that the Socialist Caucus would pursue.[1]

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Illinois, members of the caucus called for a wide-ranging recovery package including an paid emergency leave, emergency housing, an end to ICE check-ins, and weekly payments to workers and families.[4] During the George Floyd protests, the caucus called for cutting funding to the Chicago Police Department and increasing funding for programs such as substance-abuse treatment, mental health care and after-school programs.[5]

Membership

The following table lists current aldermen who are affiliated with the Socialist Caucus.[3]

Member Party[lower-alpha 1] Ward Main Community areas Joined First elected
Daniel La Spata Democratic [6] 1 West Town, Logan Square 2019 2019
Jeanette Taylor Democratic [7] 20 New City, Woodlawn, Englewood 2019 2019
Byron Sigcho-Lopez Democratic 25 Lower West Side, Near West Side 2019 2019
Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez Independent [8] 33 Irving Park, Avondale, Albany Park 2019 2019
Carlos Ramirez-Rosa Democratic[9] 35 Logan Square, Avondale 2019 2015
Andre Vasquez Democratic [10] 40 Lincoln Square, West Ridge 2019 2019

See also
  • List of Democratic Socialists of America who have held office in the United States

Notes
  1. Aldermanic elections are officially nonpartisan; party affiliations are informational only.

References
  1. Blumberg, Nick (2019-07-03). "City Council Caucus Chairs on Chicago's Future". WTTW News. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  2. Bloom, Will (2019-04-03). "A Socialist Wave in Chicago". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  3. Sato, Mia (2019-07-02). "What The Gov: What Does It Mean To Have Six Democratic Socialists on the Chicago City Council?". Better Government Association. Retrieved 2019-07-25.
  4. Rodriguez, Rossana; Ramirez-Rosa, Carlos; Sigcho Lopez, Byron; La Spata, Daniel; Taylor, Jeanette (2020-03-16). "If we want everybody to stay home during a coronavirus crisis, we need deep change to make that possible". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  5. La Spata, Daniel; Taylor, Jeannette; Sigcho Lopez, Byron; Rodriguez Sanchez, Rossana; Ramirez Rosa, Carlos; Vasquez, Andre (2020-06-08). "Cutting funding for police could lead to a better and safer Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2020-06-09.
  6. LaSpata, Daniel (December 10, 2018). "2019 IVI-IPO Chicago Aldermanic Questionnaire" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization. p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  7. Taylor, Jeanette (December 10, 2018). "2019 IVI-IPO Chicago Aldermanic Questionnaire" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization. p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  8. Rodriguez, Rossana (December 10, 2018). "2019 IVI-IPO Chicago Aldermanic Questionnaire" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  9. Sandvoss, Steven S., ed. (September 18, 2019). "State of Illinois Central Committees" (PDF). Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Board of Elections. pp. 75–78. Retrieved October 14, 2019.
  10. Vasquez, Andre (December 11, 2018). "2019 IVI-IPO Chicago Aldermanic Questionnaire" (PDF) (Interview). Interviewed by Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization. p. 3. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
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