Ald. Bennett Lawson (44th), the city’s acting Zoning Committee chair, said Tuesday he has given Mayor Brandon Johnson a year-end ultimatum: Make his committee post permanent with control over his own staff, or he’s done with the time-consuming job.

Lawson disclosed the Dec. 31 deadline he gave the mayor minutes after two of his allies in the City Council’s pro-business “Common Sense Caucus” tried and failed to seize control over the issue themselves — by handing Lawson the permanent job.

The surprise maneuver by Alderpersons Anthony Beale (9th) and Ray Lopez (15th) was thwarted when their motion to suspend the rules for immediate consideration of their resolution attracted just 18 votes. That was eight votes short of the 26 that Beale says he needed, and 16 votes short of the two-thirds

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