>> ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, BRANDON JOHNSON BECAME THE 57TH MAYOR OF CHICAGO.

HE USED HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS TO PAINT A VIBRANTLY, OPTIMISTIC PICTURE OF THE CITY'S FUTURE, CLAIMING A MANDATE TO MAKE THE CITY A MORE EQUITABLE PLACE TO LIVE.

>> TOGETHER, WE CAN BUILD A BETTER, STRONGER, SAFER.

CHICAGO.

WE JUST HAVE TO LOOK TO INTO THE SOUL CHICAGO.

ALTHOUGH CHICAGO.

>> OR MORGAN PARK OR MCKINLEY PARK OR GAGE PARK OR IN HUMBLE PARK.

TALKING ABOUT A REVIVAL IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO FOR THE SOUL OF CHICAGO.

>> REPORTER HEATHER SHARON JOINS US NOW WITH AN ANALYSIS OF JOHNSON'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE.

HEADER, YOU WROTE THAT JOHNSON FACING ENORMOUS OBSTACLES DURING HIS FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE THAT COMPLICATED HIS EFFORTS TO CREATE THAT CHICAGO FOR ALL THAT HE TALKS A LOT ABOUT THAT PRESSURE COME FROM.

WELL, FROM THE LEFT, HE WAS ELECTED BY A PROGRESSIVE POLITICAL MOVEMENT WHO WANTED HIM TO USE HIS POWER IMMEDIATELY.

>> TO ADDRESS THE RAVAGES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, AN INCREASE IN HOME, HOMELESSNESS.

A SURGE IN CRIME AND INCREASING INEQUITY ACROSS THE SOUTH AND THE WEST SIDE.

BUT FROM ACROSS THE POLITICAL SPECTRUM, HE ALSO FACE ENTRENCHED CONSERVATIVE AND MODERATE POWER BROKERS WHO FOUND THEMSELVES LOCKED OUT OF CITY HALL AND WHO WERE ANGRY ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD MEAN FOR THEIR ACCESS TO POWER AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN FOR THE CITY.

AT THE SAME TIME HE FACED AN ESCALATING CRISIS WITH THE ARRIVAL OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS FROM THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

MANY ON BUSES PAID FOR BY TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT AND HE HAD TO GET HIS HANDS AROUND THAT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

OF COURSE, IN DURING HIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS, JOHNSON VOWED TO CARE FOR THE MIGRANTS CLAIMING THAT THERE WAS ROOM FOR EVERYONE IN CHICAGO.

DID HE FULFILLED THAT PROMISE?

WELL, IF YOU ASK HIM, HE SAYS HE BROUGHT ORDER AND STRUCTURE TO A CHAOTIC CRISIS.

BUT IT'S CLEAR HE STRUGGLED FOR MONTHS TO CLEAR THE POLICE STATIONS AND AIRPORTS, THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

AND ONCE HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP MANY NEW SHELTERS, THE CONDITIONS IN THOSE SHELTERS WORK GRIM.

AND OF COURSE, A 5 YEAR-OLD BOY.

>> CAUGHT A VIRUS AND DIED LIVING THERE AT THE SAME TIME HE FACED REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT IT MEANT.

CARING FOR SO MANY NEW ARRIVALS SO MANY CHICAGOANS WERE STRUGGLING TO JUST KEEP THEIR HEADS ABOVE REMEMBER A VERY FRAUGHT SITUATION.

HEATHER, YOUR ANALYSIS ALSO PINPOINTED SEVERAL UNFORCED ERRORS COMMITTED BY THE MAYOR, INCLUDING HIS DECISION.

>> TO ANNOUNCE PLANS TO LIMIT MIGRANTS TO NO MORE THAN 60 DAYS IN CHICAGO.

SHELTERS AT WHAT WAS EXPECTED TO BE A NEWS CONFERENCE CELEBRATING THE PASSAGE OF HIS FIRST BUDGET.

LET'S LISTEN TO WHAT JOHN SUNSET.

A REPEAT.

A PROMISE.

>> TO NEVER SACRIFICE THE NEEDS OF CHICAGOANS IN SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO WISH TO BECOME CHICAGOANS.

CHICAGO.

I HEARD YOU.

AND I HEAR YOU.

>> HEATHER, WHY DID THAT MAKE THE MAYOR'S TASK HARDER?

WELL, IT COST HIM SUPPORT BY BOTH WITH THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RECRUITS FROM HIS PROGRESSIVE ALLIES WHO SAID THEY WERE DISAPPOINTED TO SEE HIM CAST OF THE STRUGGLE TO CARE FOR THE MIGRANTS.

0 SUM GAME THAT SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO WIN AND SOMEONE WAS GOING TO LOSE AT THE SAME TIME, IT WAS HIS MOST EXPLICIT ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT PLAQUE CHICAGOANS WERE FURIOUS WITH THE CITIES.

FULL FORCE OF GOVERNMENT REPORTS TO CARE FOR THE NEWEST ARRIVALS IN CHICAGO WHEN THEY HAD LIVED IN COMMUNITIES OF RIFE WITH THIS INVESTMENT FOR DECADES.

JOHNSON HAS YET TO TRULY FIGURE OUT HOW TO NAVIGATING THOSE 2 COMPETING PRESSURES.

AND OF COURSE, NO ISSUE DOMINATED THE 2023 MAYORAL LIKE PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE POLICE UNION WARNING THAT BLOOD WOULD RUN IN THE STREETS OF JOHNSON WAS ELECTED.

>> WHAT HAPPENED?

WELL, NOT BLOOD IN THE STREETS, ALTHOUGH CRIME AND VIOLENCE, OF COURSE, REMAIN PERSISTENTLY HIGH, ESPECIALLY ON THE SOUTH AND WEST SIDES.

>> BUT IN FACT, HOMICIDES DROPPED 15% IN JOHNSON'S FIRST YEAR IN OFFICE.

BY COMPARISON, HOMICIDES DROPPED 6% DURING LORI LIGHTFOOT'S FIRST YEAR AS MAYOR AND MURDERS ROSE 21% THE FIRST YEAR RAHM EMANUEL WAS IN OFFICE.

NOW, JOHNSON SAYS THERE'S MUCH MORE TO DO AND HE INTENDS TO USE THE 1.2 5 BILLION DOLLARS.

THE CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZED HIM TO BORROW OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS TO START MAKING THOSE INVESTMENTS IN THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE AND CRIME THAT HE SAYS WILL PAY REAL DIVIDENDS.

BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, JOHNSON TOLD YOU THAT HE'S EVEN MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE CITY'S FUTURE A YEAR AFTER TAKING OFFICE.

HOW LONG?

>> OR HOW WILL HE APPROACHED THE BIG CHALLENGES THAT ARE LOOMING ON THE HORIZON?

WELL, OF COURSE, NO BIGGER CHALLENGE LOOMS THAN THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION.

I WILL ALSO BE WATCHING TO SEE IF ADJUST TO STYLE AS MAYOR.

HE DOESN'T LIKE GROUND BREAKINGS.

HE TOLD ME HE LIKES RIBBON COMING CUTTINGS.

BUT SOMETIMES IF YOU DON'T CELEBRATE THE GROUNDBREAKING.

>> YOU DON'T GET TO THE RIBBON CUTTING.

AND THAT'S WHERE I'VE HEARD SOME FRUSTRATION FROM HIS SUPPORTERS.

OK, THAT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THAT WILL PLAY OUT IN THE NEXT YEAR.

HEATHER SHARON, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANKS.

BRAND U.S. >> AND YOU CAN READ HEATHER'S FULL STORY ON OUR WEBSITE.

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