Former alderman Dick Simpson and his team at UIC’s Department of Political Science have released a new report on the more independent relationship between the City Council and the Mayor. Entitled “A More Active City Council, Chicago City Council Report #8, June 17, 2015 – April 13, 2016,” the report examines 32 divided Council votes during that timeframe.

Not surprisingly, 28% of the alderman supported the Mayor 90-100% of the time, with another nine supporting him 80-90% of the time. Ald. Silverstein ranks in the next tier, supporting the Mayor 75% of the time. This is a big change from Simpson’s previous City Council study, which reported that, from June 2011 to November 15, 2014, Silverstein voted for the Mayor’s initiatives 98% of the time.  [See “Rahm Emanuel’s Rubber Stamp City Council, Chicago City Council Report #7, June 8, 2011 – November 15, 2014.”]

The report concludes that, “the city council is still a rubber stamp, but a weaker, less reliable rubber stamp” than it had been. That’s mixed news for the voters, but a sure sign that Emanuel is permanently weakened by various scandals and citywide violence.

And the aldermen know it.