Mayor Mike Johnston’s decision last week to veto a measure banning encampment sweeps during freezing temperatures is chipping away at his position as a progressive.
Why it matters: Progressive voters were likely crucial in helping Johnston become mayor last year , but his latest decision shows he’s not always willing to align himself with the city council’s progressive bloc.
The latest: He appears to have changed his position on ending sweeps during those conditions, something he backed during a mayoral forum last year.
What they’re saying: “It was predictable that Mayor Johnston would not keep his campaign promise to stop sweeps during freezing temperatures,” Lisa Calderón, who endorsed him after ending her mayoral candidacy, tells us in a statement.
Zoom in: Council President Jamie Torres and members Shontel Lewis, Sarah Parady and Paul Kashmann co-sponsored the ban.
- Lewis and Parady have carved out a space as the most left-leaning members of the council, introducing measures like increasing money for the city’s rental and utility assistance program .