At the second half of a Waukegan special council meeting, Sam Cunningham was sworn in to serve as mayor for the next four years. Cunningham ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, fixing the city’s infrastructure and restoring integrity and transparency to the office. The voters called for change and chose Cunningham in the April general election cycle. Cunningham initiated a capital improvement plan and will pick up where he left off.
In the special city council meeting prior to the change of leadership, outgoing Mayor Ann Taylor along with Alderwoman Lynn Florian engaged in overt politics.
Taylor claimed in her farewell speech that her husband, Lisa May and others were publicly attacked in the course of the campaign. This was false. May was not the subject of any messaging involving the nepotism shown by the Taylor administration. Wayne Taylor was the subject of political controversy for delivering a check to a Waukegan resident and urging that his name not be revealed in required campaign disclosure filings. There is video of the incident.
Taylor also claimed the budget had been balanced for all of the four years she was in office. As we reported, the fiscal 2025 budget had a $7 million dollar shortfall.
Alderwoman Lynn Florian called out City Treasurer John Schwab insisting the budgets were balanced. Schwab reiterated that they were not citing the millions he released from other accounts for general expenses.
After Cunningham was sworn in, he extended his hand inviting all to work together for the future of Waukegan and all of the working families and small businesses which form the back bone of the city.