City Council Chairman Nestor Garcia today announced he is stepping down to make way for Ernie Martin to become the leader of the nine-member panel.

Garcia said he is introducing legislation installing Martin, a first-year councilman, as chairman and Councilman Ikaika Anderson as vice chairman. He said he expects a majority of Council members to vote to support the move.

 The change would likely come at the end of the month.

Garcia said his decision to step down had nothing to do with rumors that he was about to be ousted as chairman in favor of Martin by a majority of his colleagues.

"It’s time," he said at a news conference this afternoon.

Garcia became chairman at the end of last year after Todd Apo resigned from the Council to go into private business full-time.

Martin is currently the chairman of the Budget Committee. The vice chairman will be Councilman Ikaika Anderson, currently the Zoning Committee chairman. 

Martin could not be reached immediately for comment.