Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson budget team now pushing $60M property tax hike in effort to pass agreement before end of 2024

CHICAGO (WLS) — Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget team is pushing a drastically reduced property tax hike in hopes it might get enough votes to get a budget passed before the end of the year.

The latest number is approximately $60 million.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

Negotiations have also now eliminated another proposed tax hike that drew a lot of push back.

As the chill of December sets in, many Council members are still not warming up to the idea of a property tax hike of any kind.

“Residents are already squeezed enough, and they cannot afford another property tax,” 23rd Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares said.

The mayor’s $300 million property tax hike was voted down 50-to-0, but the latest working plan has cut that down to just $60 million. That’s about the amount it would go up if the mayor took the automatic increase tied to inflation.

“Well, the fact that we started at 300, and we went to 150. Now, we’re maybe talking about 60 is extremely troubling to me. Because, number one, it appears that, you know, we should have started at 60,” 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale said.

The mayor would not talk specifics, saying he won’t negotiate in the media.

But, he made it clear he was dead-set against cuts.

RELATED: Council members propose budget cuts in letter to Chicago mayor to avoid avoid property tax hike

“The people of Chicago say a lot of things to me, but they never say, ‘Mayor Johnson, could you just cut these services? Mayor Johnson can you just lay off more people?” Johnson said.

One alder is proposing the Council be updated on budget data quarterly to avoid the end-of-year scramble now underway.

“Because, if we’re just shooting from the hip at the end of the year, we might find out next year the projections are wildly off, and see a bigger problem,” 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said.

One proposed revenue source that is off the table now is the increase in the liquor tax, which drew strong opposition from the restaurant industry.

The mayor’s Budget Committee chair predicts some form of property tax increase will eventually pass.

“I think that ultimately we have to fund government at a level that people expect for the services to be continued,” Ald. Jason Ervin said.

For now, the negotiations continue behind the scenes.

“We’re in the midst of negotiations with alders. We’re in the midst of hearing their ideas; we’re in the midst of running numbers based on what they’re asking us,” Budget Director Annette Guzman said.

Johnson said he’s committed to presenting a balanced budget by the end of the year, as required by law, but he stopped short of predicting one would be passed by the City Council to avoid a government shutdown.

Copyright © 2024 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You May Also Like
What Movie Should I Watch Tonight? ‘Interstellar’ on Paramount+

Which Film to Watch Tonight: ‘Interstellar’ on Paramount+

As we near the end of the year, the big movies at…
‘The Wheel of Time’ Season 3 Trailer Ominously Promises That Rand Can Only Live if Moiraine Dies

Season 3 Trailer of ‘The Wheel of Time’ Hints at a Dark Fate for Rand, Suggesting Moiraine’s Sacrifice is His Only Hope for Survival.

Exciting news for fans of The Wheel of Time! The highly-anticipated Season…
Elon Musk spent over $270 million to help re-elect Trump, here's what he spent it on

Elon Musk used more than $270 million to support Trump’s re-election campaign – Discover where the money went

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, invested more than $250…
A Sad Tim Walz is ‘Surprised’ He and Kamala Lost, Blames America for Rejecting Their ‘Positive Message’

Tim Walz expresses disappointment and shock over his and Kamala’s loss, attributing it to America rejecting their optimistic message.

Suffice it to say there is no joy in Walzville. Mighty Kamala,…
Flood leaves Animal House Shelter in Huntley, Illinois with tens of thousands of dollars in damage

Animal House Shelter in Huntley, Illinois suffers significant financial losses due to flooding

HUNTLEY, Ill. (WLS) — A burst pipe is leaving a Huntley animal…
Historic mansion goes up in flames in mysterious fire... as records shed light on owner's debts

An old mansion catches fire unexpectedly, revealing the owner’s financial struggles

A historic Maine home mysteriously caught fire earlier this week, destroying the…
America's top internet sleuths reveal why they're REFUSING to help cops find UnitedHealthcare boss' assassin

“Internet Detectives in America Refuse to Aid Police in Finding the Assassin of UnitedHealthcare CEO”

America’s top internet sleuths have refused to help law enforcement officials track…
‘Silo’ Season 2 Episode 4 Recap: Take the Physical Challenge

Recap of Season 2, Episode 4 of ‘Silo’: Get Ready for a Physical Challenge

Juliette Nichols is an engineer whose work is crucial for the show.…
Top lawyer tears into Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg for trying to 'strong-arm' Daniel Penny jury with bombshell court move

Prominent attorney criticizes Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s attempt to influence Daniel Penny jury with surprising legal tactic

A prominent attorney has criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for his…
The new Kate Middleton: Body language expert reveals the two signs that show how the Princess of Wales has changed after year from hell - and why she's now echoing Princess Diana

“Body Language Expert Identifies Two Signs of Transformation in Kate Middleton Since Facing Challenges, Drawing Parallel with Princess Diana”

Kate Middleton was far more ‘animated’ and ‘less guarded’ as she attended her…
NFL ends review of sexual assault allegations levied against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson in sexual assault case

NFL closes investigation into sexual assault accusations against Deshaun Watson, the Cleveland Browns quarterback, in sexual assault lawsuit.

The NFL has concluded its investigation into the sexual assault accusations made…
‘Outlander’ Stars Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin Won’t Reveal if the Lallybroch Renovations Will Ever Be Finished: “Don’t Get Me Started” 

‘Outlander’ Cast Members Sophie Skelton and Richard Rankin Keep Mum on Completion of Lallybroch Renovations: “I’d Rather Not Talk About It”

The latest episode of Outlander, Season 7 Episode 11 “A Hundredweight of…