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
Acclaimed poet and activist Nikki Giovanni dies at 81

Renowned poet and activist Nikki Giovanni passes away at 81

Renowned poet, activist, author and professor Nikki Giovanni has died. She was…
Beyonce's mother Tina Knowles makes shocking social media move as Jay-Z is accused of raping girl, 13, with Diddy

Tina Knowles takes bold social media stance amidst accusations against Jay-Z and Diddy for alleged assault

Beyonce’s mother Tina Knowles liked an Instagram post reporting that son-in-law Jay-Z was…
Luigi Mangione's disturbing claim about cruel way his mother made him eat

Luigi Mangione reveals unsettling account of how his mother forced him to eat

Luigi Mangione once claimed his mother made him eat steak with his…
New Jersey Governor Seeks Federal Help for Mystery Drones

“New Jersey Governor Calls for Federal Assistance Regarding Mystery Drones”

All those large, enigmatic drones are still hovering in the skies above…
Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian chemical weapons depot so 'they will not fall into the hands of extremists' after the collapse of Assad's regime

Israel Strikes Syrian Chemical Weapons Depot to Prevent Extremists from Gaining Access

Israel’s foreign minister said Israeli warplanes struck suspected chemical weapons facilities in…
Jordan Neely’s father blames racism and ‘system’ for son’s death — but where was he? | Reporter Replay

Father of Jordan Neely attributes son’s death to racism and systemic issues – but where was he during the incident? | Recap by Reporter

The title of the article is “Jordan Neely’s father blames racism and…
State Rep. Barbara Hernandez's staffer sickened, hospitalized after opening mail at Aurora, Illinois office at at Benton and Stolp

Illinois State Representative Barbara Hernandez’s employee falls ill and is hospitalized after handling mail at Aurora office on Benton and Stolp Streets

AURORA, Ill. (WLS) — The Aurora building housing State Rep. Barbara Hernandez’s…
The London parents who changed forever when their daughter married into evil: Assad's in-laws lost all their friends, became 'stuck up' and flaunted their wealth in Acton, say their neighbours

Neighbours in Acton claim that the in-laws of Assad, who took a dark turn after their daughter’s marriage, have isolated themselves, displayed arrogance, and boasted about their riches.

Neighbors used to have friendly conversations with Bashar Al Assad’s father-in-law before…
Donald Trump's hush money conviction should stand, Manhattan DA argues

Manhattan DA insists on upholding Donald Trump’s conviction for hush money.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argued in a court filing unsealed Tuesday…
Google's 'mind-boggling' quantum chip can perform 'impossible' tasks in five minutes that take the fastest supercomputers 10 SEPTILLION years to complete

Google’s Quantum Chip Solves Impossible Tasks in 5 Minutes, Faster Than Supercomputers

Google has taken a major step towards creating a quantum computer, after unveiling…
Donald Trump Jr. is seen flaunting his romance with socialite Bettina Anderson in Palm Beach...with no sign of fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle

Donald Trump Jr. is spotted showing off his relationship with socialite Bettina Anderson in Palm Beach, with no sight of his fiancée Kimberly Guilfoyle.

Donald Trump Jr. and his new partner Bettina Anderson were seen enjoying…
Luigi Mangione is heir to holiday resort fortune created by his grandparents and has sister who's top doctor

Luigi Mangione Inherits Family Holiday Resort Business from Grandparents, and His Sister is a Prominent Doctor

The individual believed to have murdered Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthCare,…