Johnson open to budget hard lines, rules out property tax increase
(The Center Square) – In an opening move toward budget negotiations in Chicago, a coalition of aldermen have sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson calling on him to exclude multiple potential measures that could directly raise taxes in the city.
The Chicago City Council’s “Budget Accountability Coalition,” a group of 29 aldermen, sent a letter to Johnson Monday setting ground rules for working with the mayor’s office in adjusting and passing the 2027 fiscal year budget..
The coalition’s letter listed “no property tax increases,” “No head tax, and no tax on job growth,” and “No reliance on Springfield revenues that have not been approved,” as their key lines in the sand for the coming budget.
The budget, as noted by the coalition, has a projected $882.4 million deficit. The deficit is lower than previous projections, but is still something both the administration and council will seek to address.
Johnson responded to the letter publicly, saying he welcomes engagement in the talks that are done “in good faith,” and he would like to see not only what they don’t want, but also “concrete solutions.”
Johnson attempted to pass a corporate head tax in the previous year’s budget, which was blocked by the council. He didn’t count the proposal taxing corporations more out at a news conference Tuesday.
“I’m going to present my budget in a couple of weeks and we’re going to have ongoing conversations with members of city council around again, what’s the surest pathway forward to provide the structural investments that are good for working people,” Johnson said.
In both his letter and at the news conference, Johnson said he inherited the deficit and difficult financial obligations, but said he wants to address the situation.
“Are we moving in the right direction? Yes. Do we have more work to do? Absolutely. Did we inherit an incredible mess? Oh, my gosh. Absolutely, we did.But yet somehow we’re managing to pull ourselves out of this weight,” Johnson said.
He made a point Tuesday that both the group and his office agree that the city shouldn’t have a budget that counts on revenue that isn’t guaranteed.
“I at least believe that there’s agreement that city council is not going to propose fake revenue sources. Because we know how irresponsible and reckless that is. And so I think it’s incumbent upon all of us to make sure that whatever proposals that we’re putting forward, that it’s not harming working people,” Johnson said.
While Johnson heavily focused on passing progressive revenue proposals during his discussion of the budget, he said he wouldn’t raise property taxes on city residents.
The mayor is expected to release his proposed budget mid-October, with negotiations to follow.
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