Politics
Mayor Brandon Johnson Defends Handling of Negotiations Over 2025 Budget
Mayor Brandon Johnson defended his handling of the negotiations over the city’s 2025 spending plan on Monday, while acknowledging growing concerns that time is running short to nail down an agreement that can win the support of the Chicago City Council.
“I get the noise around my administration,” Johnson said. “I’m doing it differently, and I know it feels a certain way, but I’m doing it better. I am. We’ll have a balanced budget that invests in people.”
Johnson once again referred to himself as the “collaborator in chief” eager to work with all 50 alderpeople to craft a spending plan set to top $17.3 billion.
But the mayor also appeared to shift tactics, telling reporters that he will no longer discuss specific budget proposals in public until they are nailed down. Less than two weeks ago, Johnson told reporters that he had revised his budget proposal to rely on a property tax hike of $150 million.
“Once something is actually in a real proposal form, that is my preference for how I deliver information,” Johnson said. “Because the moment you start to move and float different possibilities without something actually being in writing, that causes that much more confusion to the people of this city.”
Johnson also muted his criticism of alderpeople after telling them before Thanksgiving to “grow up” and stop throwing “tantrums.” On Monday, Johnson merely urged the City Council to do its job and pass a budget.
The consensus among most members of the City Council is that the final budget will include a mix of tax hikes, including a property tax hike tied to a jump in the cost of living and an increase in the tax levied on software licenses, cloud services and other digital goods.
However, a proposal to hike alcohol taxes to generate $10.6 million is deeply unpopular, and Budget Committee Chair Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward) told reporters it would be removed from the final spending plan.
Cuts will have to be part of any deal that wins at least 26 votes, several alderpeople told WTTW News.
Johnson acknowledged that several alderpeople want to scrap plans to use $32 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to restart the effort that sent $500 per month to Chicagoans living below the federal poverty line as part of a basic income program, records show.
An initial round of funding successfully helped Chicagoans pay off bills, find steady employment and spend more time with their families, according to a study.
Under rules established by the federal government, Chicago officials have until 2026 to spend all of the federal funds the city got to repair the damage caused by the pandemic. Johnson promised to use those funds to invest in communities where residents are suffering as a result of decades of disinvestment.
However, the money must be budgeted by the end of this year, which means this is the last chance for Johnson and the City Council to finalize how the remaining funds should be used.
Johnson told reporters that he does not want to see that program cut, and urged Chicagoans to reach out to their representative on the City Council if they want to see the program survive.
“Call your alderman,” Johnson said. “Tell them you don’t want that cut.”
Contact Heather Cherone: @HeatherCherone | (773) 569-1863 | [email protected]
