Mayor Brandon Johnson is fighting for his political life on two fronts. In February, he’ll face voters and up to 15 challengers in his bid for a second term on City Hall’s fifth floor. But before then, he’ll work to sway some of the stiff opposition among City Council members who successfully passed their own version of a budget last year. Johnson last week introduced his $17.6 billion budget proposal, which includes new spending on city services and hundreds of millions of dollars in borrowing to resolve police misconduct lawsuits — but avoids raising property taxes.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed spending plan for 2027 would increase CPD’s budget by approximately 6% to reach $2.24 billion, records show.

Members of the Chicago City Council’s Budget and Government Operations Committee kicked off weeks of budget hearings by giving Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed $17.6 billion spending plan a stony reception.

Mayor Brandon Johnson unveiled his proposed $17.6 billion 2027 spending plan Wednesday.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s resurrection of the so-called head tax — which was soundly rejected by the Chicago City Council a year ago — would impose a $25 per month per employee tax on all firms that have more than 125 employees, according to the proposal.

The total cost of defending and resolving 32 lawsuits naming Guevara, who has been repeatedly accused of falsifying police reports, framing suspects and coercing witnesses, is now $472.8 million, according to a WTTW News analysis.

The Chicago City Council failed by one vote Wednesday to override Mayor Brandon Johnson’s veto of a measure that would have required at least 30 alderpeople to approve any plan to borrow more money.

After a three-week trial, a Cook County jury determined that the fatal injuries suffered by Dominga Flores Gomez, who was survived by five children and eight grandchildren, were the fault of the driver who refused to stop for police, records show.

“Neighborhoods with the greatest infrastructure needs should not face additional barriers to securing essential public investment,” Mayor Brandon Johnson wrote in his official veto measure. “Delaying infrastructure projects can increase construction costs, worsen deterioration and ultimately cost taxpayers more.”

Drivers blocking bicycle and bus lanes racked up nearly $4.5 million in fines since November 2024, when an effort to use automated cameras to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians launched downtown, according to city data.

Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city would refinance bonds backed by the city’s sales tax revenues that are at least 10 years old to generate between $65 million and $71 million. But that refinancing generated just $36 million, officials said.

CPD has exceeded its annual overtime budget for the 10th straight year, despite repeated promises from Mayor Brandon Johnson to reign in police overtime spending, according to a database published by Inspector General David Glockner.

It has already cost Chicago taxpayers at least $206 million to defend and settle 16 lawsuits naming former Chicago Police Department Detective Reynaldo Guevara, records show.

Chicago taxpayers should pay more than $260.8 million to 17 men who spent more than 383 years in prison after they were coerced into confessing to crimes by a disgraced former Chicago police detective, city lawyers recommended.

Chicago’s finances have long been out of whack, pinched by soaring pension costs, spiraling personnel costs and a massive amount of debt.

The two long-in-the-works developments will get city subsidies totaling $57.6 million, including the first large chunk of funds from Mayor Brandon Johnson’s signature economic development effort.