Mayor Emanuel's 2018 Budget: Spending On Safety
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Bigger phone bills and more expensive theater tickets are both part of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's new plan to pay for his 2018 budget.
Emanuel visited the Englewood Police Department Monday to shine a light not only on increased police resources, but also on increased results, touting 130 fewer shootings in the neighborhood than last year.
"In the last eight days, not a single shooting in this district, not one!"
In 2018, the mayor plans to spend even more on safety:
- $27 million on CPD police reform for enhanced training and community policing
- $5 million on new hiring
- $100 million on police overtime -- up $20 million from this year -- with heightened oversight, after revelations about abuse
"We are monitoring our budgeting of overtime," said CPD's First Deputy Kevin Navarro. "We're putting in swiping within the next month -- that'll be a process that starts out at headquarters, and we are monitoring our spending very closely right now."
Another safety item: $80 million for school security, which is money Chicago Public Schools then won't have to spend.
"Shifting it back over to the city, this is going to free up money for CPS to put into the classroom," said Bobby Otter, Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.
But some taxes and fees will go up, including a nine percent amusement tax -- up from 5 percent -- on music and theater in big venues. This hike is supposed to raise nearly $16 million. The 911 tax will also get a boost to $5 per month -- up from $3.90 -- to produce $140 million.
"After the property tax increase, we're seeing less nickel and diming because so much of that revenue that the city needed to help pay for the pensions is coming in through the property tax increases," Otter said.
In regards to the issue of public safety, Mayor Emanuel also noted 82 new Chicago Police officers hit the streets Monday, which is part of a steady stream on the way. Around 100 new cops will be sworn in every month from now until April -- 700 cops overall. This is part of the plan to hire nearly 1,000 new officers by the end of 2018.