With budget still stalled, Mayor Johnson and aldermen spending weekend seeking deal
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It's a working weekend for many members of the Chicago City Council, as aldermen continue negotiating with Mayor Brandon Johnson to try to hammer out a budget deal.
At a Christmas charity event on Saturday, several aldermen said the budget is still top of mind this weekend.
"Even though we're here at an event, a Christmas celebration that is an annual event, we also have a tough weekend. We are in discussions around the budget. We hope to get an agreement on Monday," said Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th), one of the mayor's closest allies.
The city has just over two weeks to approve a balanced budget plan for 2025, or face an unprecedented city government shutdown.
"It's a real possibility if we don't figure something out by December 31st, and there will be clearly people to blame for that. I won't be one of them, though," said Ald. Jason Ervin (28th), a mayoral ally who chairs the City Council Budget Committee. "You have a group of people in the City Council that's hell-bent on driving us over an edge."
On Friday, Johnson called off his effort to pass his revised budget plan before debate could begin, after failing to get enough support for his latest proposal, which relies on a property tax hike, other tax increases, and minimal cuts.
The mayor recessed the City Council meeting until Monday, prompting shouts from the gallery as the meeting came to an end before the traditional public comment period of the meeting.
Before that meeting gets back underway on Monday, the mayor and alders will spend the weekend discussing possible changes to the mayor's budget plan before bringing it up for a vote.
Facing a nearly $1 billion budget shortfall for next year, the mayor originally proposed a $300 million property tax hike, which was swiftly and unanimously rejected by the City Council. He has since whittled down his proposed property tax hike to $68.5 million, but it appears even that may be too high for most alders.
"We're still not there. We are still not there. There is more fat that can be trimmed, and in some cases these are going to be painful cuts," said Ald. Matt O'Shea, one of many alders who have been urging the mayor to cut spending rather than relying on tax hikes.
As it stands, the mayor's current budget plan includes:
- A $68.5 million property tax increase.
- A $128.1 million from increase on the city's tax on cloud computing services.
- A $12.9 million tax increase on streaming and cable TV services.
- A $11.3 million increase in the tax on parking garages and valet parking services.
- An $8.1 million increase in the congestion surcharge on ride-hailing trips that start or end downtown.
- A $5.2 million increase on the tax on checkout bags from 7 cents to 10 cents per bag.
- $11.4 million in additional revenue from new speed cameras.
- $3.1 million in cuts from the Department of Fleet and Facilities Management.
- $13.1 million in cuts from the city's general finance fund by reducing the amount going to pay down existing debt.
- $74 million in cuts from federal COVID-19 relief funds the mayor had planned to use to finance a guaranteed basic income program and small business assistance programs.
Some of Johnson's opponents have proposed deeper spending cuts, including reduced funding to some of the mayor's key programs, like his youth jobs initiative.
Another alternative that appears to have the backing of both progressive alders and some of the council's more conservative members is eliminating some of the nearly 1,000 vacant positions at the Chicago Police Department.
The more conservative alders insist any vacant positions eliminated at CPD should be either civilian positions, not uniformed officers, or positions that the city cannot fill in 2025 regardless.
Johnson has vowed to listen to all incoming suggestions. The mayor wants to try for another vote on Monday, although some alders have said that's too soon to vote on any changes the mayor might make to his budget plan this weekend.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Gov. JB Pritzker said he isn't worried.
"I've talked to a number of aldermen, just because I run into them places, and their reaction is, 'We can get this done. It's hard.' They all will tell you it's hard, but they can get it done, and so I have faith that they will," he said.
The mayor and City Council have until Dec. 31 to approve a balanced budget plan, or face a city government shutdown in the new year.
