Debate over Chicago’s next budget continues as the most recent proposal narrowly passed the City Council’s budget committee, NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern reports.
The Chicago City Council took a key first step toward approving a 2025 budget on Tuesday, with multiple committees passing the proposal by narrow margins.
The Finance Committee was first to act on Tuesday, approving the proposed budget by a margin of 14-to-12. The Budget Committee then did the same in an even narrower vote, approving it 17-to-16.
The approvals now send the measure to the full City Council for a vote on Friday, just weeks before the budget is set to go into effect.
The proposed budget is the third version that has been put before lawmakers. It still includes a pared-down property tax hike, while also raising taxes on several other items.
Overall, the budget contains $234 million in tax increases, including the $68.5 million property tax hike. According to city officials, the hike would raise property taxes on a home worth $450,000 by an estimated $136.
Despite being pared down significantly, the budget did not gain the approving votes of several key members of the City Council, including Ald. Bill Conway.
“We can’t balance this budget just by asking working families and taxpayers to pay more while we in the city aren’t doing anything to make city government more efficient,” he said.
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Among other changes, the city’s tax on plastic grocery bags would increase from seven cents to 10 cents, according to the proposal. There would also be additional taxes levied on streaming services like Netflix and Hulu, along with increased tax rates to park in downtown garages.
While Ald. Walter Burnett says there is no guarantee that the proposed budget will pass, he said they are making progress toward striking a deal.
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“I think we’re getting close,” he said. “I wouldn’t say we have (26 votes) however. Nothing is guaranteed.”
Several aldermen expressed frustration in the negotiating process, saying that Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration has been too eager to add sweeteners for lawmakers to approve the budget.
“There are false promises about projects and different things going around,” Ald. Anthony Beale said. “The administration is promising people the sun and the moon for their vote.”
