Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has shifted course on how to close a $1 billion budget gap, trying to strike a conciliatory tone while also blasting critics amid the tough fight.
Johnson confirmed Tuesday that he’ll halve his original proposal for a $300 million property tax hike, instead coupling a $150 million hike with other tax increases to help close the budget deficit.
The mayor defended his negotiating tactics amid the ongoing battle.
“I know I’m gonna upset my folks in my comms team, but some of the steps and measures that are being taken, there are some individuals that are having tantrums right now,” he said. “It’s time to grow up. People in Chicago don’t have time for that.”
Johnson has repeatedly called himself the “collaborator-in-chief” during budget negotiations, but City Council members are disputing the mayor’s characterization of his approach.
“I could not say it felt like collaboration,” Ald. Andres Vasquez said. “I know I can say that because half of the things we learn, we learn from the press.”
One of Johnson’s aides told media that they believed the mayor had 26 votes to pass a newly proposed budget, which includes the $150 million property tax hike. The deal also included $128 million in funds raised through a personal property tax lease on cloud computing, and $10 million via hiked fees on streaming services like Netflix and others.
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Johnson walked that statement back on Tuesday, saying they “are still in the process of negotiating” the budget, but Ald. Bill Conway also pushed back on the idea that there is a consensus developing.
“I know I read that somehow 26 members of this body are somehow in favor of that, but it’s notable that I can’t name one of them,” he said.
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Even Johnson’s allies are expressing caution about the negotiations.
“There needs to be more discussions,” Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said. “What is not an option is operating without a budget. I do think we have a responsibility to get to a budget agreement.”
