CHICAGO URBAN DAILY
CHICAGO (CHICAGO URBAN DAILY)—The fight over Chicago’s budget is on, and City Hall is drawing lines in the sand.
A 29-member Budget Accountability Coalition sent Mayor Brandon Johnson a letter Monday laying down three non-negotiables for the fiscal year 2027 budget: no property tax increase, no corporate head tax or any levy on job growth, and no counting on money from Springfield that hasn’t been approved.
The city faces a projected $882.4 million shortfall — down from the roughly $1.2 billion gap last year, but still one of the largest deficits in Chicago’s recent history. Johnson has said he’ll pursue “progressive” revenue options to protect essential services, but the coalition is demanding real, recurring savings first — and it wants the city to collect debts and revenue already owed before raising a single tax.
The clash spilled onto the council floor Tuesday, when aldermen voted 32-15 to raise the threshold for approving new borrowing from 26 votes to 30 — a move aimed at curbing one-time debt fixes. It fell three votes short of the 34 needed to survive a mayoral veto.
Johnson must present his budget proposal by mid-October, with a December 30 adoption deadline — and a February mayoral election adding pressure to every move.
Stay tuned to Chicago Urban Daily as the budget battle heats up at City Hall.
Reported by Chicago Urban Daily News. Visit chicagourbandailynews.com for updates.
