Mayor Brandon Johnson is trying to close $1 billion budget shortfall, with $60M property tax hike floated

Residents of Chicago are blasting Mayor Brandon Johnson over the city spending more than half a billion dollars on sheltering migrants, with one telling the Democrat to his face during a City Council meeting that he’s the “worst mayor in America.” 

The criticism surrounding Johnson and Chicago’s New Arrivals Mission – which so far has cost the city $574.5 million since its inception in August 2022 – comes as the mayor is trying to overcome a $1 billion budget shortfall by the end of the year. The City Council held a meeting Monday during which residents voiced their opposition to an approximately $60 million property tax increase floated as one way to help close the gap. 

This is on top of a CPS Budget Short Fall! This year’s $8.4 billion operating budget for Chicago Public Schools included what was left of the district’s covid allocation, $233 million. Heading into this school year, the district faced a deficit of $500 million, and it anticipates another half-billion-dollar deficit next year. Oct 21, 2024

Plus a State Budget Short Fall! Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, said. The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget released a report on Nov. 1 projecting the state will face a $3.2 billion deficit for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1.Nov 13, 2024

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