Mayor Johnson fails to secure votes for critical city budget

In Chicago, on December 12, 2024, Mayor Brandon Johnson decided to cancel the scheduled city budget vote that was supposed to take place on Friday. This action came after it became evident that he did not have enough votes from the City Council to pass the proposed budget. The dramatic decision followed a meeting marked by significant disagreement among aldermen, with reports of heated exchanges and yelling among council members. The council meeting was temporarily recessed after order was restored, highlighting the contentious atmosphere surrounding the budget discussions. Johnson's proposed budget included a $300 million property tax hike, which he later reduced to $68.5 million. However, this reduction still faced opposition. Many aldermen expressed concerns about the necessity of job cuts and overall reductions in city department budgets before agreeing to any tax increases. As part of his budget strategy, Johnson planned to implement additional tax increases on cable and streaming services, which could generate approximately $13 million, along with a heightened city garage tax aimed at raising around $11 million. He also proposed a new ride-hailing tax projected to bring in $8.1 million and an increase in the checkout bag tax expected to generate slightly over $5 million. Despite the disagreement among the aldermen, there appeared to be a consensus that the city would not reach a point where it would miss the December 31 deadline to finalize the budget. The city is legally required to have a budget in place by the end of the year to avoid a potential shutdown, a scenario that most city officials are keen to avoid. With time running short, both Johnson and the City Council must navigate through the unresolved issues, which include balancing financial necessities with the political realities facing the vote. As of this reporting, the next session of the City Council is scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m., giving Johnson and council members a window to come to an agreement. The mayor is still advocating for a budget that does not include job cuts while pushing for higher taxes, suggesting a challenging negotiation ahead as they work to reach a consensus before the fiscal deadline.