(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Mayor Brandon Johnson is vowing to work with City Council members who are dead set on lowering or eliminating the property tax increase he has proposed.
A majority of Chicago City Council members have already set a special meeting this week intended to vote down the levy for the Mayor’s proposed $300 million property tax hike. And they have extended budget hearings into December to allow for making changes to the plan.
Mayor Johnson was asked if he’s ready to make changes, given the pushback.
“Well, I don't necessarily consider it as pushback. I'll say it like this. So as a public school teacher, sometimes we do things to get people's attention. And so now that we have the attention of everyone, I've said from the very beginning, this is a proposal,” Johnson said.
“I'm a collaborative mayor. For the first time in the history of Chicago, you're actually seeing that type of collaborative approach.”
And the Mayor repeatedly called himself the collaborator-in-chief though some aldermen say he wasn’t willing to listen to their ideas before now.
He refused to say which alternative ideas he has heard could get his support. But he’s adamant about what he won’t do – lay people off.
Johnson also spoke of longer term solutions.
“There are progressive revenue ideas that we have to collectively fight for in Springfield. Everyone knows that the city of Chicago has been very vocal and out loud about the fiscal challenges that we are experiencing, but this is not confined to the city of Chicago.
“Ultimately, whatever we do in this moment has to include a collective effort as a state.”
However, voters previously turned down proposals for a graduated income tax that Gov. JB Pritzker backed.
By law, Chicago must have a balanced budget by year's end.
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