CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - The stalemate continues at Chicago City Hall over passing a budget for 2025, with a deadline of Dec. 31 looming.
Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson says without a balanced budget, things will have to be shut down because there will not be money to pay for it.
“How long before we get to that gradual shutdown?” Ferguson asks. “[It’s] anybody’s guess because we would need to know how much money is in reserve and how much money we are otherwise holding or have coming in will cover things for a while.”
Ferguson says the City does have a rainy day fund that would keep things afloat for a few weeks, but not much longer than that.
He says even if some city services are shut down, there is virtually no way the Chicago Police and Fire Departments would not be funded.
“There would be a prioritization out of the mayor’s office as to what is absolutely critical, but there’s no if ands or buts about the fact that public safety- police and fire- would have to be at the top of the critical priority list," Ferguson says.
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