CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - Chicago aldermen will have to wait until at least Monday to cast a vote on a budget for next year after a scheduled vote Friday morning was put off again by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
It's the latest delay in an effort to pass a balanced budget, which the City must do in 18 days.
Johnson quickly recessed the scheduled City Council meeting because it was clear he didn’t have the votes to approve the budget. Bringing the property tax increase down from $300 million to $68.5 million helped, but his spending plans and some behind the scenes deals soured some other council members.
North Side Alderwoman Maria Hadden feels the administration has mishandled the protracted process, and she’s an ally, a definite “yes” vote on the budget.
“We’re sitting down here wasting everybody’s time because the fifth floor can’t get relationships together,” Hadden said. “We’ve got enough people to pass a budget without them…But, I can’t do it, the chair of Latino Caucus can’t do it. As much as we might be leaders in council, we’re not the mayor, we’re not the fifth floor.”
Fifteen aldermen, including downtown Alder Brendan Reilly, said after the recess that residents don’t want a $68 million property tax hike when the City won’t cut spending.
“The mayor’s insistence on spending $50 million on expanding existing programs as if we’re flush with money is totally irresponsible. That right there alone is two-thirds of the property tax increase he wants to raise on Chicago taxpayers. So, that needs to go,” Reily said.
But, Mayor Johnson told reporters he and others are holding strong on expanding need affordable housing and youth jobs.
“Yes, we’re holding firm on job opportunities because we know the best way to deliver a better, stronger, safer Chicago is when people have W2s,” the mayor said.
There could be some agreement though on eliminating some police department jobs that are currently vacant.
The aldermen, the mayor and his team will be working through the weekend, and there’s still significant distance between them.
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