CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Mayor Lori Lightfoot continues to make changes to her budget proposal, as she hopes to win over supporters on the City Council.
Proposals from alderman about possible new revenue sources, such as a tax on logistics operations at big companies, as well as allowing video gaming terminals were sent off to a committee where many ideas die.
Mayor Lightfoot said she didn’t have time to review the new tax and worries that expanding gaming ahead of a much delayed Chicago casino comes at a fragile time for the industry.
"They are very reluctant to go into a market where there is already some form of gaming, and that is my concern about VGTs in this time," she said.
But she has found $10 million to reallocate towards anti-violence efforts, boosting that to $36 million in next year’s budget.
Lightfoot said she’ll also increasing funding to hire enough mental health workers so they can join police officers on 911 calls for people in distress day and night.
"Police cannot, and should not, be the first and only responders on every call for help from our residents, and we will continue to look at ways in which we can involve others in being on the front lines and responding to the needs of residents."
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The non-partisan Civic Federation is among those questioning the budget's use of “scoop and toss” short term debt relief and escalating pension costs in 2022.
The Mayor said there are no easy decisions in the budget.
"There are zero easy choices here. None," she said.