(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago City Council has approved Mayor Lightfoot's $16.4 billion budget by a 32-18 vote as she continues her bid for re-lection.
In the spending plan, Lightfoot cut in half a property tax increase tied to the rate of inflation, then eliminated that $42.7 million increase altogether in hope that it would pave the way for the easiest budget vote of a four-year term marred by the pandemic and civil unrest.
But opposition to the mayor's budget goes deeper than mayoral politics.
Downtown Alderpersons Brian Hopkins (2nd) and Brendan Reilly (42nd) and Far Southwest Side Ald. Matt O'Shea (19th) firmly believe that with violent crime foremost on voters' minds, Lightfoot's budget does not do nearly enough to hire new police officers and stop the mass exodus of veteran officers — 949 retirements through Sept. 30 this year.
In the run-up to the budget vote, Lightfoot went on the offensive against all three alderpersons. She accused them of attempting to have it both ways — supporting law enforcement and the crackdown against violent crime but opposing a budget that includes "a lot of additional supports to strengthen the effectiveness" of law enforcement.
"Those of you who voted 'yes' reaffirmed our responsibilities as fiduciaries of the public trust," the mayor said.
Contributing: Sun-Times Media Wire
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