CHICAGO CITY HALL (WBBM Newsradio) -- Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is airing out his concerns about an alternate budget that's now poised for final approval by City Council, but he said he has not decided what he'll do if it reaches his desk.
Aldermen in a second key committee late Wednesday night advanced part of the budget sponsored by a group of aldermen opposed to the mayor's signature plan to raise money for public safety programs by collecting a per-worker tax from Chicago's biggest employers.
City Council members are now set to begin final votes on the budget as soon as tomorrow, but the mayor's team has disputed the sponsors' assertion that it's balanced, saying their analysis shows a $163 million imbalance.
"We're working hard to find a responsible compromise," said the mayor after Thursday's City Council meeting, adding that he's not comfortable with the alternate budget's mechanisms for raising money: "I don't believe this budget should be balanced on increased fines and fees and siccing debt collectors after poor and working people."
At issue is the measure's increase in the city's plastic bag fee to 15 cents from ten, and a plan to sell off parking ticket and red light camera debt to collectors.
"Our teams are still at the table literally negotiating what some of those options could be," said the mayor.
One of the sponsors of that alternate budget told WBBM Newsradio that the mayor's team has offered to legalize more gambling as a revenue option.
Before the City Council meeting, alternate budget co-sponsor Samantha Nugent told reporters that the spending plan is better for the city than the mayor's "head tax" plan, which she and allies say will discourage businesses from expanding and re-locating here.
"It (the alternate budget) is not perfect, but it is without a doubt the most financially responsible option before us," said Ald. Nugent (39th Ward), surrounded by 14 colleagues during a brief statement at City Hall. "We look forward to finishing what we started, and securing the additional votes needed to pass this budget..
The mayor said he'll do everything in his power to avoid a shutdown, but would not commit to signing or vetoing the alternative plan if it reaches his desk.
"It really depends on what's in it," said the mayor. "We have to keep talking."
The city of Chicago must enact a budget by December 30 to avoid a potential government shutdown.