CHICAGO (WLS) — With two weeks left until Mayor Brandon Johnson presents his budget, fiscal watchdog groups on Wednesday laid out a series of options and recommendations, especially raising property taxes as much as possible. asked to avoid it.
The city faces a nearly $1 billion budget deficit that will require a combination of cuts and increases, leaving the mayor and City Council with a number of difficult choices.
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Citizens United urged Johnson to balance the budget without raising property taxes.
“Right now, we’re in the middle of a triennial reassessment at a time when commercial real estate values are depressed, which means residential property taxes will go up as a result.” President Joe Ferguson said. Citizens United.
Ferguson said the city shouldn’t burden homeowners any more because Chicago Public Schools will likely ask for higher property taxes to help the city’s financial crisis.
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But Johnson suggested in an interview with ABC7’s Marc Rivera today that property tax increases may be necessary.
“But this much is certain: We must ensure that the services that Chicagoans have relied on are maintained at all costs,” the mayor said.
The Citizens League has proposed a number of other revenue options, including increasing the city’s liquor tax, implementing a 1% tax on groceries, adding video games, or increasing garbage collection fees, as proposed by Mayor Budget Chairman Ald. did. Jason Irvin is a non-starter.
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“The garbage tax is imposed on women on fixed incomes in the same way as it is on millionaires. I don’t think it necessarily should be,” Irvin said.
But the Civic League report first focuses on recommendations for how the city can cut costs before increasing revenue. This includes considering furloughs and eliminating vacancies, which are currently estimated at more than 2,500 people.
“56 We have vacancies, even though we don’t fill them year after year. The question arises, why are they there? Yes, reducing vacancies actually “This tends to involve the use of political capital, and mayors seem reluctant to “need to spend it,” Ferguson said.
“We don’t want to cut jobs or layoffs,” Johnson said.
Ferguson hopes the report will provide a roadmap for the city council, as well as the mayor who prepares the budget, and will keep the city council well-informed before voting.
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