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* Earlier yesterday, Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at an organized labor event alongside several Democratic state legislators. He turned on them later. From a Tribune city hall reporter…
At South Side People’s Budget Townhall, Mayor asks audience to lobby Springfield to give home rule authority on taxes: “If they're not going to be bold enough to go after the ultra-rich, then they need to give us the authority in Chicago to do it, because we are bold enough” pic.twitter.com/WY5880ZLmI
— Alice Yin (@byaliceyin) August 27, 2025
The legislators who were with him earlier yesterday are all in favor of progressive revenue. But then he threw them under the bus with everyone else? Between the Johnson folks and the Eastern Bloc, I’m really not sure who’s the more tiresome Illinois bashers.
* More from Alice’s thread…
Johnson ally Ald. Will Hall goes after Gov over new prison construction: “Every representative that supported this Pritzker pipeline project got away with it, but yet we decided to attack those who were fighting to make sure that our kids got the best and got their fair share.” […]
Johnson asked why the need for a $200M CPS loan: “Here’s the issue with our public schools. We’re not being properly funded by the state of IL. Now there are individuals who want to make this about city council, the mayors office.”
Johnson on CPS: “If anyone is trying to make us feel bad for what we’re owed, something is wrong with them not us. … People believe that bc we’ve been rejected and damaged for so long, that they can just keep doing it to us.”
* Fox 32 was also there…
“Budgets, historically, have been balanced on the backs of Black, Brown, and working people in Chicago, and it is time as a city that we reject that form of budgeting and that we get to pursue what I believe is more a righteous budget,” Johnson said. “We have to make sure the that the 127,000 millionaires in Chicago, the [300 hundred-millionaires], as well as the 25 billionaires and these large corporations who get tax breaks from the State of Illinois, that they have to put more skin in the game.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 8:44 am
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Nothing he is getting at here is controversial. How is saying the legislature should pursue something attacking those specific members?
Something does really need to give here, and giving Chicago more taxation authority seems reasonable if the state is going to sit on its hands.
Comment by dsa darling Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 8:51 am
Perhaps Johnson was impolitic, but he’s not wrong on the merits. And giving the city home rule on taxing would certainly undercut the someone-else-should-pay argument.
Comment by Quibbler Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 8:51 am
Who is the head of the city’s IGA team these days?
Comment by low level Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:07 am
Those of us, downstate, watch this with fascination.
A liberal suburban friend, who offices in Chicago and is retiring soon, has decided against moving to a downtown condo….even though that had been their plan.
The uncertainty of where Chicago is going to grab more revenue makes them feel like a high value target would they have located there.
Comment by Downstate Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:08 am
- giving Chicago more taxation authority seems reasonable if the state is going to sit on its hands. -
You must have missed Pritzker’s push to amend the state constitution. It was a flawed effort, but he hardly sat on his hands.
And since you have all the answers, Chicago has extremely low property taxes compared to the rest of the state. I’m no fan of property taxes as a school funding source, but if the mayor isn’t willing to even put that on the table it’s no wonder the legislature isn’t jumping in to do all the heavy lifting for him.
Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:34 am
== give us the authority in Chicago to do it ==
The legislature should call his bluff and give Chicago the right to raise taxes, but require it to be approved by the voters through referendum — just like school districts that want to levy above the cap. The “Brandon Tax” would lose by a laughable margin.
Comment by Franklin Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:36 am
=Johnson ally Ald. Will Hall goes after Gov over new prison construction: “Every representative that supported this Pritzker pipeline project got away with it=
Um, weren’t most of those downstate prisons built under Governor Thompson 40-ish years ago?
Comment by Leatherneck Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:42 am
== You must have missed Pritzker’s push to amend the state constitution. ==
The FairTax amendment would have allowed a graduated income tax to be imposed at the state level. It had nothing to do with home rule taxing authority for municipalities like Chicago.
Comment by Quibbler Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:43 am
==If anyone is trying to make us feel bad for what we’re owed, something is wrong with them not us==
The “owed” thing continues to be such a strange thing to claim over and over. Did they test that word or something? They say it like they did.
The victim narrative is just not aligned with reality. It’s tiresome and it’s a shame.
Comment by Who else Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:44 am
=giving Chicago more taxation authority seems reasonable if the state is going to sit on its hands.=
Why? They have the same taxation authority and avenues available to every other municipality. They choose not to persue them. That doesn’t make it a legislative problem.
The mayor is like a child that thinks if he just keeps screaming he’ll finally get his way. He should have known the realities of the job before he took it. Crying “it’s not fair” won’t change a thing.
Comment by Pundent Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:51 am
“ I’m no fan of property taxes as a school funding source, but if the mayor isn’t willing to even put that on the table…”
FWIW Excitable Boy Mayor Johnson DID put property tax increase on the table 10 months ago. The proposal went down unanimously in Council. That probably unprecedented City Council defeat was pretty well covered last November.
https://www.wbez.org/politics/2024/11/14/chicago-city-council-unanimously-rejects-mayor-brandon-johnsons-proposed-300-million-property-tax-hike
Comment by ChicagoBars Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:51 am
The problem with taxing the rich is that they have lawyers and lobbyists. They always come for who’s left then. And, sadly, that’s us.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:55 am
From what I understand, that’s a wealth measure that excludes real estate but includes retirement savings. It certainly isn’t an income stat. A follow up question would be whether people who cite the stat are making an argument to tax pensions, 401k withdrawals, IRA distributions, social security income etc.
Comment by 127,000 millionaires? Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:55 am
Interesting sign hanging behind the Mayor: “Redirect $$$ from Police Vacancies.”
Perhaps giving Trump an excuse to send in the National Guard?
Amateurs.
Comment by Louis G Atsaves Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:55 am
The bashing will continue until the situation improves.
Both camps speak some truth.
Comment by 40,000 ft Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 9:59 am
“I’m bold because I’m saying I’m bold. Therefore I’m bold.”
Comment by Friendly Bob Adams Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:07 am
- FWIW Excitable Boy Mayor Johnson DID put property tax increase on the table 10 months ago. -
You got me, I did forget about that. Still, if the mayor can’t get the votes in the city, not sure how he expects them to be found in the legislature.
Comment by Excitable Boy Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:15 am
This has been the rhetoric for years up there. Yet no solutions, no accountability. Spend baby spend!!
Comment by lowdrag Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:16 am
==And giving the city home rule on taxing==
If the state allowed Chicago to institute a city income tax on its residents alone (commuters would never pass), it would immediately move CPS out of Tier 1 status into a much higher tier where EBF funding would be minimal.
And it would have to be a flat tax on all city residents’ income. A tax on just income over $1 million would count as two tax brackets, which is a constitutional no-no.
Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:22 am
tax the rich–and the not really rich, give away to the not just the poor. tiring approach. it’s like the CTA, they don’t really want to consider a fare hike that makes fiscal sense.
Comment by Amalia Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:31 am
Downstate isn’t going to let Chicago tax the rich any more than they let Illinois tax the rich.
We had our chance to tax the rich. Illinoisans making $10-20k a year collectively said “no.”
Comment by Horace Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:36 am
“If they’re not going to be bold enough to go after the ultra-rich”
Democrats tried to enact progressive taxation, it failed. Where were the mayor and his allies at the time and did they do anything to help the Fair Tax campaign? Can’t just be reactionaries. They have to build support among legislators, have a bill, get public backing. But those with abysmal approval ratings apparently don’t understand that.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:42 am
==tax the rich–and the not really rich, give away to the not just the poor. tiring approach.==
The democratic party is going to have to deal with the fact that people who think like this are now a part of their coalition.
Comment by SWSider Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:48 am
==he hardly sat on his hands.==
Interestingly, if you look at the timing of the election cycle, he started running Darren Bailey ads before he started running revenue ads.
Why, I wonder…
Comment by SWSider Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 10:51 am
- that they have to put more skin in the game.”-
That’s interesting since teachers union members salaries come from the taxpayers.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:01 am
1. The State put a progressive tax on the ballot, it failed.
2. The City put the real estate transfer tax on higher dollar transactions on the ballot and it failed. (Though none of the dollars would have gone to CPS).
3. The Mayor proposed a property tax increase, and it failed. (Though again, none of the dollars would have gone to CPS)
4. CPS has not put a referendum on the ballot to raise their levy, which they are legally authorized to do.
Maybe try 2 or 3 again, but this time actually having the funds go towards education which would probably be viewed more favorably. Or you could try 4.
But just screaming at the state about more progressive revenue, while showing very little willingly to contain costs (though CPS staff does not appear to be totally unwillingly to make some choices, just the 5th floor/board don’t want to go through with it) does not seem like a terribly effective strategy.
Comment by Juice Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:04 am
===Why, I wonder===
Because Bailey was in a spring primary?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:18 am
-The State put a progressive tax on the ballot, it failed.-
Never understand a powerful coalition for higher taxes. They don’t win every round: they’ll be back. Your tax increase is their salary increase.
Comment by Steve Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:22 am
===How is saying the legislature should pursue something attacking those specific members?===
Your spin ain’t great. Re-read what he said.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:25 am
==Where were the mayor and his allies at the time and did they do anything to help the Fair Tax campaign?==
They were part of the largest coalition ever assembled in the state’s history working under the utmost optimal conditions to get it passed. And it still failed.
Comment by City Zen Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:40 am
===the utmost optimal conditions===
Um, no.
Look, the campaign they ran was not good. They got stomped. But it did do quite well in Chicago.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Aug 27, 25 @ 11:45 am