“The current mayoral administration downplays the dire nature of present realities by revisiting the fiscal sins of the city’s past and prioritizing short-term remedies to the city’s deficit rather than doing the hard work of fixing Chicago’s structural problems.”

“Well, look, we still believe that the best way to balance our budget is challenging, larger corporations to pay their fair share. As I’ve said from the very beginning, my values, I protect,” Johnson said.

Council members like Ald. Matt O’Shea said it didn’t sound like the majority of alders want to go along with the new taxes.”We know we can’t cut our way out of this, but before we talk about higher taxes, higher fees, we need to identify cuts and efficiencies, and this current proposal, the mayor’s put forth, doesn’t include enough.”

“Chicagoans deserve to see through political theater and recognize the dangerous safety crisis facing our youth, as well as the systemic failures by the school system and city leaders who consistently gloss over student safety.”

“Johnson sees the ongoing resentment against Republican President Donald Trump in deep-blue Chicago as the best opening to advance his stalled progressive agenda. But so far, the political hurdles Johnson’s facing are typically local: stubborn opposition from the business community, a looming 2027 election that makes aldermen reluctant to endorse new taxes, and waning faith in the freshman mayor’s ability to carry new revenue proposals over the finish line before then.”

The end of federal COVID money could mean a 43% reduction in city spending for domestic violence aid as fatal attacks jump. Mayor Brandon Johnson has tied future funding for programs to his proposed corporate head tax, which faces City Council opposition.

The ages of the victims ranged from 1 to 63.

“Johnson sidestepped the question about the city’s shaky standing with ratings agencies and defended his budget in moralistic terms, saying the people he’s considering are poor and need help. Most Chicagoans agree with that sentiment as a general matter. But without access to reasonably priced credit, good intentions count for little.”