Chicago budget rises over 2X faster than other big cities – Illinois Policy

Chicago’s total expenditures have increased by nearly $7 billion, up 62 percent from 2019. Massive pension bills and rising personnel expenses, tied to costly government union contracts, have helped push the city’s spending beyond sustainable levels. Among America’s biggest cities, Chicago’s rapid spending growth stands out.  The five most populous U.S. cities averaged only 38 percent spending growth since 2019.