Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $17.1 billion budget for 2025 passed the city council by a narrow 27-23 vote after weeks of contentious negotiations and significant compromises. The hour-and-a-half debate saw the mayor face sharp criticism from both allies and opponents, with several alderpersons condemning the protracted and messy budget process as damaging to relationships within the council and public trust.
Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward), a former ally and co-chair of the progressive caucus, voiced her frustration, laying blame squarely on the mayor and his administration, despite voting in favor of the budget. Co-chair Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward) voted against it. In a post-vote interview with WBEZ, Mayor Johnson declined to take responsibility, instead emphasizing the budget’s collaborative nature and blaming the difficulties on a lack of progressive revenue options at the local and state levels. He referenced a previously rejected graduated income tax and expressed renewed hope for collaboration with Governor JB Pritzker on finding alternative revenue streams.
The final budget avoids layoffs and cuts to essential services, but eliminates some progressive programs funded by one-time federal pandemic relief. It maintains the policy of advanced pension payments, relying on increased taxes and fines, “efficiencies,” vacant position cuts, and debt restructuring. Crucially, a proposed property tax increase, initially at $300 million, was entirely removed after intense pressure from alderpersons. To achieve this, the mayor identified additional “expenditure cuts” and “efficiencies” totaling nearly $70 million, including cuts to his own office and the Chicago Police Department. A $40 million reduction in debt service payments related to the Michael Reese hospital redevelopment also contributed to eliminating the property tax.
Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward), who voted for the budget, praised the decision to delay debt payments to prevent a property tax increase, highlighting the prioritization of immediate needs over debt servicing. However, even those who supported the budget criticized the administration’s handling of the process. Ald. Hadden cited the repeated delays and rescheduling of budget hearings as showing “an utter disregard for people’s time,” predicting negative consequences for contract processes in early 2025.
Despite the criticism, Hadden noted that many members of the progressive caucus voted for the budget, preventing further delays. The budget did include cuts to some progressive programs the mayor had initially sought to protect, including a reduction in a guaranteed basic income pilot program and the number of youth jobs. Ald. Carlos Ramirez Rosa (35th Ward), who voted for the budget, pointed to these reductions as evidence of the mayor’s concessions to council critics.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward) acknowledged the mayor’s compromises but argued that without structural spending changes, the council had merely “kicked the can down the road.” Conversely, Ald. Nicole Lee (11th Ward), co-chair of the budget committee, voted against the budget, expressing concern over the remaining regressive taxes and fees.
The tumultuous budget process has presented a political challenge for Mayor Johnson, despite his characterization of the process as collaborative. Ald. Andre Vasquez (40th Ward), a former ally, delivered a strongly worded critique of the mayor’s leadership. The passage of the budget, though ultimately successful, leaves lasting questions about the mayor’s approach to governing and the future of fiscal policy in Chicago.