Mayor shows off services ahead of budget vote

CHICAGO (WLS) -- On Wednesday the Chicago City Council will vote on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's budget plan which includes one the largest property tax increases in recent history. Monday the mayor was out trying to show what city services tax payers will get for their money.

As Mayor Emanuel toured Buckingham Street in the Lakeview neighborhood, specially assigned Streets and Sanitation crews trimmed trees, cleaned graffiti and baited rats.

Two days before the vote on his record tax increase, the mayor wanted homeowners to Know chicago under his watch is still the city that works.

"When a call is made, a service is delivered and this is an example of that effort," Emanuel said.

Emanuel needs 26 aldermen to approve his $588 million property tax increase. Over 90 percent of the revenue will shore up the city's nearly bankrupt police and firefighter pension funds.

"City officials owe it to taxpayers to be honest about their tax bill," said Ted Dabrowski of the Illinois Policy Institute.

Dabrowski points out that none of the tax increase will pay for city services like the ones the mayor highlighted Monday, or for improved public safety.

"It only pays for old bills and allows the mayor and aldermen to avoid the structural reforms that need to take place," he said.

Curious taxpayers along Buckingham told me they didn't need the show to convince them the tax increase was necessary.

"Money has to come from somewhere and all of us have to do our part," said David Wolkenfeld.

"There's not much you can do about it and I don't know if there's any other way to pay the pension costs," said homeowner Bill Economous.

The mayor repeatedly used the word "phony" to describe the budget strategies of the preceding Daley administration. He called his own spending plan correct, honest and forthright:

"I'm being up front with people about the real cost of government and dealing with it," Emanuel said.

Our unofficial roll call suggests the mayor has the votes to pass the property tax increase. The projected amount of the tax increase is $500 per year for every $250,000 of a residential home's value.