Mayor's budget team explains why Chicago property tax hike was unavoidable

CHICAGO (WLS) -- ABC7 sat down with Mayor Brandon Johnson's budget team to examine their 2025 proposal and hear why a property tax hike was unavoidable.

The city of Chicago is facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit for next year. Budget Director Anette Guzman, Comptroller Chasse Rehwinkle and Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski are the experts behind the 607-page, $17 billion budget plan for next year.

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"So I just want to be really clear, when the mayor said that everything was on the table, everything was on the table," Guzman said.

But due to the city's financial crisis, it became clear a property tax increase was unavoidable, the mayor's team said. Furloughs were considered, but then deemed unfeasible.

READ MORE: Mayor Brandon Johnson calls for $300M property tax hike in Chicago budget proposal

"So, the city has about 89% of its workforce that is unionized, and so forcing things like furlough days on the union is not something that is possible," Guzman explained.

The budget director rejected accusations that the mayor was using fear tactics about the alternative to a $300 million property tax hike being 4,000 layoffs with the majority of them police.

"It's not a fear tactic, it's facts," Guzman said. "The highest salaries in the city is police. In order to get the kinds of value that $300 million requires you have to get public safety. There's no other way."

RELATED: How to balance Chicago's budget without property tax hikes: Civic Federation offers its options

The mayor's budget calls for raising the tax on alcohol for the first time in 16 years, and raising weekend parking rates to mirror what's being charged on weekdays.

"We were looking underneath every couch cushion to try to find revenues that we thought would help us get to that billion dollars without really dramatically impacting people on a day to day basis," Rehwinkle said.

Part of the budget woes come from the sunsetting of a state tax law on business.

"There was a provision limiting the amount of losses that corporations could take that has sunset. Corporations are now allowed to take unlimited losses, and we've seen $160 million decline," Jaworski said.

With $100 million being spent on violence prevention programs, the city is now closely evaluating goals and targets for organizations getting city funds.

"I think it's really important for communities to see how those dollars are going to work directly in their communities," Guzman said.

The mayor's top fiscal advisors stressed that they remain open to suggestions from city council members and the community, and are always looking for additional ways to save taxpayers money.