Council unanimously votes down Mayor Johnson's property tax proposal to address budget gap | LIVE
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago City Council unanimously voted down Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed property tax hike in a special meeting Thursday.
Aldermen voted 50-0 on the hike, which was meant to help close a budget gap.
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City Council did not address what they would do to close the gap without the property tax hike.
The special meeting was organized to address Johnson's proposed $300 million property tax hike.
The mayor said it was needed to help avoid layoffs, furloughs and cuts to other programs.
Many aldermen said they were against the property tax hike.
The mayor had hoped to come to some sort of agreement Thursday with City Council members.
Aldermanic sources said behind-the-scenes negotiations could result in the tax hike being reduced - to as low as $100 million.
The mayor has not confirmed any figures, but, during a briefing on Tuesday, said he's open to lowering it.
Mayor Johnson said he wants to avoid layoffs and furloughs, or cuts in youth employment that "invest in people."
Sixth Ward Alderman William Hall said they've been working non-stop the past 72 hours behind closed doors to try to amend the mayor's proposal.
He said Thursday was a chance for council members to check in.
"This is merely a check-in meeting," Alderman Hall said. "We're not voting on the budget that was presented a few weeks ago. It's not ready because we haven't even heard from every department. So Chicago can calm down. We are still working, and I'm confident we'll get there. By the end of the year? Absolutely, I don't see us having a government shutdown. I don't see us breaking the backs of Chicagoans, and I don't see us not working together."
Alderman Hall admitted this mayor is doing things differently, where some say these negotiations should have taken place long before the mayor proposed his budget.
But Hall's confident they'll come to an agreement soon.
He said if it takes until Dec. 31, they'll work until the very last day.
Also on Thursday, 32 aldermen will file an amendment to include gunshot detection technology in the 2025 budget.
The proposal is $15.8 million for gunshot detection technology.
ShotSpotter is set to be fully disabled Nov. 22.
