Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to present his 1st budget to city council amid $538M budget gap

CHICAGO (WLS) -- He came into office with big progressive promises.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson was elected with an agenda to reopen mental health clinics, help the homeless, put more investments into the South and West sides, and the list goes on. But, will it all be included in Johnson's first budget as the city faces a $538 million budget gap?

"I think he'll put bits and pieces in. He will need to signal to the progressives that put him in office that he is still on board with their agenda," said Better Government Association President David Greising.

Greising and members of the city council are anxious to hear how the mayor plans to pay for his agenda, especially with a huge budget gap and a migrant crisis that is costing close to $300 million.

"We have rising expenses shrinking revenues. We have to figure out how to be creative. We cannot continue to go back to taxpayers and ask for additional revenue," said Alderman Jason Ervin, who chairs the Chicago City Council Budget Committee.

While Johnson has promised not to raise property taxes, as a candidate, he proposed to find $800 million in new revenue, mainly coming from a variety of new taxes.

"So far, increasing the real estate transfer tax is the only hard number he has put up on the board," Greising said.

City council members say the Johnson administration has not told them any details about Wednesday's budget. But, if it includes new taxes, former Finance Committee Chairman Alderman Scott Waguespack said, the city council must do its research before approving a final budget.

"My statement to him early on is, 'We need to get all those. We need to review. We need to be critical of anything you are prosing as new taxes," Waguespack said.

The mayor plans to present his budget to the full city council on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Over the weeks, it will be followed a series of department hearings and at least one public hearing. The city council must approve a balanced budget by Dec. 31.