Alderpersons search for alternative to Johnson's proposed head tax after committee votes down budget
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Despite Monday's Chicago City Council committee defeat on his proposed head tax, Mayor Brandon Johnson is not giving up on the idea, while alderpersons against the tax will spend the next few weeks finding a different solution.
Before turning to businesses to help balance the budget, some council members say, the mayor must look within the halls of City Hall to save money.
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"If I were the mayor, I would come in with an audit team, and I would say, we're going to look at procurement immediately over the next several weeks, and we're going to find more savings," said 32nd Ward Ald. Scott Waguespack.
Former Finance Committee Chairman Waguespack says he and other alderpersons opposed to the head tax have been scouring the budget, coming up with ideas to make up for the $100 million the mayor says the head tax would generate. Besides savings in procurement contracts, others suggest efficiencies in fleet management.
"The average city vehicle, per E & Y, is only driven 7,000 miles a year," said 34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway.
Alderpersons are convinced they can show the mayor $100 million worth of efficiencies that will not hurt taxpayers. But Budget Committee Chairman Jason Ervin doubts it.
"The only way you get from where we are today to $100 million less is to make cuts to vital services that we know that city residents need and deserve," Ervin said.
Ervin, the mayor, and his allies are trying to present a narrative that without a head tax, cuts to city services, specifically public safety, and layoffs are the only options. Some outside groups, such as the Black Matters Voters Fund, are trying to tie alderpersons opposed to the head tax as defenders of billionaires and President Donald Trump.
"You are either support working people, or you are going to support corporations; that is what this budget it about," Johnson said.
"I think it's a false narrative to cast our budget in that way," said Finance Committee Chairman Ald. Pat Dowell.
The mayor's handpicked finance committee chairman adamantly opposes the head tax, arguing it will kill jobs and push businesses away from Chicago. She says the mayor must meet alderpersons in the middle.
"We have to look at ways that we can be more gray, not black and white. That is government," Dowell said.
While alderpersons come up with alternatives, the mayor will spend the next few weeks possibly tweaking his head tax proposal to change some "no" votes to 'yes" votes. Johnson needs 26 votes, or 25, if he wants to be the tiebreaker.
