Council members propose budget cuts in letter to Chicago mayor to avoid avoid property tax hike

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Fifteen of the more conservative council members say Chicago's city budget has expanded dramatically since the pandemic and there needs to be a fiscal reset.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

"Our starting point is, let's look at 2020, budget adjust that for inflation, and that should be the starting point on the mayor's spending plan," 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly said.

15 council members sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson saying that they could reduce spending by $568 million, and help avoid a property tax hike.

"We have set forth parameters to provide a framework for a budget that is responsible and reasonable. The ball is in the mayor's court," 23rd Ward Alderwoman Silvana Tabares said.

However, Johnson's allies said the proposed budget adjustments will result in cuts in services, and layoffs.

"I don't know how you cut 500 and some odd million dollars out of $5 billion, and not have layoffs," Budget Committee Chairman Jason Ervin said.

Ervin that the council is not going to go for cuts because residents have told them they want to maintain levels of service.

The same group of alders calling for cuts also commissioned a poll showing the mayor's approval rating was at 15%.

81% favor cuts over a property tax hike.

The polls also found 81% of respondents preferred some cuts in services versus raising property taxes by $150 million.

"Well, the fact that they're doing this polling and the fact that they're exploring other possible candidates for mayor, shows that they are emboldened," ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said. "They see the opportunity to take the lead and grab power from the mayor, and this budget may be the tipping point for that."

"I think the mayor needs to back off his position that city jobs are entitlements and that we can't look at making any cuts," Reilly said. "Every private company does that when they have a bad revenue year. Every household does that when they're facing job insecurity, or their rent goes up."

When push comes to shove it seems unlikely significant cuts will have sufficient support to go through. But it's clear this council is not done flexing its political muscle.