Gov. Pritzker says he opposes Mayor Johnson's proposed Chicago corporate head tax

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Governor JB Pritzker had some tough words for one of Mayor Brandon Johnson's key budget proposals on Tuesday.

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The governor made the comments during a talk with the Economic Club of Chicago.

The Economic Club brings together leading business, civic and political leaders from around the Chicago area.

While Pritzker's frequent criticism of President Donald Trump was expected, it was his public berating of Johnson's proposed head tax that really grabbed people's attention.

When asked about the proposed corporate head tax, the governor did not mince words.

"I am absolutely four-square opposed to a head tax for the city of Chicago," Pritzker said. "It penalizes the very thing that we want, which is we want more employment in the city of Chicago. And it makes it very hard to attract companies from outside of Chicago to come into Chicago, and harder for companies that are in Chicago to stay."

The governor also talked about how he has worked hard to attract businesses to Illinois.

READ MORE | Mayor Johnson proposes social media tax to fund mental health clinics in 2026 budget

He acknowledged that federal cuts are making it harder on budgets all over, including Chicago.

"I just want to say balancing the budget for the state of Illinois, for the city of Chicago, vital can't be ignored; it has to be done. [It] shouldn't be done with the head tax in the city of Chicago," the governor said.

Former commerce secretary Bill Daley said he was surprised to hear Pritzker's direct opinion.

Mayor Johnson championed the head tax as a way to raise $100 million for anti-violence programs and youth summer jobs.

Business groups hoping the mayor heeds the governor's concerns.

ABC7 reached out to the mayor's office for comment but has yet to hear back.

Johnson joined ABC7 on Tuesday before Prtizker's remarks to talk about the budget proposal.

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