Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed corporate head tax has taken an early hit in the city council's budget battle, as a group of conservative and moderate alderpersons proposed alternative amendments worth $409 million, setting the stage for a showdown with the mayor.
The move is seen as a test of Johnson's resolve to push through his plan to nearly double garbage collection fees, raise taxes on off-premise liquor sales, and impose new fees on rides from Uber and Lyft. The council majority, however, remains determined to block these measures, handing Johnson an initial defeat in the city's ongoing budget battle.
By introducing amendments worth $409 million, the opposition alderpersons are playing a high-stakes game of political chicken, hoping to force the mayor to blink first. They've proven they have the votes needed to pass their alternative package, with over 26 votes secured, and are now rolling the dice on fence-sitting alderpersons to join their ranks and provide the 34 votes needed to override a Johnson veto.
Alderman Marty Quinn, one of the mayor's most outspoken critics, likens this strategy to last year's budget stalemate. "It's similar play," he said. "It gives you a little bit more runway, and [allows you to] avoid getting backed up against the wall in a take-it-or-leave it scenario."
The opposition package includes significant cuts, such as $100 million shaved from the tax increment financing surplus, cancellation of the mayor's plan to borrow money for firefighter pay raises, and full funding for an advance pension payment. Instead, they propose $73.5 million in efficiencies, $108.7 million from improved debt collection, and $26 million by licensing augmented reality on city property.
The corporate head tax is expected to be replaced by a new garbage collection fee of $18 per month, a 3% tax on off-premise liquor sales, and increased fees for rides from Uber and Lyft. The alternative package also includes lifting the ban on video gambling at restaurants and hotels.
While Johnson has dismissed these ideas as unworkable or politically untenable, Quinn believes the mayor may be bluffing. "Will he veto it? I don't know," he said. "That's a question. The mayor has said a lot of things and has been unable to back them up."
As the budget battle rages on, parliamentarian maneuvering could become critical, particularly if Budget Committee Chair Jason Ervin boycotts an upcoming meeting. However, opposition Council members plan to replace Ervin with Vice Chair Alderman Nicole Lee.
For now, it's clear that Johnson is facing a tough road ahead in his efforts to push through his budget proposals. The outcome of this high-stakes game could have significant implications for the city's finances and its residents' lives.
The move is seen as a test of Johnson's resolve to push through his plan to nearly double garbage collection fees, raise taxes on off-premise liquor sales, and impose new fees on rides from Uber and Lyft. The council majority, however, remains determined to block these measures, handing Johnson an initial defeat in the city's ongoing budget battle.
By introducing amendments worth $409 million, the opposition alderpersons are playing a high-stakes game of political chicken, hoping to force the mayor to blink first. They've proven they have the votes needed to pass their alternative package, with over 26 votes secured, and are now rolling the dice on fence-sitting alderpersons to join their ranks and provide the 34 votes needed to override a Johnson veto.
Alderman Marty Quinn, one of the mayor's most outspoken critics, likens this strategy to last year's budget stalemate. "It's similar play," he said. "It gives you a little bit more runway, and [allows you to] avoid getting backed up against the wall in a take-it-or-leave it scenario."
The opposition package includes significant cuts, such as $100 million shaved from the tax increment financing surplus, cancellation of the mayor's plan to borrow money for firefighter pay raises, and full funding for an advance pension payment. Instead, they propose $73.5 million in efficiencies, $108.7 million from improved debt collection, and $26 million by licensing augmented reality on city property.
The corporate head tax is expected to be replaced by a new garbage collection fee of $18 per month, a 3% tax on off-premise liquor sales, and increased fees for rides from Uber and Lyft. The alternative package also includes lifting the ban on video gambling at restaurants and hotels.
While Johnson has dismissed these ideas as unworkable or politically untenable, Quinn believes the mayor may be bluffing. "Will he veto it? I don't know," he said. "That's a question. The mayor has said a lot of things and has been unable to back them up."
As the budget battle rages on, parliamentarian maneuvering could become critical, particularly if Budget Committee Chair Jason Ervin boycotts an upcoming meeting. However, opposition Council members plan to replace Ervin with Vice Chair Alderman Nicole Lee.
For now, it's clear that Johnson is facing a tough road ahead in his efforts to push through his budget proposals. The outcome of this high-stakes game could have significant implications for the city's finances and its residents' lives.
... who needs a corporate head tax anyway? it's not like big corps are gonna leave bc they're gonna be taxed more... they'll just pass on the cost to us consumers in the form of higher prices or whatever... and what's up with this garbage collection fee? $18 a month?! you can't even get a decent coffee for that price, let alone pay some mayor to collect your trash 
so what's up with these alderpersons? they think they're so smart, proposing their own amendments just to cause trouble for mayor Johnson 
like, can't they just be real and work together? it's not that hard 
and honestly, it's kinda sad 
because the corporate head tax was actually needed 
the opposition is just trying to block everything and make Johnson look bad 
- I mean, who thought it was a good idea to slap an extra $18 fee on people just because they got a new job at a big corporation? It's like, hello, we've gotta balance the books or else we'll be stuck in debt forever 
. I mean, have they even thought about all the other ways we could be making money - like, from tourism or something? We're always talking about how great our city is and how full of life it is, but then we go and tax its inhabitants just to fill a hole in the budget. It's just not right.
. While it's understandable that he wants to raise revenue, doubling garbage collection fees might be too harsh on low-income families 
.
. Perhaps Johnson could explore compromise solutions, like phasing in the fee increases or offering subsidies for low-income families? Maybe there are ways to make the corporate head tax more progressive, so it benefits the city more as a whole 
. Let's work together to find solutions that benefit everyone, especially our residents who are already feeling the pinch of rising costs 
.
and the players are all set 
. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." 
.