In Chicago, city leaders are gearing up for what could be the final City Council meeting of 2025, scheduled for Wednesday. The stakes are high, as there’s a looming question on everyone’s mind: Will the council manage to pass a budget before the year ends?
The urgency stems from the need for consensus among council members to approve a budget that ensures the city continues to function smoothly. Failure to do so could lead Chicago to an unprecedented citywide government shutdown.
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A significant point of contention in the budget discussions is Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed corporate head tax. This tax would impose a $33 monthly fee per employee on companies with more than 500 employees. This is a shift from Johnson’s earlier proposal, which targeted companies with at least 100 employees, taxing them $21 per employee each month.
According to Mayor Johnson, the revised plan would impact around 175 companies operating in the city. However, this proposal has sparked debate. Critics argue that it could be detrimental to Chicago’s business environment, while the mayor’s most ardent supporters see it as a necessary step.
The mayor says under the revised model, 175 companies in the city would be taxed.
Opponents to the mayor’s plan says this proposal is bad for business in Chicago, while the mayor’s staunchest supporters are backing his plan.
“I am optimistic that we will have a budget before the end of the year,” 34th Ward Alderman Bill Conway said. “There is enough of us in council that are not going to be ready to face the consequences if there isn’t. Now, it will not be the mayor’s budget, but that is because we are diligently working to ensure that there is an alternative.”
“Well my vote has been yes from the beginning,” 6th Ward Alderman William Hall said. “I don’t think that corporations should dine and dash. I think that their investment is what’s needed to keep the city stable, so I’m building in support of the mayor’s budget unapologetically because we need to invest in safety. We need to keep the cost of making sure our young people have jobs.”
It’s unclear if an alternative plan is ready to be presented to council Wednesday.
That budget calls for a higher liquor tax, rideshare congestion fees and a larger garbage collection fee.
The mayor said this targets working Chicagoans.
Some other topics at the meeting include a curfew proposal.
Alderman Hall said he’s introducing an ordinance to address violent teen takeovers downtown coordinated on social media.
The ordinance would require social media platforms to cooperate with city leaders when posts identifying possible teen takeovers are identified.
Platforms would then have to respond within six hours – and if they choose not to remove the content – they must explain why it’s not considered a public safety threat.
Failure to cooperate would also result in a $50,000 civil penalty.
Hall said he wants to work with Alderman Brian Hopkins to tackle a curfew policy.
