Overview
- Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez pressed Gov. JB Pritzker at a Veterans Day event in Little Village about his opposition to Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed corporate head tax.
- Pritzker reiterated he is "absolutely, four-square opposed" to the tax, arguing it discourages hiring, and pointed instead to a progressive state income tax he previously championed.
- Johnson’s plan includes a $21-per-employee monthly charge on large businesses, which he estimates could raise about $100 million to help balance the 2026 budget and address a $1 billion gap.
- During the exchange, Pritzker tried to move on as State Sen. Celina Villanueva and Ald. Michael Rodriguez stepped in, with Rodriguez telling Sigcho-Lopez, "This is my ward," before the two aldermen traded shouts.
- Days earlier, Johnson criticized state leaders he said were defending the ultra-wealthy over residents of neighborhoods like Austin and Roseland, underscoring growing friction with the governor.