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5h ago

Chicago Budget Plan Faces Council Scrutiny as Johnson Pushes Head Tax and $1 Billion TIF Drawdown

Johnson says the plan protects residents by tapping one-time TIF dollars alongside targeted taxes on the largest employers.

Mayor Brandon Johnson delivers his budget address to the City Council on Oct. 16, 2025, at Chicago City Hall. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)
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Overview

  • A City Council committee opens departmental budget reviews Tuesday, with hearings scheduled through November 14.
  • Johnson’s $16.6 billion proposal closes a gap of more than $1 billion without a property tax hike by declaring a $1 billion TIF surplus, about $500 million of which is directed to Chicago Public Schools.
  • The plan raises more than $400 million in new taxes, including a $21-per-employee monthly head tax on companies with over 100 workers that the mayor says would affect roughly 3% of businesses.
  • Spending priorities include mental and behavioral health support for police, services for domestic violence survivors, youth employment, and Community Violence Intervention programs.
  • Critics such as the Civic Federation’s Joe Ferguson question the fiscal process, while the city joins eight others in a lawsuit challenging President Trump over threatened federal grant funding.