Overview
- The committee advanced the package 22–13, sending it to the Budget Committee for review ahead of a possible full City Council vote.
- The plan drops a garbage fee hike and restores youth jobs and library funding while rejecting Mayor Brandon Johnson’s $33‑per‑employee levy on large firms.
- Revenue measures include raising the bag tax to 15 cents, expanding a downtown congestion fee, increasing liquor charges, legalizing video gaming in restaurants and bars, and selling ads on light poles, bridge houses and city vehicles.
- A temporary increase of the cloud computing tax to 15% is projected to generate about $416 million for one year before a proposed sunset.
- Johnson’s team disputes the math—especially roughly $90 million from “enhanced” debt collections—and the mayor has not ruled out a veto as the Dec. 30 deadline and potential service disruptions draw closer.