Overview
- In a detailed memo, Budget Director Annette Guzman, CFO Jill Jaworski and Comptroller Michael Belsky rejected the 26-aldermen plan on legal, operational and fiscal grounds and reaffirmed the $21-per-employee “Community Safety Surcharge.”
- Officials warned a proposed 3% hike on retail alcohol—excluding bars and restaurants—would likely be struck down under Illinois uniformity rulings.
- The administration opposed nearly doubling the $9.50 monthly garbage fee to $18, calling the 90% jump a disproportionate burden on households, even with a senior discount.
- Assumptions of $90 million in efficiencies and $150 million from stepped-up debt collection or selling municipal debt were labeled neither standard nor financially viable; trimming the $1 billion TIF surplus by $100 million was said to risk disrupting CPS and Cook County budgets.
- Johnson said the alternative still leaves roughly $300 million of the $1.1 billion gap and his team plans weekend meetings with alders after a Dec. 8 budget vote was canceled.