Aldermen Gardiner, Napolitano oppose proposed $150 million city property tax hike

by BRIAN NADIG

Fifteen alderpersons, including Anthony Napolitano (41st) and James Gardiner (45th) from the Far Northwest Side, have sent Mayor Brandon Johnson a letter opposing any property tax increase and calling for the “rightsizing” of city department budgets.

“The cost of government has grown significantly since the pandemic began. The FY2020 the budget was $11.7 billion whereas the proposed FY2025 budget is $17.1 billion.

“As illuminated in yesterday’s polling data, 81% of respondents support budget cuts across all departments over increases in property taxes or other fees,” the letter states.

Johnson had called for a $300 million property tax increase to help fill a projected nearly $1 billion deficit in the proposed budget, but the City Council unanimously voted that down. The mayor is now asking for a $150 million property tax increase along with hikes in city fees or other taxes, such as on streaming services.

Johnson has said that he will not lay off city employees. “Cuts in city services is a non-starter,” he said, adding that “it’s time to grow up” and substitute the tantrums for meaningful negotiations.

The alderpersons who signed the letter had a research company conduct a survey of 801 voters to help drive home the message — they said — to Johnson that he is not well liked among constituents and that there is widespread opposition to a tax increase.

“This poll only confirms what we already knew. The residents of our city are sick and tired of being  taxed out of their homes while paying for the financial mistakes of this administration,” Gardiner said.

“I stand by every word at last year’s budget hearings where I warned the entire City Council that these financial problems were inevitable if we continue to allow reckless spending,” Gardiner added. “The woke ideologies that helped Brandon Johnson become mayor is the very thing that will bury his chances of re-election.”

Napolitano said that he used to be on “an island” with a handful of other alderpersons fighting the mayor’s agenda, but those days appear to be over. 

About 70 percent of poll respondents had an unfavorable view of Johnson compares to 15 percent favorable. The poll, which has an error margin of 3.7 percent, was conducted by Change Research.

The poll also showed that most respondents would support increasing permit fees on private dumpsters and implementing a new tax on hemp products but oppose implementing a new tax on food delivery apps.

The letter outlines the following recommendations for the budget:

“We propose that the appropriate starting point for budget discussions, particularly focused on Corporate Fund spending and associated revenue, must begin with pre-pandemic level spending adjusted for inflation. Without making

any exceptions by department, rightsizing Chicago departments would save taxpayers $568 million. These savings would equal a 10 percent reduction of the proposed $5.6 billion Corporate Fund spending.

“It should be noted that, among the city departments often referenced as the largest portion of the Corporate Fund spend – Police, Fire & OEMC – their respective budgets have not kept pace with inflation. To the contrary, all three are dramatically underfunded by $316 million when adjusted for inflation. This is significant as it tracks with polling data that says 69 percent of respondents feel the city of Chicago spends ‘too little’ on (addressing) crime and public safety.

“59 percent of respondents support ending all pandemic-era programs funded by federal relief dollars. The FY2025 Budget spending priorities must mandate that all ARPA funds and funded programs be redirected to achieve all applicable reimbursable opportunities. “Discussion about programmatic spending should happen only after the maximum reimbursements possible have been achieved.”

In addition to Napolitano and Gardiner, the following alderpersons also signed the letter:

Brian Hopkins (2nd), Anthony Beale (9th), Peter Chico (10th), Marty Quinn (13th), Raymond Lopez (15th), Derrick Curtis (18th), Silvana Tabares (23rd), Monique Scott (24th), Felix Cardona (31st), Scott Waguespack (32nd), Gilbert Villegas (36th), Brendan Reilly (42nd) and Debra Silverstein (50th).

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