Chicago Mayor’s Tax Hike Crushed 50–0 By City Council 

Mayor Johnson wants to saddle Chicago voters with yet another 9-figure tax increase, but not a single city council member agrees, shutting down his most recent tax proposal with a vote of 50-0.  

Not a single Republican sits on the Chicago city council, demonstrating that even a standard Democrat tax increase can be anathema to even the most progressive politicians. 

“City council is responding to the fatigue of our residents,” said Ald. Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, 35th Ward, who also chairs the Democratic Socialist Party of Illinois. “The vote today reflected the frustration that’s felt in our communities from our homeowners, from our property owners who are struggling to keep up.” 

Before he was elected, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson seemed to understand Illinoisians’ struggle to live in this inflationary economy. His most recent campaign promised not to raise property taxes, finally acknowledging his voters’ tighter budgets. However, what Mayor Johnson portrayed during his campaign is drastically different than the reality of his plan for Chicago: it did not take long for Mayor Johnson to propose a $300 million property tax hike to pay for his supposedly “nonpartisan” agenda of bigger government. 

Fortunately for the voters he deceived, the Chicago City Council rebutted Johnson’s two-faced tax hike with a historic 50-0 vote, unanimously opposing the tax hike due to the unnecessary burden it would place on Chicago taxpayers. 

In addition to his exorbitant property tax increase, Chicagoans could now face an additional 34% tax increase on alcohol. The tax came about following Mayor Johnson’s verbal commitment “to invest in our people and neighborhoods, ensuring that every Chicagoan has the opportunity to thrive.” Although the sentiment sounds nice, Johnson has avoided any serious reform that could lower the cost of living and get the government out of Chicagoan lives. Instead, even in the wake of defeat, Mayor Johnson has only pivoted to a different tax increase on alcohol, increasing daily living prices even further.  

An additional tax on alcohol would, of course, only drive away consumers, thus hurting an already affected industry. According to The Distilled Spirits Council, the tax “would harm an already decimated hospitality industry still reeling from the pandemic and followed by supply chain disruptions, staffing shortages and record inflation.” 

In recognition of the fact that the Democrat mayor of Chicago has demonstrated a lack of respect for Chicagoans’ struggle with taxes and inflation local leaders should take the initiative and reject this next iteration of his preposterous tax proposals. Citizens are being affected by tax increases, in fact, Chicago has the 3^rd worst population decline in the United States.  Aldermen must continue to represent their constituencies and vote against the large tax increases that are driving Chicagoans out of their own home. If these taxes were to pass, small businesses would be forced to shut down or pass the significant tax increase as a cost to consumers.  

Mayor Johnson has contradicted himself in wanting the best for all Chicagoans. Instead, he repeatedly attempts to impose classist tax policies on an already-struggling community. As Americans grapple with tough economic conditions after years of high inflation and rising bills, Democrats in blue states remain focused on ensuring people pay even more of their hard-earned dollars.