ONE Northside endorses the Protecting Chicago Budget Proposal

This week ONE Northside Members voted to endorse Mayor Johnson’s Protecting Chicago Budget Proposal.

This budget incorporates most of the recommendations made by the People’s Unity Platform, a coalition that ONE Northside is part of. We have worked for months to advocate for solutions to Chicago’s $1billion budget gap that would make sure programs our families and neighborhoods rely on have adequate funding, instead of facing deep cuts.

This budget crisis was decades in the making, a problem Mayor Johnson inherited when he was elected. Add on top of it devastating cuts from the Trump administration to programs like Medicaid and SNAP, and our communities were facing a serious crisis on the horizon.

Instead of closing the budget gap through solutions that often harm working families, like raising property taxes, or raising money through measures like a grocery tax or higher red light fines, the Protecting Chicago Budget Proposal focuses on raising the money through taxing big corporations and wealthy individuals.

Let’s be clear about something: big corporations and people in higher income brackets just received one of the biggest handouts in history through the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” The tax cuts they just received are putting billions back in their pockets, while at the same time billions are being cut from programs our communities we rely on. The taxes proposed in the new budget represent only a fraction of the money big corporations and the rich just got in tax cuts. If Trump can take our money to give to big corporations, the people can ask for it back.

Why we voted to endorse the budget

Our Budgets and Revenue Committee first met to review the details of the Protecting Chicago Budget and discuss it. It was their recommendation to the Members to endorse. The Members had the opportunity to review the budget and vote; an overwhelming majority voted to endorse.

The Budgets and Revenue Committee’s analysis was that with the horrific cuts to lifesaving programs like Medicaid and SNAP that were approved by Trump’s BBB, it is even more critical that our City find ways to fund programs, rather than make more cuts. If we can pass this budget, Chicago is on the brink of expanding programs. We’re not doing it through property taxes, we’re doing it through taxing the rich.

What is in the budget?

The budget removes fines, fees and taxes that often hurt working families

• The city is getting rid of the grocery tax, and is NOT raising property taxes.

The budget includes three key proposals our coalition pushed for that will generate millions in revenue for needed services.

• The budget focuses on closing the budget gap through taxing big corporations and wealthy individuals through taxing companies over 100 employees (except for grocery stores and non-profits) with a $21 per month fee – the same as taking their employees out to lunch once a month. This applies to 3% of Chicago companies.

• The budget also creates a new tax on large social media companies that taxes them at a small rate per user they have in the city of Chicago. This is projected to raise $31 million per year, and will directly help fund mental health services and crisis response teams that are an alternative to the police.

• Another proposal takes money from TIF (Tax-Increment Finance) Districts not being used.

The budget goes even further to generate from wealthy individuals and with creative solutions

• On top of these, the budget also includes: increasing the vacant building fee (will generate $400,000 and help fight disinvestment), and a “yacht tax” for mooring boats (will generate $4 million).

The budget also makes sensible cuts: one third of the $1 billion gap is made up from cuts, not just new revenue

• The budget proposes $331 million in savings by working to be more efficient and in city hiring freezes — but crucially, NOT by cutting needed programs!

Take action now to help pass the Protecting Chicago Budget!

The Protecting Chicago Budget is heading to the full City Council for a vote soon. They can alter some of the budget during the voting process, so we want to ensure the three key elements proposed by our coalition are preserved in the final budget: the Corporate Head Tax, the SMART tax, and using the TIF surplus.

Now, we would like you to communicate with your alders to make sure they vote for a final budget that includes the above options. Below are some options for how to reach your alderperson:

Fill out your alderperson’s budget survey. Not all alders have budget surveys, but for those that do, it’s important they hear from us. Here are the north side alders who have budget surveys:

• Ald. Andre Vasquez Survey (40th Ward)
• Ald. Matt Martin Survey (47th Ward)
• Ald. Leni Manaa-Hoppenworth Survey (48th Ward)
• Ald. Maria Hadden Survey (49th Ward)

Attend an upcoming budget town hall. 

• Far North Side Budget Town Hall, Wed, November 5th, 6-7 PM, Amundsen (5110 N Damen)
• North Side Budget Town Hall, Sun, November 9th, 2-3 PM, Center on Halsted (3656 N Halsted)
• [Virtual] 40th Ward Budget Town Hall, Thu, November 13th, 6 PM

Call your alderperson. Look up who your alderperson is and their office phone number here.

Here’s a sample script:

• Dear Alderperson _____. I’m a constituent in your ward and involved with ONE Northside, urging you to support the Mayor’s proposed budget. I support the mayor’s budget because it has a $21 head tax, a tax on social media companies, and the largest TIF surplus. If the budget is changed in negotiations, I want you to make sure that the final budget contains these taxes. Chicagoans can’t afford to pay more in property taxes or other fees.