Mayor Brandon Johnson heads to Springfield with a revised fiscal wish list

CHICAGO (WGN) — With the city facing a projected budget shortfall next year exceeding $1 billion, Mayor Brandon Johnson is looking to the General Assembly for help.

He’s set to meet Wednesday with Senate President Don Harmon, House Speaker Emanuel ‘Chris’ Welch and Gov. JB Pritzker.

The mayor wants to generate $12.5 million through a tax on prepaid cellphone and calling cards, raise $27.5 million by extending the $5-a-month 911 surcharge, get more funding for the city’s unified shelter system and improve state reimbursement rates for various services including education.

“Chicago will continue to lead the way in investing in people and ensuring that we’re protecting workers,” Johnson said.

Burdened by his own fiscal challenges, Pritzker has repeatedly stressed that people have been working on the state budget for almost a year. Still, he said this week that he intends to listen to the mayor and his needs.

“There’s plenty of opportunity for people to express to me what they’d like me to include in a budget, and I didn’t really hear much from the mayor’s office,” Pritzker said Monday. “We’ll do whatever we can. The city of Chicago is an economic engine for the state, but there are also a lot of other cities across the state of Illinois and a lot of people across the state that deserve our support, so we always have to balance those things.”

While the governor has accused Johnson of not having good relationships in Springfield due to lack of outreach, Johnson insists he’s close to the key players.

Ahead of the mayor’s visit, the Springfield Republican minority unloaded, with State Sen. Don DeWitte (R-West Dundee) saying: “We are not Mayor Johnson’s personal piggybank.”

State Senator Seth Lewis (R-Carol Stream) added: “It does seem like every few months the mayor presents a new idea or regurgitates an old idea: wanting $1 billion dollars for (the Chicago Transit Authority), wanting a $1 billion for a Bears stadium, wanting $1 billion for transportation. You know, some may refer to him as ‘Billion Dollar Brandon.’

The mayor said he’ll be asking for “progressive revenue,” although he’s said little about what new taxes he’s specifically referencing.

Springfield’s legislative session ends May 31.