‘We’re going to create a budget that reflects our values:’ Mayor Brandon Johnson rules out property tax increase in budget

CHICAGO (WGN) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has signaled that he is not planning on proposing a property tax increase in this year’s budget, just days after the city’s Chief Financial Officer said an increase was likely.

On Thursday, the mayor’s office announced that Johnson will commit to a budget without a property tax increase as a way to deal with a looming budget crisis.

Last year, the city council rejected Johnson’s bid to hike property taxes by $300 million.

The City of Chicago is facing a $1.2 billion budget deficit in 2026.

The mayor said he wants so-called “Progressive Revenue” to help fill the gap.

Johnson’s announcement comes just days after Chicago’s Chief Financial Officer Jill Jaworski told Bloomberg a property tax increase was “likely” going to be in the package presented to city council on Tuesday.

“I’m not going to propose a property tax increase in my budget proposal,” Johnson said during a sit-down with WGN Morning News on Friday.

During the interview, Johnson discussed several topics, including his decision not to propose a property tax increase.

“I’m going to put forth a budget package that calls for a progressive revenue so that we can continue to make the critical investments to build more affordable housing, to invest in behavioral and mental healthcare services, invest in youth employment, and ultimately drive violence down in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said. “As we continue to see homicides fall, robberies, shootings, shooting victims. We’re going to work to build the safest, most affordable big city in America, we’re going to create a budget that reflects our values and we’re not going to balance off the backs of working people.”

Johnson’s full discussion with Dina Bair and Dan Ponce can be viewed in the video player above.