Johnson gets smacked by his own people
Once again finances prove to be the mayor's Achilles heel
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After winning the election for mayor, Brandon Johnson assembled a transition team that had a gaping hole-the business community- wasn’t given a seat at the table. This is despite the fact that the new mayor laid out an ambitious plan to bring $800 million in new revenue to the city coffers.
It was ambitious, it also was unrealistic, as most of the ways to raise that amount required Chicago City Council or Illinois General Assembly OKs. Additionally ambitious because he was a mayor with no previous budgetary experience other than rubber-stamping what the Cook County President presented to the commissioners, of which Johnson was one.
He abided by his campaign pledge not to raise property taxes while ignoring the fact he could have easily raised twice the amount he was seeking by directing all city departments to cut their budgets by 8-10 percent. The mayor’s financial woes continue to escalate as witnessed by a flawed plan to reduce the Chicago Public Schools estimated half-billion deficit.
The school board whose members Johnson appointed gave a resounding no to the mayor’s request the board relieve the city of paying for the CPS pension plan. Board members gave the same answer to the mayor’s suggestion that the board take out a short-term loan to cover next year’s deficit. Apparently, Johnson is unfamiliar with the adage “you can’t borrow your way out of debt.” The board’s refusal to take on new debt compounds fiscal matters for the city.
Johnson used federal dollars, which are no longer available, along with other one time moves, to balance this year’s city budget.
Four months ago, the mayor went to Chicagoans hat-in-hand asking for a favorable vote for his Bring Chicago Home initiative. It was a tax plan purported to raise $100 million annually to help the homeless population in Chicago. Besides the language being vague, proponents were unable to convince the public the money would not equate to a blank check for city hall. The defeat of the referendum, Johnson’s hallmark legislation left the mayor visibly upset. His anger was evident at a news conference the day after the vote.
Chicago’s fiscal situation is only going to get worse; and it is time for Johnson to admit he needs outside help-and not from the Chicago Teachers Union which essentially compounds his problems.
Several local CEOs have said they are willing to help Johnson try to right the city’s ship. That makes sense as they want their respective businesses to thrive; however, everyone knows that can’t happen when Chicago is constantly in financial flux.
It is past time for Johnson to pack his hubris, take a deep breath, and admit to the world he is not the first former schoolteacher who is clueless about municipal budgets and needs help. He will probably be surprised how quickly things can turn around with that simple admission.