Chicago City Council Votes Down Corporate Head Tax Proposal, Mayor Johnson Now Faces Uncertain Future
A majority of 50 Chicago City Council members, including key allies of Mayor Brandon Johnson, have declared their opposition to his proposed $21-a-month-per-employee corporate head tax. The move comes as a significant setback for the mayor's ambitious plan to challenge the ultra-rich and corporations to "pay their fair share."
The letter, signed by 27 council members, expresses concerns that reinstating the head tax would discourage hiring, push employers outside city limits, and make Chicago less competitive. It also criticizes the mayor's reliance on borrowing to fund expenses, particularly firefighter back pay.
Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell (3rd) and Rules Chair Michelle Harris (8th), Transportation Chair Greg Mitchell (7th), Black Caucus Chair Stephanie Coleman (16th), and Aviation Committee Chair Matt O'Shea (19th) are among those who signed the letter. New Alderman Walter R. Burnett (27th), recently appointed by Johnson, initially expressed support but later asked to have his name removed.
Business lobbyists claim that Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee Chair Daniel La Spata (1st) was on board with the proposal but later admitted he never actually signed the letter. La Spata expressed concerns about the tax's structure but stated he hadn't made up his mind.
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, a key backer of Johnson's plan, has denounced the head tax as a "job killer." Governor JB Pritzker also criticized the proposal, which is similar to one he vetoed in 2014 during Rahm Emanuel's tenure.
Mayor Mendoza challenged the council members who signed the letter to explain whether they would still support the $100 million annual fund earmarked for community programs. The move highlights Johnson's struggle to build consensus on his progressive tax package and raises concerns about the mayor's ability to implement his agenda.
A majority of 50 Chicago City Council members, including key allies of Mayor Brandon Johnson, have declared their opposition to his proposed $21-a-month-per-employee corporate head tax. The move comes as a significant setback for the mayor's ambitious plan to challenge the ultra-rich and corporations to "pay their fair share."
The letter, signed by 27 council members, expresses concerns that reinstating the head tax would discourage hiring, push employers outside city limits, and make Chicago less competitive. It also criticizes the mayor's reliance on borrowing to fund expenses, particularly firefighter back pay.
Finance Committee Chair Pat Dowell (3rd) and Rules Chair Michelle Harris (8th), Transportation Chair Greg Mitchell (7th), Black Caucus Chair Stephanie Coleman (16th), and Aviation Committee Chair Matt O'Shea (19th) are among those who signed the letter. New Alderman Walter R. Burnett (27th), recently appointed by Johnson, initially expressed support but later asked to have his name removed.
Business lobbyists claim that Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee Chair Daniel La Spata (1st) was on board with the proposal but later admitted he never actually signed the letter. La Spata expressed concerns about the tax's structure but stated he hadn't made up his mind.
The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, a key backer of Johnson's plan, has denounced the head tax as a "job killer." Governor JB Pritzker also criticized the proposal, which is similar to one he vetoed in 2014 during Rahm Emanuel's tenure.
Mayor Mendoza challenged the council members who signed the letter to explain whether they would still support the $100 million annual fund earmarked for community programs. The move highlights Johnson's struggle to build consensus on his progressive tax package and raises concerns about the mayor's ability to implement his agenda.
a $21-a-month head tax might seem like peanuts, but I think it's a good starting point. the thing is, corporations are all about profit over people - and we need to hold them accountable for that 
if they want to do some good for this city, they should be willing to chip in 
. I mean, it seemed like a pretty fair idea to me... I remember when Rahm Emanuel had that same plan back in 2014, but he vetoed it. Guess things haven't changed much since then 
. The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce calling it a "job killer" really doesn't sit right with me though 
... all these big corps just taking advantage of the city's resources without giving anything back? No thanks! It's like they're still stuck in the good ol' days when corporations were above the law 
... it's gonna be interesting to see how Mayor Johnson recovers from this setback 
.
this is crazy how the corporate head tax proposal got voted down, it means the ultra-rich are gonna be super happy and it's like Mayor Johnson just got served 
. And what about all the people who are struggling to make ends meet in this city? It feels like they're getting left behind 
. I'm worried that now the mayor is gonna have to swallow his pride and give up on the whole head tax thing, which would be a huge loss for this city 
. Can't we just find a way to make the rich folks pay their fair share already? 
. A corporate head tax that's supposed to make the rich pay their fair share? Yeah right. Now the city council is saying it'll discourage hiring and push employers outta town? That's not a surprise, tho 
. And Mayor Johnson thought he was gonna be some kinda hero for taking on the 1%? More like a joke 
.
The city's already broke, and now he wants to borrow more money from the state? That's just peachy. I'm not surprised the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is against it, though. They're always looking out for their own interests 
. Now we'll just have to wait and see if Mayor Johnson can somehow magically make the city work without a corporate head tax. Yeah, good luck with that, buddy 
.
. I feel bad for him, he was trying to do something good, but it looks like it didn't gain much traction with the city council 
he needs to figure out how to win over these council members, or else his progressive tax package is toast.
. But noooo 
.
. Like, if they're not behind the plan, then what are they hiding 
? It's like, transparency and all that stuff 
.
, not less 
, not one who's just gonna roll over 
. Fingers crossed he'll bounce back 
and get his progressive agenda moving 
!
. First of all, it's 50 out of 51 council members saying no to the corporate head tax, which makes me wonder if one person actually voted yes? 
.
. Can't they just say what they mean instead? 
. But hey, at least the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and Governor Pritzker are on the same page - that's always a plus 
. Now if only they could figure out how to make it more user-friendly for us regular people...
Those council members who signed the letter, it looks like they were just playing ball with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce all along. I mean, come on, "job killer"? That's some PR spin right there! 
And don't even get me started on Mayor Johnson's plan to challenge the ultra-rich... sounds like a classic case of "tax the rich, give to the poor"... except we all know how that story usually ends.