Chicago’s new mayor proposes a controversial budget that targets businesses and police, titled “First We Get The Money.”

Chicago’s Leftist Allies Propose Bold Budget Plan

Chicago’s new Mayor Brandon Johnson has some bold allies on his side. ACRE, the Action Center on Race and the Economy, in conjunction with the People’s Unity Platform, has proposed a budget plan titled “$12 Billion for a Just Chicago.” The plan aims to reimagine everything in the city from policing to climate justice, housing, and more.

First We Get the Money

The plan’s first step is to get the money. The budget plan calls for $12 billion in new taxes, which would come in part from reducing the Chicago Police Department budget by 9%, or approximately $175 million. The city would also eliminate all current police department vacancies, which amounted to over 900 patrol officer vacancies and over 100 detective vacancies in August of 2022.

Taxing the Rich and Businesses

The plan proposes a “head tax” of $33 per employee for corporations or any business with at least 50 employees, estimated to bring in $106 million in new revenue. Anyone making more than $100,000 would face an additional 3.5% income tax, totaling approximately $1.2 billion. The city’s top 10% of earners would also get hit with a .4% wealth tax, amounting to $960 million annually. A real estate transfer tax on transactions of over $1 million would generate $1.63 million in revenue and be used to fund housing projects that the report claims would “eliminate homelessness.”

Defunding the Police

The plan also calls for eliminating all current vacant positions at the Chicago Police Department and cutting the CPD budget by 9%. The authors of the plan, including Saqib Bhatti, a member of Johnson’s transition team, argue that investing federal money in public housing would contribute more to community safety than funding law enforcement or Wall Street interests.

A Moral Budget for Chicago

The conclusion, according to ACRE, is that the city’s budget must be approached from a morality standpoint. The report states that previous budgets have not reflected residents’ priorities and needs, and that Chicago’s policing system has always been “racist” and has not contributed to safer communities. A moral budget, the report argues, should reflect the needs of Black and Brown communities in Chicago.

This budget plan is certainly bold and controversial, but it raises important questions about how we allocate resources in our cities. What do you think about this proposal? Let us know in the comments below.