Brandon Johnson’s progressive tax push puts Chicago on brink of rare shutdown as mayor weighs veto

Fox News ^ | 12/23/25 | Charles Creitz, Patrick McGovern

[Libloather]

A potential veto of Chicago’s 2026 budget by Mayor Brandon Johnson could trigger the Windy City's first-ever municipal shutdown.

Johnson reportedly rebuked the budget passed by council over the weekend, which lacks the mayor’s favored per-employee "head tax" on corporations, as "morally bankrupt."

If Johnson were to veto the budget, it would place the onus back on city council to rehash a plan that could get signed before Dec. 30 – or plunge the city into shutdown.

City Council lacks any Republican representation – with a Democratic majority of 48 plus two independents, so the situation represents a clash within factions of the left.

One such Democratic critic was Alderman Gilbert Villegas of Belmont-Cragin on the city’s northwest side. Villegas, a noted ally of ex-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, tweeted that he will "work hard to see if we can get 38-40 votes to override the veto" – noting that it originally passed 30-18.

Chicago faces a projected $1.2 billion shortfall for 2026. Johnson has argued that policies under the Trump administration favor corporations over working-class families and that businesses should "put more skin in the game."

But not all Democrats in Illinois agree. Gov. JB Pritzker has criticized the proposed $33-per-worker, per-month head tax, warning it would "penalize the very thing that we want, which is more employment."

Johnson also rebuked the Washington Post for its scathing editorial entitled, "Chicago Has Lost Its Mind," which argued the head tax and other pressures on businesses will stifle economic growth.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; History; Local News
KEYWORDS: brandon; chicago; illinoistruth; letsgobrandon; mayor; veto

[Libloather]

And if Chuckles gets his shutdown, it'll be a twofer. Let's go Brandon.

[NEWwoman]

LOL!

[PGalt]

😂

[nonliberal]

The people of Chicago have routinely shown that this is what they want. Give it to them good and hard.

[usconservative]

I left Illinois FOR GOOD on Nov. 7th of this year, having spent the better part of my 42 year career working in Chicago.

Straight-up telling y'all that Chicago has lost its damn' mind electing Rahm Emmanuel, then Lori Lightfoot, then Brandon Johnson.

Dumb --> Dumber --> DUMBEST.

Businesses were leaving Chicago under Lightfoot as crime and taxes became unbearable. Then the lockdowns in Chicago and Illinois accelerated that thanks to JB Prickster's tyranny.

Once MayorBJ was elected, and with JB Prickster already destroying the business climate in the state thanks to 54 consecutive TAX HIKE PACKAGES in 6 years along with bloating the state budget from $35B --> $55B in that time, businesses of all sizes have fled the state with some very notable corporations such as Boeing, Caterpillar, and Citadel for example leading the corporate charge OUT of Chicago and Illinois.

400,000+ people, many of us TAXPAYERS have fled the state also.

Illinois as a state is swirling the drain. The public sector debt (retirements, pensions, corruption, etc..) is sinking the state. Chicago with its own brand of stupid, corruption, insane taxes, crime and more is dragging the entire state down. It's just a matter of time until not just Chicago but the entire state goes into receivership.

It's long been said inside the state that "As California goes, so does Illinois" ... and it's true. Moreso since JB Prickster bought the Governors Office in 2018.

For those Freepers still left in HELLINOIS (and you know who you are ...) get out NOW while you can still sell your home.

The flight from Chicago to the 'burbs is keeping prices stable -- FOR NOW. It won't be long until everyone who can leave Chicago, does and there will be no more buyers.

Every single showing for my old townhome in Orland Park was someone from Chicago (I know this by seeing all the agents names, googling them and seeing their office inside the city limits.)

Hurry. IL is going down.

[usconservative]

You're not lying.

Add insult to injury: anyone selling their home in the 'burbs and fleeing the state should tack on a "Chicago buyer" surcharge to the selling price.

[Gen.Blather]

I’m in Florida and I’d guess the penalty of having an employee isn’t as bad as there. But if I fail to file a form each week, even if I didn’t pay them, the penalty can run into the thousands. That’s because I didn’t have any work that week, so I didn’t pay them. But I must file the form anyway. This happened to a friend, and it cost him a year’s profit.

One reason the British Empire did so well in the early days is the government viewed its job as making it easier for businesses to succeed. That was an actual stated goal. Here the goal isn’t so much to make sure business fails, but if it were what would they do differently?

[nonliberal]

I feel the same about NYC. Going to continue to vote for leftists, then you deserve what you’re going to get.

[usconservative]

I grew up in Iowa and have HATED Illinois since my parents moved our family there in 1977.

Why did it take me so long to GTFO of there? Life.

Glad I'm finally OUT! I so love Tennessee I'm going to fight like hell to keep it RED.

[nonliberal]

Congratulations on your refugee status. :)

[Bernard]

And that shortfall is AFTER massive shifts in road taxes will be spent on paying Chicago bus drivers, etc. It follows a pattern where the state changed the distribution of state income tax money so the state keeps it instead of distributing it to municipalities.

If/when Illinois decides to get things right, it will take decades to fix. The spending and corruption is rooted very deep, and not for good.

[cgbg]

Excellent post.

People who do not run small businesses have no idea how cruel the local, state and federal government can be.

Compliance can be difficult to achieve—and the punishment for non-compliance can be draconian.

It seems to be getting worse decade after decade, year after year.

[econjack]

The mayor's "head tax" would charge $33 per month for each employee at companies with 500 or more workers. Is he dumb enough to think that could persist in the long run? What does he think that would do to any large company that was contemplating a relocation to Chicago? Even his Democrat-controlled City Council was smart enough not to go along with such stupidity, but he wants to compound the mess by not signing off on the budget because his pet tax isn't in it. Where do you clowns in Chicago find these idiots?

[nwrep]

I am rooting for the mayor.

[nwrep]

I am rooting for the mayor.

[cgbg]

The old saying applies here:

“Pigs get fat but hogs get slaughtered.”

Lol.

[Bon of Babble]

Johnson has argued that policies under the Trump administration favor corporations over working-class families and that businesses should 'put more skin in the game.'

Yep. Those same businesses that employ those working-class families.

Of course he has no understanding that these businesses will be happy to relocate to Texas or another business friendly state.

He can ask Gov. Newsom about how his onerous rules, regulations and business taxes have driven out businesses and jobs in his state...

"California has experienced a significant exodus of businesses, driven primarily by high taxes, burdensome regulations, and a soaring cost of living.

The state's tax burden is particularly notable, with a top income tax rate of 13.3% applied even to capital gains, which corporate executives have cited as a key factor in relocation decisions.

Since 2005, at least 237 companies have left California, with more than half—over 120—relocating to Texas."