Posted on 09/01/2020 7:50:34 AM PDT by SJackson
Citing ’catastrophic collapse’ of economy, Mayor Lori Lightfoot says Chicago faces $1.2 billion shortfall in 2021 ’pandemic budget’
Citing the “catastrophic collapse of our local and national economy” because of COVID-19 and damage to local businesses from civil unrest, Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday laid out a $1.2 billion shortfall for what she called Chicago’s “pandemic budget” in 2021.
Filling the historic deficit will likely require personnel cuts and could lead to layoffs, and the mayor promised to use a TIF surplus and consider a computer lease tax as other potential measures. Lightfoot made no mention of a possible property tax hike in her remarks.
Asked afterward for specifics about cuts or taxes, Lightfoot said that “all options are on the table,” though property taxes and job cuts are at the back of her list.
“The reality is that life will be different for the foreseeable future, impacting how services are provided and how departments are structured, and we must adjust to meet that reality,” Lightfoot said in an afternoon speech at the Cultural Center.
“A very difficult part of reimagining government will also include looking to our workforce, and making needed changes in places that are not being fully utilized during the remainder of this crisis and in our post-COVID-19 world,” she said.
Lightfoot largely avoided discussion about the city’s rising pension costs, aside from calling for state lawmakers to work together and solve the problem. But alluding to the issue, Lightfoot pushed back against Republican critics who say the federal government shouldn’t help blue cities and states such as Chicago and Illinois because their budget woes are “a result of years of mismanagement.”
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Lori just ran out of other people’s money.
Ask your NBA and NFL BLM backers for money.
no problem just raise taxes on people in Chicago and cut government workers pay in half
Why not borrow the money from the Mexican cartels who are flooding their streets with narcotics?
Don't be too sure of that... Antifa and BLM are democrat groups rioting in democrat cities (with democrat mayors who told their police to stand down) in democrat states and the press is trying to blame Trump.
The most important item on the agenda is to design a plan to insulate the rest of America from the Chicago disaster.
The crater that was once Chicago needs to be fenced and quarantined. There is a lot of bad stuff there.
This requires swift, bold action. She should find a nice strong rope and hang herself.
You almost have it right:
Raise the taxes on the people of Chicago and DOUBLE the government workers' pay is a solution more in line with democrat policies
wondering why, mayor Lori? just look in a mirror
Good one.
They should definitely enact a big property tax increase, and maybe introduce a slew of new taxes on business activities. That should fix the problem.
Duh! The answer is obvious. Raise taxes. (Have you not been paying attention? That has always worked before.)
Dibasio doing likewise in Ny City.....these mayors are on Obama’s quick dial..
Gee, that Covid thing sure is a handy scapegoat.
But what if people move out, and businesses move out of the city, to avoid those new taxes? Then you raise taxes even more on those who are still there??? But then the next tax increase could encourage others to move out as well.
It can become a downward spiral if they aren’t careful.
Moron leftist mayors didn’t have the foresight to see that uncontrollable destructive riots is a revenue killer? Dumbasses. Rudy Giuliani should conduct a crash course on how to successfully mayor a city. He’s an effin guru in comparison to these Demwits.
New York City Mayor Kaiser Wilhelm DeBlasio gave his wife almost that much taxpayer money and she made it quickly disappear.
It’s your own _____ fault.
Every year in Chicago late November the international Radiology Convention RSNA is a huge one. Brings in tons of revenue to sChitgao. If it is canceled or poorly attended it’s a big loss of $$. Ditto for other conventions. Run a city with ghetto tactics and get similar results..
These dim/lib “leaders” are a barrel of laughs. More popcorn!!!
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