Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson proposed a $21-per-employee monthly tax on large companies to help fill a nearly $1.2 billion shortfall. Business leaders and even a former mayor say the “head tax” could kill job creation and new investment.
Lawmakers may approve a statewide delivery tax on Doordash and Uber Eats to fund Chicago transit, hitting all Illinoisans who shop online, even those who don’t use CTA, Metra or Pace.
Despite a 2021 law meant to improve the funding ratio of Chicago’s park pension, the amount of money the system has on hand to pay out benefits remains low.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s 2026 budget proposal includes a per-user tax on social media companies and a per-employee fee on businesses. The proposal does not include a property tax hike and supports the elimination of the grocery tax.
Chicago homeowners on the South and West Sides are bracing for huge property tax hikes, driven by surging assessments and government spending tied to pensions.
Prices for DoorDash, Uber, Ticketmaster and Illinois tolls might go up now to cover $1.5 billion for Illinois transit agencies. A real estate transfer tax for homes in the Chicago suburbs is also on the table.
Charter schools are intended to offer families more options in the public school system, but Illinois law often restricts and undermines the autonomy with which they were designed.