Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson delivered a budget that does little to improve the city or advance his many progressive initiatives. Here’s what it does, and what Chicagoans should be asking city leaders about what it could be.

Pension contributions and debt service now take up 40% of Chicago’s city’s budget.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is continuing the mayoral tradition of giving the City Council and public too little time and too little information before a deficit city budget is passed. There’s little chance that will change soon, but it could be fixed.

Despite budget experts predicting a $538 million shortfall next year between Chicago’s spending and revenues, only two city leaders opted to forgo automatic pay raises provided to top public servants in September. The mayor and 48 aldermen took theirs.