The editorial board of The Washington Post criticized Mayor Brandon Johnson on Monday, suggesting that his management of Chicago has led the city into significant financial turmoil. They asserted that the city has a long history of relying on short-term economic policies, which they believe is also true for Johnson and his supporters.
According to Grant McClintock from the Citizens League, Chicago’s net operating budget surged nearly 40% from 2019 to 2025; however, much of this growth was buoyed by temporary federal pandemic funding. He warned that changes are on the horizon for 2025. As property taxes increase, homeowners in Chicago are looking for solutions.
Although the pandemic has ended, many of the initiatives and staff established during that period persist without the federal funding that once supported them. The editorial, titled “Chicago Has Lost its Insanity,” cautioned that some of Johnson’s policies could severely impact the city’s financial health.
The board highlighted Johnson’s proposals to raise the lease tax on personal property, like computers and vehicles, from 11% to 14%, and to reinstate a ‘poll tax’ that would charge large employers $33 per month for each worker. They argued that these changes could hinder economic growth and tax revenue by making it more costly to do business or hire in Chicago.
In response at a press conference, Johnson dismissed these critiques as misguided. He highlighted that the Citizens League backed his stance, rejecting claims that a revenue drop from large companies would adversely affect job growth. He further argued that this same group indicated last year that the city should not meet its full pension obligations, and he defended his proposed community safety surcharge as a valid measure.
Johnson insisted that, contrary to what critics may argue, he has evidence showing economic improvements in Chicago.
However, the editorial pointed out that the city has implemented various “gimmicks” this year, including a temporary hiring freeze that fails to address fundamental spending and revenue mismatches, reallocating surplus funds from economic development initiatives to cover the general fund and school system, and reducing additional payments for unfunded pensions.
Many Democratic city council members seem to lack enthusiasm for these measures, and some have even proposed alternatives, such as increases to garbage fees. The newspaper also noted that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had threatened to veto any budget plans involving those higher garbage collection fees.
Fox News Digital attempted to contact Mayor Johnson’s office for comment but had not received a response.
