More than property taxes: Business PAC enters Chicago’s budget fight • The TRiiBE

“I don’t know why y’all shocked or why y’all surprised. This is what the democratic process is supposed to look like. We’re supposed to negotiate. We’re supposed to have the conversations. We’re gonna make some hard decisions, but we have to right-size government,” Taylor said.

During a press conference Friday, a collection of alders from the Black and Progressive caucuses stood in solidarity behind Johnson. Those alders were Pat Dowell (3rd Ward), Michelle Harris (8th Ward), Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), Jessie Fuentes (26th Ward), Walter Burnett (27th Ward) and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa (35th Ward). 

Johnson expressed confidence in the City Council’s ability to pass a revised budget package before the Dec. 31 deadline. 

“We’re going to keep working, and we’re going to keep collaborating with alders to pass a balanced budget before the end of the year,” Johnson told reporters. “We have been in very fruitful conversations and making some good progress. We’re not going to stop doing that.

Meanwhile, different sets of alders from the Progressive Caucus and more conservative-leaning caucus took questions from reporters in the hallways outside of City Council chambers. 

Ald. Marty Quinn (13th Ward), who spoke alongside Scott and more than a dozen other alders, said they’ve identified areas that needed to be cut from the budget. He specifically called out increases in funding for City Council committees. 

“We found that out of the Water Fund, someone was getting security. The treasurer was getting security. We found that the Housing Committee was getting $50,000,” Quinn said. Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) is the chair of the City Council’s housing committee. 

Quinn also added that Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th Ward), who chairs the City Council’s police and fire committee, is receiving $30,000 more in the revised budget. 

“It took us 10 minutes to find that. So more work needs to be done,” Quinn said, referring to the budget. 

Ald. Maria Hadden (49th Ward) said the Johnson administration needs more time to talk with alders to revise the budget package. 

Hadden said she would have voted “yes” on Friday. However, she also expressed frustration with how the Johnson administration has handled the budget process. 

“They’re not listening to a lot of advice given in good faith, and when they do listen, it’s a little too late,” she explained. Hadden also expressed her frustration with her colleagues in the City Council.